Month

Archives: April 2015

The Middle East Policy of President Bernie Sanders

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - Bernie Sanders opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation of that country. Sanders wanted to get out of Afghanistan from 2011 much…

Don’t Be Fooled by Saudi’s Reshuffle

By Adam Coogle | (Human Rights Watch) | - King Salman’s promotion of his nephew Mohammed bin Nayef to the position of crown prince and heir apparent marks a change of direction…

Iran’s Khamenei weighs in on Baltimore: ‘Hollywood-style Policing’

Elliot Hill and Mark Sovel | (TheLipTV) The anchors debate the following speech from last Sunday of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in which he contrasted Iranian policing to the "Hollywood-style policing" of…

What the Police Broke in Baltimore (Political Cartoon)

Via MacLeod Cartoons

Iran calls for Nuclear Disarmament by US, Israel, World

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | -- At a summit on Monday, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif turned the tables on the countries demanding that Iran keep its nuclear program…

UN Report: 2014 Israeli Assault on Gaza Hit 7 UNRWA Schools, Killed 44

By IMEMC | -- 44 displaced persons killed, 227 injured Attacks to be considered of "extreme severity toward those who looked to them for protection and sought refuge and were granted shelter…

Baltimore Protests: What The Media Isn’t Showing You

AJ+ | - "Burning buildings, shattered glass, riot police: This looping portrait of Baltimore – on TV and online – has become the defining narrative of protests spurred by the death of…

Young Arabs’ Faith in Democracy Shaken by return to Authoritarianism

By Roberto Savio ROME (IPS) - The results of a survey of what 3,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 – in all Arab countries except Syria – feel…

Assassination as Policy in Washington and How It Failed, 1990-2015

By Andrew Cockburn | (Tomdispatch.com) | - As the war on terror nears its 14th anniversary -- a war we seem to be losing, given jihadist advances in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen…

Bush blames Obama for lack of Wars (‘Follow-Through’ on ‘Threats’)

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - George W. Bush spoke privately this weekend at a Republican Jewish Coalition session hosted by casino sleazeball Sheldon Adelson, who made his pile in a…

Thoughts On Freddie Grey Protest by a Young Baltimore Resident

@hotdamnirock | - A call for disciplined protest from a young Baltimore resident with a foul mouth. Warning: Language. h/t Reddit.com Hotdamnirock: "Thoughts On #FreddieGrey Protest"

The Battle Plans of ISIL: Can they Succeed in Mideast Conquest?

By Richard Rousseau | (The Conversation) What is Islamic State’s political program? What is its ideology? Who are its theoreticians? The answers to these questions can be found in its propaganda. Islamic…

Middle East Conflicts Trigger New U.S.-Russia Arms Race

By Thalif Deen | -- UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The escalating military conflicts in the Middle East – and the month-long aerial bombings of Yemen by an Arab coalition led by Saudi…

Anger Translation: Why Obama was Ranting against GOP Climate Policy at Press Dinner

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - The Comedy Central show, Key and Peele, made famous a bit by Keegan-Michael Key on Obama called the "Luther, the anger translator," which plays on…

Gaza Strip 101: World’s Largest outdoor Prison

Middle East Eye | - "The Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave wedged between Israel and Egypt, has been under blockade since 2007, shortly after elections brought the group Hamas to power. After…

Beyond the Headlines: The New Arabs (Juan Cole Interview)

Jack Segal | International Affairs Forum (Traverse City) | - "For three decades, Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan has sought to put the…

Danger: GOP House’s “Cybersecurity Bills” are Surveillance Bills in Disguise

By Mark Jaycox | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | - The House passed two cybersecurity "information sharing" bills today: the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence's Protecting Cyber Networks Act, and the House…

Nepal shows its vulnerability after devastating earthquake

By Simon Redfern | (The Conversation) | - For some time scientists have realised that the Kathmandu valley is one of the most dangerous places in the world, in terms of earthquake…

Syria: Al-Qaeda takes Jisr al-Shughur, threatening Key Port

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - A coalition of extremist groups with al-Qaeda ties managed on Saturday to take the city of Jisr al-Shughur from the Syrian army. Among them were…

Obama Stand-up at Press Dinner: “I’ve aged so much Boehner invited Netanyahu to speak at my Funeral”

Obama “I’ve aged so much Boehner invited Netanyahu to speak at my Funeral”

