Month

Archives: October 2015

Syria: US Boots on Ground risks Conflict with Turkey, not Russia

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The White House's announcement on Friday that the US will keep "less than 50" special ops troops at an HQ of the Kurdish…

Will Turkey’s Elections bring Peace or More Conflict with Kurds?

By Peter O'Connor | Diyarbakr | (Informed Comment) | - - Tomorrow, on November 1, Turkish voters will return to the polls for the second time in 5 months. At the core…

Unlike Florida, India’s Tamil Nadu State Requires Solar Panels on New Multistory Buildings

Smitha TK | (NDTV Video Report) | - - "The Tamil Nadu Government makes Solar Power generation mandatory in buildings, but is it doing enough to crease out the implementation challenges? Smitha…

Autopsy as Vienna Syria Summit concludes: Did US let its hard Line Saudi Ally run Wild?

By Carlyn Meyer | (Informed Comment) | - - Deep contradictions in the Administration’s Syria policy are on full display as the US, Russia, Iran and assorted other Middle Eastern states meet…

Israeli soldiers tell Palestinians: ‘We will gas you until you die’

By Megan Hanna | (Ma'an News Agency) | - - On October 29, Israeli military forces issued a disturbing message to residents of Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, telling them that unless…

Syria: On eve of Vienna Summit, Has Russia changed the facts on the Ground?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Writing in al-Hayat [Life] this week, columnist Walid Choucair outlined the successes he sees Russia to have had in its Syria campaign, and…

Why Russia Fears ISIL: Panic over Domestic Terror Plots & Wave of Arrests

By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/ RL ) | - - Russia appears to be cracking down on Muslims and labor migrants in response to what it says are domestic terror threats…

More of Iraq’s Kurdish Women Training to Fight Extremists

Shalaw Mohammed | Erbil | ( Niqash.org ) | - - Increasing numbers of Iraqi Kurdish women are training to become soldiers; they want to join their men in the fight against…

2016 Campaign and Forever War: Electorate gone to Disney World

By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - You may not know it, but you’re living in a futuristic science fiction novel. And that’s a fact. If you were to…

Bernie Sanders Hugs Muslim Student And Vows To Fight Racism

AJ+ | (Video News Report) | - - "Bernie Sanders promises to fight the "ugly stain" of anti-Islamic sentiment across the U.S." AJ+: "Bernie Sanders Hugs Muslim Student And Vows To Fight…

Iran’s Attendance at Syria talks in Vienna marks its Emergence as Regional Power

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - On Friday, Iran and Saudi Arabia will both attend an international summit on Syria and speak diplomatically about its future for the first…

Amnesty: Israeli forces have ‘ripped up the rulebook’

Ma'an News Agency | - - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Amnesty International on Tuesday demanded that Israel stop unlawful killings in occupied Palestinian territory, stating that Israeli forces appeared to have "ripped up…

War is Beautiful: How Newspapers’ War Photography Conceals the Hideous Reality

By David Shields | (Informed Comment) | - - The following is an excerpt from War Is Beautiful by David Shields: For decades, upon opening the New York Times every morning and…

From Canada as Hawk to Canada as Peacemaker in Mideast

By Richard Foltz | (Informed Comment) | - _ As midnight approached on October 19th Canadians staying up to watch the results of the federal election let out a huge collective sigh…

House ‘Science’ Committee Climate Witch Hunt is Worse than Benghazi!

Michael Mann| (Thom Hartmann Video Interview) | - - "Thom Hartmann talks with Dr. Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology Director, Earth System Science Center-Penn State University / Author-Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate…

SC Cop Flips Black Student In Her Desk

Cenk Uygur, Brett Erlich, and Hannah Cranston | (The Young Turks Video) | - - "A cop in South Carolina was called in to deal with an unruly student at a high…

Yemen: Coalition Airstrikes Hit Hospital

Human Rights Watch | - - (Sanaa) – The airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition on a hospital in northern Yemen supported by Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontiers, MSF) on October 26,…

Jerusalem: A City Governed by Fear

By: Emily Mulder | ( Ma'an News Agency ) | - - JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Mohammad, a 20-year-old Palestinian and resident of Jerusalem, was attacked by a group of Israelis on Oct.…

Iran helping build “New Syrian Army;” ISIL fighters Fleeing to Iraq from Russian Airstrikes

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Alarabiya television is reporting 16 new casualties in Syria since October 9 among Iranian fighters there. There are thought to be some 1,500…

Earthquake in Pakistan & Afghanistan hits Poor Worse

Channel 4 News | (Video News Report) | - - "More than 200 people have been killed in a powerful quake which shook areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan and was felt as…

Senior National Security Advisers urge Obama to put Spec Ops Troops close to ISIL Front

