Terrorism

By Peter Van Buren | (Tomdispatch.com) | – – In the many strategies proposed to defeat the Islamic State (IS) by presidential candidates, policymakers, and media pundits alike across the American political spectrum, one common element stands out: someone else should really do it. The United States will send in planes, advisers, and special ops […]

Iraq

Iraqis wrangle over who should free Mosul: Kurds, Russia, US or Shiite Militias?

contributors

Iman Asaad | Sulaymaniyah | (Niqash.org) | – – Who would be the best to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State group? A survey of Iraqi opinions on NIQASH’s Facebook page received 900 comments and show just how deeply divided the country is. An unofficial survey on Facebook that garnered over 930 replies from Iraqis […]

Featured

If Defeating ISIL/ Daesh is so imp’t, why isn’t Ramadi Campaign all we’re talking about?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Given the large number of vehement pronouncements by US presidential candidates about the dire threat from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), and attacks on President Obama for not doing more, you would think that the American public would be hanging on every word about any progress against the […]

Islam-hatred

‘You ain’t no Muslim, Bruv’ retort to London Attacker goes Viral

contributors

By Jon Queally, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) | – – With anti-Muslim and xenophobic sentiment on the rise in the wake of Paris attacks, social media hashtag aims to pushback against reactionary blame game by Jon Queally, staff writer 8 Comments The scene of the attack that took place inside the Tube terminal in London […]

Barack Obama

Obama vs. Daesh/ISIL: Freedom is more powerful than Fear & We Refuse to take the Bait

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Obama addressed the nation on Sunday night, in an attempt to calm the public mood after the San Bernardino killers were tied to Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) — though the connection seems to spring merely from common radicalism and murderousness rather than any organizational tie. Obama […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

ISIL/ Daesh can be Starved of Oil Revenue: Here’s How

contributors

By David Stupples | (The Conversation) | – – The high costs of running the Islamic State’s “caliphate” and fighting a ground war are largely met from selling oil, supplemented with donations and money extorted from Christians and hostages. Preventing the jihadists from profiting from oilfields under its control should be a priority for the […]

Iraq

In the Actual fight against Daesh/ ISIL, the Key is Cutting off Mosul

Juan Cole

By Special Correspondent | ( Niqash.org) | – – The Sinjar victory saw the route between Mosul and Raqqa cut. But local truckers have found another way in the desert that extremists are thought to be using too. If this road closes too, Mosul will be fully isolated. The new route out of Mosul heads […]

al-Qaeda

How Turkish President Erdogan went Wrong: Dividing and Not Ruling

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Receb Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, was once seen as a political breath of fresh air and a beacon of change in the Middle East. Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia and other countries in the region were locked into an unhealthy political gridlock. The […]

Featured

US to send Spec Ops troops to Iraq to fight ISIL, but do Iraqis want them?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced Tuesday that the US would send more Special Operations troops to Iraq to fight Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) both in Iraq and in Syria. They would coordinate with and reinforce the Iraqi Army and the Kurdish peshmerga. It looked to […]