C-Span | (White House Correspondents Dinner) - "From C-SPAN coverage, President Obama remarks at the 2014 White House Correspondents' Dinner." President Obama complete remarks at 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner (C-SPAN)

The Moment the Nepal earthquake hit

BBC News | - "Video shows the moment earthquake hit Nepal... a powerful earthquake that struck Nepal, wrecking many historic buildings. The quake measured 7.9 and struck an area between the capital…

The women of Palestine: caught between the occupation and patriarchy

By Ebru Buyukgul | ( Your Middle East) | - Around this time two years ago, Mona Mahajna, a 30-year-old mother of three, was found shot dead in her apartment in Umm…

115 Children Killed: Saudi Arabia’s War on Yemen by the Numbers

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Since the beginning of the Saudi air campaign against the Houthi movement in Yemen on March 26 until April 22, these are the UN statistics…

Gallipoli: Prince Charles, Prince Harry in Turkey Honor 130,000 War Dead on Both Sides

Euronews | - "World leaders have gathered at the World War I battle sites of the Gallipoli campaign to mark 100 years since the British-led invasion. Representatives of countries that faced off…

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Azerbaijan among Top 10 Worst Censors: Media Watchdog

By Valentina Ieri | - UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) - While technology has given millions greater freedom to express themselves, in the world's 10 most censored countries, this basic right exists only on…

BP Defends Tar Balls still washing up in Gulf

ThinkProgress | - Confronted with BP tar balls still washing up on Gulf shores, a spokesman denies the toxic chemicals are harmful, sidestepping the damage to pristine beaches. Scientists do not agree…

Iran: US, Israel dare not attack us; anyway if they could have, they would have

RT | -- "With a nuclear deal around the corner, Russia's decision to proceed with the sale of the sophisticated S-300 missile defense system to Iran sparked a flurry of speculation. How…

US admits it has no Idea who it is Assassinating by Drone

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - The tragic deaths last January, just now being revealed, of two Western hostages in drone strikes on a relatively empty housing complex in northern Pakistan…

Is Iranian power on the rise?

By Brian M. Downing | (Informed Comment) - As the Iranian nuclear talks neared preliminary agreement, and as the Houthis drove into southern Yemen, world leaders and commentators warned that Iran is…

Why Gaza Casualties were so High: Israel relaxed rules re: high-explosives in populated areas

By: Charlie Hoyle - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The unprecedented number of Palestinians killed in the 2014 war in Gaza was linked to changes in the military rules of engagement regarding civilian protection…

Double Standard: Petraeus Avoids Prison, But Whistleblowers Not So Lucky

Newsy | - "Retired Gen. David Petraeus was sentenced Thursday for mishandling classified government documents, but why was his punishment relatively light?" Newsy: "Petraeus Avoids Prison, But Whistleblowers Not So Lucky"

Tensions Boil Over After Baltimore Police Call Protesters “Lynch Mob”

By Lauren McCauley, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) Demonstrators still seeking answers over the mysterious and troubling death of Freddie Gray, who died of a spinal injury while in the custody of the…

A Letter of Apology to My Grandson: A Pox on Twenty-First-Century America

By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com) Dear Grandson, Consider my address book -- and yes, the simple fact that I have one already tells you a good deal about me. All the…

Rand Paul: GOP Hawks are Obama’s “Lapdogs;” McCain: Paul ‘Worst Candidate’

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) The philosophical difference between the Libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and the GOP hawks has burst into open name-calling. First, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that…

Mobilizing For Mosul, Iraq: Scholars Work To Save Town’s Heritage from ISIL

By Coilin O'Connor | (RFE/RL) - While much of the world stands by as the militant Islamic State group takes a sledgehammer to the Middle East's cultural legacy, a team of Czech…

2015 Darwin Award: Paris would-be Church bomber Shoots own Leg, Calls 911

France24 | -- "This church in the Parisian suburb of Villejuif may have escaped being attacked last week-end. "Documentation was found that said without ambiguity that a person known to authorities would…

Blood Money? After Bombing Yemen, Saudis offer $274 mn. in Humanitarian Aid

By Thalif Deen | - UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - Saudi Arabia’s right hand does not know what its left foot is up to, belittles an Asian diplomat, mixing his metaphors to describe…

