US politics

Fiddling at the Death of Democracy: The Media and Democrats need to confront our Dr. Strangelove Moment

Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment) – We learned from Dr. Strangelove that all it takes to blow up the world is one sexually insecure Air Force general and one wacko wing commander . . . also that there is an upside to a nuclear holocaust if you’re well positioned. But who is? Destroying American […]

Democracy

In the Middle East, the US was Never about Democracy Promotion

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – How much of the blame should U.S. policy take for the decline of democracy in the twenty-first century, with the reversions to dictatorship and the rise of illiberalism in older democracies? In a fine article at the New York Times, Max Fisher discusses how an NYT team mined data at […]

Militarization

The Pentagon as Penta-god: America’s Abyss of Weapons and Warmaking

William J. Astore

( Tomdispatch.com) – Who is America’s god? The Christian god of the beatitudes, the one who healed the sick, helped the poor, and preached love of neighbor? Not in these (dis)United States. In the Pledge of Allegiance, we speak proudly of One Nation under God, but in the aggregate, this country doesn’t serve or worship […]

China

As Biden and Xi Zoom, the Iran issue Looms

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Joe Biden and his counterpart Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for half an hour on Monday by video, as Biden attempted to establish “guard rails” in the relationship of the two countries so that tensions do not spiral out of control. Biden is a status quo president, attempting to […]

Afghanistan

How the US lost in Afghanistan (Juan Cole Interview with Michigan Online Teach-out)

Juan Cole

Interview by the University of Michigan Online‘s Jenni Patterson | – “Following the removal of American troops from Afghanistan, there has been a surge of Afghans trying to escape amid the country’s turmoil. Learn more about the current crisis in Afghanistan and how to support displaced people in your own community with the “Afghan Refugees […]

Corruption

All Trump’s Cover-Ups: From Syria Airstrike on Civilians to US COVID Genocide

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The US Founding Fathers had a cynical side. They did not think people in government could be trusted to do the right thing. They thought people often do what they can get away with. The point of James Madison’s checks and balances was not just to guard against tyranny but […]

Climate Crisis

Extreme Heat causes Heart Attacks, Miscarriages, Malnutrition, requiring Urgent steps to Curb CO2

The Conversation

By Abdu Mohiddin, Christopher Jack, Evans Kituyi, Kristie Ebi, Matthew Chersich, and Stanley Luchters | – The African continent is heating up more, and faster, than other regions in the world according to the recently released State of Climate in Africa Report. By 2030, the report says up to 118 million extremely poor people will […]

Donald Trump

In Irrational COVID Policy, is there any Difference between Republicans and Iran’s Ayatollahs?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – David Axe at the Daily Beast reports on what he says is very bad news for the US red states whose Republican governors are depending on herd immunity to get us past the COVID-19 pandemic. Some Iranian provinces have, since its beginning, reported more cases of the coronavirus than they […]

China

After 30 Secret Meetings, US and China announce Joint initiative to Combat Global Heating in Diplomatic Thaw

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Owen Churchill at the South China Morning Post reports that the United States and China at the UN Climate Conference COP26 have agreed on a statement of principles aimed at limiting extra global heating to 2.7 degrees F. (1.5C) above the late 18th century norms before humanity began dumping billions […]