Terrorism

AJ+ | (Video Report) – – “Every week, millions of people tune in to watch Iraqi comedian Ahmed Albasheer lampoon ISIL on his version of The Daily Show. Here’s how he’s fighting misery with satire. From video journalist Rosie Lyse Thompson in Jordan.” AJ+ “Daily Show Iraq: Ahmed Albasheer Fights ISIS With Comedy” Albasheer’s site […]

Authoritarianism

2 Years after Coup, will Assassination of Egypt’s Att’y General be Pretext for More Repression?

contributors

By MariaGloria Polimeno | (The Conversation) | – – Hisham Barakat, Egypt’s most senior prosecutor, has been killed by a car bomb that hit his motorcade in Cairo. The attack came just a month after Islamic State (IS) urged its followers to attack Egypt’s judges and its “deep state” in revenge for their jailing scores […]

Featured

The Great Wall of Turkey? Ankara imagines DMZ w/ Kurds, ISIL

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – So I am going to tell you a story about Turkey, Syria and the United States. It may or may not be true. Its details may or may not have happened, though there is reason to think they did. It is a story. The point is […]

Israel

2 Israeli Squatters /week injured by Palestinians & 39 Palestinians /week by Israeli Forces

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Three Israeli settlers [later reports say four] were injured in a shooting late Monday near the illegal settlement of Shvut Rachel south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army said. The army said on their Twitter feed: “Three civilians were injured & […]

Arab Spring

Tunisians fight back

contributors

By Christine Petré | Your Middle East | – – In an interview with Swedish radio I was asked if there is any support for these radical Islamist ideals among people in Tunisia, and I could honestly respond with a blank no. Tunisians are in all possible ways defying the terrorist attack on Friday, which […]

Featured

Lone Wolves and Soft Targets: Or how our Press, Politicians are being Played by ISIL

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – I saw a lot of headlines on Friday trying to link violent attacks by radical Muslims in France, Tunisia and Kuwait, but I just don’t think there is a connection. Even the concerted attempt to find a pattern here is probably misguided. Worse, it plays into […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

As Kobane comes under ISIL attack, Kurds Encircle, cut off “caliphate”

contributors

By Amy Austin Holmes | (Informed Comment) | – – (Kobane, Syria) The liberation of Kobane in late January led to jubilant celebrations almost everywhere. It was both a turning point in the war against Islamic State militants and the beginning of an emancipatory grassroots democratic experiment known as the Rojava Revolution. Now, IS militants […]

Constitution

America’s Homegrown Extremists Twice as Deadly as Muslim Radicals

contributors

AJ+ | (Video report) | – “Homegrown groups with no connection to Islam have killed almost twice as many people as Muslim groups, according to a study by New America . The study looked at “terror” attacks that took place after 9/11 – but what else does the data tell us?” AJ+: “Non-Muslims More Deadly […]

Iraq

Will Iraq Be Libya? Can the Shiite Militiamen Avoid Turning on Each Other?

contributors

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) – – Iraq’s Shiite militias have been celebrated and criticised. Now, as differences in everything from weapons to leadership to loyalties become evident, tensions between the militias are rising. Last Saturday was the anniversary of senior Iraqi spiritual leader, Ali al-Sistani’s call to arms. The cleric, who is seen […]