Fossil Fuels have to Stay in the Ground: But Renewables are anyway Cheaper

By Will Steffen and Martin Rice | (The Conversation) Ninety per cent of Australia’s current coal reserves will need to be left in the ground for Australia to play its role in…

How U.S. will monitor Iranian ships in Yemen

CNN | - "CNN's Tom Foreman uses virtual reality to show how the U.S. intends to monitor Iranian ships off the coast of Yemen." CNN: "How U.S. will monitor Iranian ships in…

Top Ten ways to prove you Love the Earth on Earth Day

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - I was a junior in high school on April 22, 1970, on the first Earth Day, called for by Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-Wi) (d. 1981).…

Iraq’s Future in the Balance: Will Sunni Arab Tribes join or fight ISIL?

By Khales Joumah | Mosul | (Niqash.org) | - The key to long lasting victory in northern Iraq is the loyalty of it's Sunni Muslim tribes. Both the Iraqi Kurdish and the…

Controversy as the “Forgotten Genocide” of the Armenians turns 100

AJ+ | - "April 24 marks the 100th anniversary of what's been called “The Forgotten Genocide” and the “Armenian massacres,” when hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of Armenians were…

Ousted Egyptian President Morsi Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

By Deirdre Fulton, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) - Morsi was convicted of ordering the arrest and torture of protesters during the clashes that erupted in December 2012 Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi,…

Pakistan as Hong Kong West: China’s New Silk Road & US Failure

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit, full of pomp and circumstance, to Pakistan on Monday, but its centerpiece was a $46 billion investment…

ISIL’s Libya Affiliate Murders 30 Ethiopian Christians

By EurActiv | - A video purportedly made by Islamic State and posted on social media sites on Sunday (19 April) appeared to show militants shooting and beheading about 30 Ethiopian Christians…

Gaza: Shortage of Medicines as Israeli Blockade Grinds On

By IMEMC News The Palestinian Ministry of Health has announced that the crisis of shortage in medicines and medical disposables has been critically aggravated because of the blockade imposed on the Gaza…

If Climate Change ends Capitalism, what good are Climate Economists?

By David Ray Griffin | (Informed Comment) - Since the 1970s, when he essentially founded the economics of climate change, William Nordhaus had been considered its preeminent authority. According to a fellow…

China’s Big Clean-Up: Asia’s Hope

By Mark L. Clifford | (Author of The Greening of Asia: The Business Case for Solving Asia's Environmental Emergency) - Asia sometimes feels like one big environmental emergency. Breathing Beijing's air on…

Khamenei: US invented nuclear Myth; Iran will Never Invade another Country

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - The clerical leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, gave a speech on Sunday in which he urged that Iran maintain its military readiness in order to…

700 Dead: Is Europe’s Neglect of Mediterranean Migrants a form of Genocide?

By Heaven Crawley The latest refugee deaths in the Mediterranean – up to 700 people drowned when the overcrowded fishing vessel in which they were travelling from North Africa capsized of the…

Should Formula 1 be held in Major Human Rights Violator Bahrain?

VICE News | - "Formula 1’s annual Bahrain Grand Prix opened April 17 to global fanfare, but demonstrators in the small Gulf kingdom off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia have been…

Assad: Syria has ‘no relation’ with Hamas, will Never Trust it Again

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Syrian regime no longer has any relationship with former ally Hamas and will never trust the movement again, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview published Friday.…

Yemen as War of Right-Wing Billionaire Establishment in the Middle East

By Conn Hallinan | (Foreign Policy in Focus) - The Saudi-led coalition intervening in Yemen has more in common with 19th-century Europe than the 21st-century Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s recent intrusion into…

As US Consulate in Irbil is Bombed, can US still do Diplomacy in ME?

As US Consulate in Irbil. Iraq, is Bombed, can US still do Diplomacy in ME?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) A bombing that killed 3 people and wounded 10 on Saturday outside the US consulate in Irbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, raises an important question about the US…

If U.S. Bombed Iran What Would Actually Happen?

