Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – The [so-called] Islamic State [IS] group has caused a realignment of Iraq’s political map. Next year’s provincial elections will signal who will rule the land after the security crisis has passed – and it may not be to everyone’s liking. In April 2017 Iraq will […]

The West Under Attack: What we can Learn from the Roy vs Kepel Debate

contributors

By Mustafa Gürbüz | (Informed Comment) | – – The ax attack on a train in Würzburg, Germany, sparked the latest controversy on lone wolf radicalization in the West. Recently, just days before the attack in Nice, two prominent French academics on terrorism, Olivier Roy and Gilles Kepel, were covered in the New York Times […]

Iraq

Iraq: As ISIL loses land, it is Terrorizing to provoke Sectarian Fighting

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – It is slowly becoming clear that the extremist Islamic State group is returning to its roots, setting off bombs to kill innocents in crowded places, to cause chaos. Then it plans to take advantage of the unrest. The extremist group known as the Islamic State […]

Featured

Nice, France, Attack: A Gandhian Response to Serial Killers

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has extended the French state of emergency, which suspends key civil and human rights, in the aftermath of the gruesome truck attack on Bastille Day in Nice, which at this writing has left 80 dead and over a dozen in intensive […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Kerry Proposing Joint US-Russian Airstrikes against Extremists in Syria

contributors

TeleSur | – – According to a leaked U.S. plan, Washington and Moscow would merge their respective air campaigns against non-state armed groups in Syria. The United States will propose increasing military cooperation and sharing intelligence with Russia to identify and target Islamic State group and al-Qaida headquarters, training camps and supply routes in Syria, […]

Featured

Is Kerry Right? Are Freemen of Syria and Army of Islam Radical Terrorists?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Josh Rogin of the Washington Post caused a stir by noticing something Secretary of State John Kerry said at Aspen last month. Kerry slammed Syrian al-Qaeda (Nusra Front) and Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), then said, “There are a couple of subgroups underneath the two designated — Daesh […]

African-Americans

Kurdish Women Fighting ISIL Send Solidarity to BlackLivesMatter

contributors

TeleSur | – – “You are among the most radical voices in today’s racist, sexist, capitalist world,” the YPJ wrote to Black Lives Matter. Fighters from the Kurdish Women’s Defense Units or YPJ, have sent a message of solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. “To our black sisters and brothers! […]

Featured

How ISIL’s attacks on Saudi Arabia aimed at Undermining the Monarchy’s Legitimacy

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi Arabia was rocked yesterday by three terrorist attacks, presumably the work of Daesh (ISIL, ISIS). The attacks were carefully distributed and aimed at delegitimizing the Saudi monarchy, which glories in the title “Servant of the Two Holy Shrines.” The first shrine is Mecca, the birthplace […]

Iraq

Ordinary Iraqis defy sectarianism after Islamic State’s attacks on Baghdad

contributors

By Balsam Mustafa | (The Conversation) | – – “I’m happy that I graduated. I’m so grateful to my parents and I dedicate my success to both of them.” These were the final words written by Adnan, a victim of a deadly attack on Sunday’s early hours in the crowded, buzzing street of Karrada in […]