Cenk Uygur | (The Young Turks) - " Cenk Uygur host of The Young Turks discusses what would happen if the United States decided to launch a war campaign against Iran. "Many…

Iraq: Shiite Gov’t faces Mammoth Task in taking Sunni al-Anbar from ISIL

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) - Only a few hours after the start of the next big military campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq, things [went] wrong. Anbar…

Yemen: U.N. pleads for $ .25 Bn., denounces War Crimes, Rising Hunger

Yemen: U.N. calls for Ceasefire, denounces War Crimes

By Thalif Deen | - UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The United Nations, which is providing humanitarian aid to over 50 million refugees worldwide, is struggling to cope with a new crisis in…

Clean Disruption: Why Conventional Energy and Transportation will be Obsolete by 2030

Tony Seba | "Tony Seba gives the keynote address at the NZ SmartGrid Forum at the Te Papa museum in Wellington, New Zealand, March 31, 2014. The keynote is titled “Clean Disruption:…

Iraq: Why it doesn’t Matter if Ezzat al-Douri was Killed

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - The currently partly unemployed Iraqi governor of Salahuddin Province, displaced from much of his territory by Daesh (ISIS or ISIL), maintains that former Baath vice…

Israeli Supreme Court Upholds ‘Anti-Boycott Law’

By Sarah Saadoun | (Human Rights Watch) - On Wednesday, Israel’s Supreme Court upheld key provisions of the country’s “anti-boycott law,” which makes it a civil offense for people or groups to advocate…

On ‘Prisoners Day,’ PLO tells Israel: Let my People Go

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Senior PLO official Hanan Ashrawi on Friday marked Palestinian Prisoner's Day by demanding that Israel end its "captivity" of the Palestinian people under occupation. "Today, we honor and express…

The Coming Water Wars

Jo Ankier and John Fenoglio | (TheLipTV) | - "Around 60% more food will be needed to feed the world's growing population by 2050 and with the demand for water set to…

Fast-Tracking Pacific Trade Bill will harm Consumers, Tie Congress’ Hands

By Jeremy Malcolm and Maira Sutton | Electronic Frontier Foundation | - The Fast Track bill contains some minor procedural improvements from the version of the bill introduced last year. However, these…

Yemen: Children caught in the crossfire as Houthis take Aden

Nima Elbagir | (CNN) -- "CNN's Nima Elbagir visited a military hospital in Yemen now used primarily for civilians injured in Saudi airstrikes." CNN: "Children caught in the crossfire in Yemen"

Floating wind turbine in the sky Can Power whole Villages

Dan Simmons | (BBC Click) - "The floating wind turbine that could help provide power to remote communities. The helium-filled device, known as The Bat, can adjust its height to take advantage…

Turning Point: 2015, the Year the World turned to Renewables and saved itself

By Michael T. Klare | ( Tomdispatch.com) | - Don’t hold your breath, but future historians may look back on 2015 as the year that the renewable energy ascendancy began, the moment…

Juan Cole: Syria, Yemen Conflicts only seem to be about Sunni-Shiite from 30,000 Feet

David Speedie | (Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs) | - David Speedie of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs interviewed me in New York on Monday. Below is…

Iraq: ISIL surrounds 300 Sunni families, Closes in on Ramadi

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Al-Khaleej (The Gulf) reports that Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) has taken new territory in the western Al-Anbar Province of Iraq and may be on the verge…

Australia’s new Super Solar Cells Double Efficiency

Graham Philips | (ABCTVCatalyst) | - "Australian scientists from the University of New South Wales have set a new world record for the efficiency of commercially-viable solar cells. Dr Graham Phillips investigates…

Marco Rubio’s Massive Flip-Flop on Climate Change, Green Energy

Climate Desk | - Climate Desk: "Marco Rubio on Climate Change"

As Congress takes on Iran Deal, it should Remember its Iraq Blunder

By David M. Faris | (Ethos) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in Geneva I SALT gets in your eyes The last time Lausanne was…

Palestinians: ISIL not Islamic; no to Yemen Bombing; Palestinian State out of Reach

By IMEMC News & Agencies | - A recent poll by the Arab World For Research And Development (AWRAD) gathered 1200 Palestinian respondents, in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, to reach…

Iran: Putin Explains to Israel’s Netanyahu that Air Defense Batteries are, like, Defensive

Iran: Putin Explains to Israel’s Netanyahu: Air Defense System is, like, Defensive

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Tuesday with regard to the Russian Federation's decision to go ahead with…

Iraq: ISIL was Chased from Tikrit, other Towns: But Gov’t still AWOL

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | - A wave of victories against extremists should have seen civilian life slowly return to Iraq's liberated cities. Instead there's chaos and nobody knows who's…

Iran Deal: Michele Bachmann Psyched For Judgment Day

Mark Sovel and Elliot Hill | (TheLipTV) | - "Michele Bachmann spoke about the coming End of Times and the return of Jesus Christ to Earth in an interview with Understanding the…

UN Denounces Israel for imprisoning Palestinians without Charge, Trial Policy

By IMEMC | - Israeli practices of detaining Palestinians without charge or trial is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which defines humanitarian protection for civilians, the United Nations has said.…

With 311 Civilians dead in Yemen Strikes, Saudis & US must Investigate War Crimes

Human Rights Watch | - (Washington, DC) – Saudi Arabia, other coalition members, and the United States should ensure that coalition forces take necessary steps to minimize harm to civilians during military…

Water, Hospitals endangered as Yemen is plunged into Darkness

Water Delivery, Hospitals endangered as Yemen is plunged into Darkness

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Yemen generates 800 megawatts of electricity under ordinary circumstances, which powers its hospitals, including emergency care units, and helps deliver water to households. Nearly half…

Triassic Graveyard: 200 Mn Years ago, CO2 emissions like ours led to Mass Extinction

By Jessica H. Whiteside | (The Conversation) - Just over 200 million years ago, the end-Triassic mass extinction killed off more than half of the species of organisms living on Earth’s land…

Marriage Mosul-Style: Love In The Time of The Caliphate

By Khales Joumah | (Niqash.org) | -- (Mosul) - Despite restrictions of life under extremist rule and an uncertain future, locals in Mosul are still getting married. In fact, rumour has it…

Child Labor On Israeli Farms Exposed

AJ+ | - Human Rights Watch has exposed Palestinian child labor on farms in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Children – many of whom drop out of school to…

President Hillary Clinton’s Middle East Policy: Interventions, Wars, More of Same

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Hillary Clinton announced her bid for the presidency Sunday, prompting another of these attempts at IC to do a quick overview of what we can…

What the Tsarnaevs didn’t Know: The Untold Story of Chechen Non-Violence

By Rebecca Gould | (Informed Comment) While the Boston bombing trial continues to dominate the media, its perpetrators, the Tsarnaev brothers, are associated with a geography scarcely known by Americans: Chechnya. If…

Oil Train Derailments, Exploding Towns & the Hidden Cost of Fracked Oil

By Tom Giesen | (Informed Comment) On July 6th, 2013, at about one AM, an unattended 74-car oil train loaded with fracking-derived Bakken crude oil came free on a railroad grade above…

How Iran won Bush’s Iraq War

By Peter Van Buren | ( Tomdispatch.com) The U.S. is running around in circles in the Middle East, patching together coalitions here, acquiring strange bedfellows there, and in location after location trying…

US history of coup-making Overshadows Obama’s outreach to Iran, Latin American Left

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - President Obama met with Cuban President Raoul Castro for an hour on Saturday, and the two made progress on plans to restore diplomatic relations. Before…

Americans don’t want Congress to sabotage Iran deal – new poll

RT | - Although some lawmakers, including Democrats, believe Congress should have a say in any potential removal of Iranian sanctions, most Americans say Congress should not keep a possible a nuclear…

Elizabeth Warren wants to see Hillary Clinton’s positions on Student Loans, Middle Class

CBSN | - "Sen. Elizabeth Warren continued to shift gears when answering questions about Hillary Clinton and the 2016 election on "CBS This Morning." CBSN: "7 ways Elizabeth Warren avoids talking about…

Israelis Illegally Remove Solar Panels from Palestinian Bedouin Village

By IMEMC | - Solar panels finally brought electricity to the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank, but the residents’ joy was short lived. A few weeks after the…

US Increases Intelligence-Sharing With Saudi Arabia Over Yemen Strikes

By Nadia Prupis, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) - U.S. ups 'sensitive' intelligence-sharing with Saudis to help them get 'better sense of the battlefield,' while aid groups describe disaster on the ground in…

Spain at 70% non-Carbon Electricity: Will it be 1st Net Carbon Zero G-20 State?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - CleanTechnica reports that Spain got nearly 70% of its electricity from plants that did not generate carbon dioxide in March. The two biggest non-carbon energy…

Israeli Forces Target Journalists in West Bank

By Mel Frykberg | - KAFR QADDOUM, West Bank (IPS) - It is becoming increasingly risky to cover clashes and protests between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters in the West Bank…

Does Rand Paul have Anger Issues?

Wochit News | - "Straight out of the gate, Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul has confirmed his tendency to become prickly and frustrated with the press. In an interview with NBC's Savannah…

Homeless in Gaza: UN only has funds to rebuild 200 of 9K homes Destroyed by Israelis

By IMEMC | - UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA has only received funding to reconstruct 200 of the 9,061 houses destroyed in Gaza, said a report released on Thursday. While some…

Few escape routes for refugees and migrants trapped in Yemen

By Kristy Siegfried | - LONDON (IRIN) - As the Saudi-led aerial bombardment of Yemen intensifies and a full-scale civil war appears increasingly inevitable, there are few immediate escape routes for well…

Will A Nuclear Deal Bring The U.S. And Iran Together?

By Golnaz Esfandiari | (RFE/RL) - "What should I wear, now that we will be hanging out with the Americans?" It's a joke that was making the rounds among Iranians after a…

Iran: What did Khamenei really say about the Lausanne Agreement, and Why?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's paramount leader, spoke out on Thursday about the framework agreement for Iran's negotiations over its nuclear enrichment program with the five permanent…

Yemen War threatens Humanitarian Catastrophe

By Sophia Dingli | (The Conversation) - Yemen’s humanitarian crisis is by all accounts getting worse by the day, and the city of Aden has become a major flashpoint. Aden is caught…

Aasif Mandvi Wants You To Laugh At Islamophobia

AJ+ | - "The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi is tackling American Muslim stereotypes with his greatest weapon: comedy. On April 9, the comedian debuted his four-episode web sitcom Halal in the Family…

ISIL Momentum In Iraq Has ‘Halted': VP Joe Biden

By RFE/RL | - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has said the momentum of Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq has stalled. "ISIL's [IS] momentum in Iraq has halted, and in many…

Has the World’s Rush to Recognize Palestine come too Late?

By Joseph Chamie UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The large majority of countries, and most of the people in the world, already recognise Palestine as an independent state. Among the member states of…

Top Ten Ways Islamic Law forbids Terrorism

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 21, has been convicted on all counts in the Boston Marathon bombings. Dzhokhar and his brother Tamerlan were from a mixed Chechen and…

After Israel elected 78 MPs opposed to 2 States, what can Palestinians Do?

By Alaa Tartir | (Ma'an News Agency) - With Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory, the Israeli electorate made it very clear that they don’t seek a just peace or equality. They voted in 78…

Yemeni Refugees flee to Saudi Arabia as Aden is invaded & Sanaa bombarded

Reuters | - "Houthi forces fought battles street by street with local militia in Aden as aid workers say the city faces a humanitarian catastrophe. Mana Rabiee reports." Reuters: "Yemen's Houthis battle…

Lausanne: Is there really much Disagreement between US, Iran on those Talking Points?

By Golnaz Esfandiari | (RFE/RL) - There are two sides to every story. When it comes to the framework nuclear deal reached this month between world powers and Iran, there is the…

Can Police Who Kill be held Accountable?

By Alba Morales | ( Human Rights Watch) The murder charge against Michael Slager, the South Carolina police officer who fatally shot 50-year-old Walter Scott in the back on April 4, is…

Iraq: Tikrit Civilians caught between Shiite Militias, ISIL Terrorism

VICE News | -- "Days before the US launched airstrikes on Tikrit in late March, VICE News traveled to the front lines of the northern Iraqi city, where Iraqi government forces and…

President Rand Paul’s Middle East Policy

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) declared his candidacy today to be the Republican standard bearer in the 2016 election. So what would a Rand Paul presidency…

Situation in Besieged Yarmouk Camp ‘One of the Most Severe Ever’

By Josh Butler | UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has described the situation inside the Syrian refugee camp of Yarmouk, under attack by…

Palestinian Lives in Gaza at Risk if Israeli Blockade Continues: Ministry of Health

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- As millions around the world mark April 7th as World Health Day, the health situation in Gaza continues to worsen as the joint Israeli-Egyptian siege of Gaza continues…

Execution without Trial: A Short History of the Predator Drone

By Grégoire Chamayou | (Tomdispatch.com) Initially, the English word “drone” meant both an insect and a sound. It was not until the outbreak of World War II that it began to take…

4 Key Players In Yemen’s Chaos

AJ+ | - "Yemen’s being torn apart in a struggle for power. The stakes are high, with many different groups involved in the current chaos. We’ve narrowed down the key players you…

Netanyahu slips, Reveals reason for Opposition to Iran Deal

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - US television news isn't very good and it has clearly gotten worse over the past 20 years. In the aftermath of the Kerry-Zarif initial framework…

‘It’s like a war here’: Saudi police raid defiant Eastern Province amid wider conflict with Shia

RT | - One Saudi policeman was killed and four injured during raids on a Shia-dominated oil-rich eastern province, as the Saudi-led coalition bombardment of rebels in neighboring Yemen prompted fears of…

Palestine Authority seeks to speed up ICC probe into Israeli war crimes

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority is providing new documents to the International Criminal Court to speed up a preliminary probe into possible Israeli war crimes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad…

Israeli Squatters’ Environmental Terrorism Cripples Palestinian Farmers

By Mel Frykberg AL SHUYUKH, Southern West Bank (IPS) - “Exactly which olive trees do you want to see? The Israeli settlers have cut down thousands. Can you be more specific?” asked…

Indiana: Church of Marijuana founded to Exploit Religious Freedom Act

Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian | (The Young Turks) - "“In a classic case of “unintended consequences,” the recently signed Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in Indiana may have opened the door…

Do GOP Frontrunners have an Iran policy besides Sanctions and Bombs?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - President Barack Obama's negotiations with Iran to ensure that its nuclear enrichment program remains purely civilian, for generating electricity, ought to be bipartisan in spirit.…

The War in Yemen is Political, Ecological: Forget Sunnis and Shiites

By Solaiman M. Fazel | (Informed Comment) As the Saudi led coalition closes its second week of bombardment in Yemen, the dominant narrative in the mainstream media depicts this conflict as another…

Joint Israeli-Palestinian March for justice for Negev Bedouin Villages

By Silvia Boarini | -- JERUSALEM (IPS) - There was a symbolic dimension to a recent four-day march from the periphery of Israel to the corridors of power in Jerusalem to seek…

Scotland: Outer Hebrides Island co-op buys Wind Turbine, sells Energy

Triodos Bank, UK | -- "As the southernmost inhabited islands of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland Barra and Vatersay bear the brunt of whatever weather the Atlantic throws at them. Not that…

Hamas forces join fight against ISIL in Damascus refugee camp

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- An official in the support network for the Palestinian refugee camps in Syria said Sunday that a Hamas-affiliated group is fighting the Islamic State in Damascus' Yarmouk refugee camp.…

Religion in Israel: It’s the Government’s Business

By Shalom Goldman | (ISLAMICommentary) - Shalom Goldman Surveys of religious affiliation in the U.S. reveal that more than 25% of American have joined a faith other than the one in which…

Yemen: Russia, Red Cross Demand halt to Bombing to Avert Humanitarian Catastrophe

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - The Red Cross and the Russian Federation are both demanding a temporary cease-fire in the aerial bombardment of Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition, to allow…

Earth: “You won’t like me on Climate Change”

How Climate Change is already affecting Human Well-Being

EPA | - "This video provides an introduction to the issue of climate change. The narration discusses the causes of modern-day climate change, signs that the climate is already changing, and how…

US Arms Hypocrisy in Egypt: Obama’s New Beginning that Never Started

By Marwa Fikry Abdel Samei | (Informed Comment) - “To the people of Egypt, particularly the young people of Egypt: I want to be clear: We hear your voices. I have an…

Saudi-led attacks in Yemen demonstrate the Gulf’s new assertiveness

By James M. Dorsey | ( Your Middle East ) - “Everything is underground, nothing is public." The current Saudi-led intervention in Yemen designed to prevent Iranian-backed forces from gaining power symbolises…

Palestinian Christian leaders criticize Israeli restrictions on Easter celebration

By Celine Hagbard | (IMEMC News) - The archbishop of the Sebastian Greek Orthodox Church, Atallah Hanna, addressed crowds in the town of al-Ezzariya (Lazarus) on Saturday, condemning the Israeli restrictions on…

What if US & UN Sanctioned Israel over its Nukes they way they did Iran?

What if US & UN Sanctioned Israel over its Nukes as they did Iran over Enrichment?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - There is a lot of talk about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and the ways in which an Iranian bomb would provoke Saudi Arabia…

How are Iranians reacting to Nuclear Deal?

By Golnaz Esfandiari and Farangis Najibullah | (RFE/RL) - Iranian supporters of the framework nuclear deal announced on April 2 describe it as a historic achievement that will offer a better future…

Missing Israeli Soldier Staged His own “Kidnapping,” Palestinians Rousted

By IMEMC | -- Israeli sources have reported that the 22-year-old soldier, who was believed to be missing, or “kidnapped," staged his own disappearance, after the soldiers initiated a search campaign and…

Obama to Train 75,000 Solar Workers in 5 Yrs, Including Veterans

Barack Obama | (Whitehouse.gov) - "President Obama traveled to the Hill Air Force Base in Salt Lake City, Utah to discuss his initiative to connect veterans with jobs in the burgeoning solar…

Eyewitness: How the Bush invasion of Iraq created the ISIL Threat

Lindsey Hilsum | (Channel 4 News) - "Learn how the 2003 invasion of Iraq, by the US and its allies, led to sectarian violence, terror and sowed the seeds of the Islamic…

Elon Musk: Solar Energy, Electric Cars will avert Wars for Oil

Elon Musk | (Elon Musk Videos) - "Elon Musk is a South African-born, Canadian-American entrepreneur, engineer, inventor and investor. He is the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO and chief product architect…

How will Kenya respond to Al-Shabab Terror?

NTV | - "Terror On Campus Interview with MP for Bala Mbala, Abdikadir Aden & Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross, James Kisia discuss the Garissa Attack with Smriti Vidyarthi."…

The von Moltke Fallacy and avoiding another World War, with Iran

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - Iran has just de facto announced that it does not want a nuclear weapon, at least in this generation, and probably ever. That American and…

Netanyahu on Iran Deal: threatens ‘survival of Israel’, ‘horrific war’

RT | ---- A nuclear deal with Iran based on current framework will "threaten the survival of Israel", said PM Benjamin Netanyahu, warning it would increase the risk of a "horrific war."…

Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen is Morphing into Major War

By Paul Rogers Since it was first announced, the Saudi Arabia-led war in Yemen has developed very rapidly. Air strikes have already hit numerous targets, resulting in many civilian deaths. Clearly, the…

Syria: ISIL Conquest of Yarmouk Palestinian Camp refutes Israeli Propaganda

Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - On Wednesday, the extremist Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) group, known for its brutal beheadings and mass murder, took over the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp inside Damascus city…

Why Palestine joining the International Criminal Court could be a total game changer

By Kurt Mills, University of Glasgow | (The Conversation) - After more than five years and much diplomatic wrangling, Palestine has joined the International Criminal Court (ICC). Now, the prospect of Israel…

Boycotting Indiana over anti-Gay Religious Discrimination

Cenk Uygur | (The Young Turks) - "Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and John Iadaola (https://twitter.com/jiadarola) host of The Young Turks discusses the backlash and boycotts from other states against Indiana over its Religious…

Israel’s Hidden Palestinians fight Eviction

AJ+ - "100,000 Palestinian Bedouins living in villages in Israel's Negev desert are being threatened with eviction. Their communities are not recognised by the State of Israel, and so they have no…

As Aden falls to Houthis & Saudis Bomb, Yemenis buy up Food, Fuel

By Almigdad Mojalli - SANA'A, 1 April 2015 (IRIN) - Yemen’s war continued to escalate on Wednesday, with Saudi-led airstrikes in most major cities and firefights across the country. Saudi and its…

As Iran talks Progress, US, Iran forces cooperate in taking Tikrit

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - By now the Iraqi government has a long history of claiming areas are "liberated" when the local picture remained mixed. This is the sort of…

Barghouthi: “Joining ICC A Significant Move To Strip Israel’s Illegal Immunity”

By IMEMC News | - Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, stated that by joining the International Criminal Court (ICC), Palestine would be able to file cases against Israel…

Half of all new Energy world-wide last year was Green

By Sean Buchanan | - ROME, Mar 31 2015 (IPS) - Driven by solar and wind, world investments in renewable energy reversed a two-year dip last year, brushing aside the challenge from…

Afghanistan’s China Card

By Dilip Hiro | (Tomdispatch.com) - Call it an irony, if you will, but as the Obama administration struggles to slow down or halt its scheduled withdrawal from Afghanistan, newly elected Afghan President Ashraf…