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Missy Ryan and Greg Jaffe at the Washington Post reveal that President Obama's senior national security advisers have recommended positioning US special operations…

Tel Aviv: Israelis Rally Over Netanyahu’s Policies

Tel Aviv: Israelis Rally against Netanyahu’s Policies toward Palestinians

By IMEMC | - - Thousands of Israeli protesters have taken to the streets in Tel Aviv to denounce Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies, which they blame for the recent wave of…

Let’s not forget: the real drivers behind Palestinian anger

By Hugh Lovatt | ( Your Middle East) | - - "Israeli society continues to turn a blind eye to the suffering it inflicts on Palestinians" An end to the violence will…

Are Red Meat & Bacon As Cancer-Causing As Cigarettes and Plutonium?

By Nadia Prupis, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) | - - Processed meats have been placed in the same health risk category as smoking and asbestos by the cancer research body of the…

Bush Lapdog Blair can’t Even Apologize Correctly for Destabilizing the Middle East

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Former British PM Tony Blair reiterated on Sunday some of his previous half-hearted "apologies" for illegally launching a war of aggression on Iraq…

Palestine: Hebron at eye of the storm as death toll rises from Squatter attacks

By: Killian Redden | Ma'an News Agency | - - HEBRON (Ma’an) -- As the death toll has risen across the occupied Palestinian territory, the southern West Bank city of Hebron has…

But are they effective? Elite US Forces Deploy to a Record-Shattering 147 Countries in 2015

By Nick Turse | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - They’re some of the best soldiers in the world: highly trained, well equipped, and experts in weapons, intelligence gathering, and battlefield medicine. …

Trump On Shutting Down Mosques: Yeah Sure Whatever

By John Iadarola, Jayar Jackson, and Elliot Hill | (The Young Turks) | - - "How far would Donald Trump go to protect America from ISIS? Turns out pretty far… John Iadarola…

Ahmadinejad’s Ex-Bodyguard Among Growing Number Of Iranians Killed in Syria

By Golnaz Esfandiari | ( RFE/ RL ) | - - A onetime bodyguard for former Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has been killed in Syria while fighting Islamic State (IS) militants, according…

The Intifada, Viral Death, and the Facebook Fallacy

By Julie Poucher Harbin, Editor, | Interview with Rebecca Stein | ISLAMICommentary | - - There are varying explanations for the uptick in violence in Israel-Palestine over the past few days, but…

Russia/Syria: Possibly Unlawful Russian Air Strikes

Human Rights Watch | - - (New York) – At least two air strikes in northern Homs on October 15, 2015, that local residents believed to be Russian, apparently violated the laws…

Is Russia’s offer of Parliamentary Elections in Syria Serious?

By Juan Cole | (informed Comment) | - - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said three surprising things Saturday in an interview with Rossiya 1. 1. Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad would have…

Jewish Squatter attack on Leader of Rabbis for Human Rights caught on Video

Ma'an News Agency | - - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A Jewish settler on Friday attacked the head of the Israeli group Rabbis for Human Rights during a Palestinian olive harvest in the…

Iraqi Kurds Face Hard Diplomatic Choices Between the US and Russia

By Histyar Qader | (Niqash.org) | - - It is tough for Iraqi Kurdistan to turn down any kind of aid when it comes to fighting the Islamic State. So now the…

Mexico’s Patricia Megastorm so strong it broke scale used to measure hurricane intensity

AJ+ | (Video Report | - - "Hurricane Patricia is the strongest ever recorded and headed for Mexico at Category 5 speeds. It's so strong, it broke the scale used to measure…

‘Never Seen Anything Like This Before’ as 2015 Set to Be Hottest Year on Record

By Jon Queally, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org) | - - With many eyes turning to UN talks in Paris, Earth continues to exhibit symptoms of a planet on fire How much…

Forever Refugees – Palestinian Families expelled by Israelis to Syria lose Homes Again

By: Mai Abu Moghli, Nael Bitarie, and Nell Gabiam | Ma'an News Agency | - - Similarly to their Syrian counterparts, Palestinians in Syria have been severely affected by the ongoing war.…

Top Five Things Congress Should investigate instead of Benghazi

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) - - The fruitless carnival barking that was the GOP Benghazi inquisition did the nation the disservice of taking focus off the things really wrong with…

Did US-Russia Tensions Help Bring Iraq Victory in Baiji and Anbar?

By Mustafa Habib | (Niqash.org) Recently Iraqi anti-extremist forces have made some of the biggest gains in months. Iraqi military leaders explain how they beat the Islamic State; some credit US- Russia…

Palestinians need hope, not calm

By John V Whitbeck | (Middle East Eye) | - - It is a sad reality that, unless Jewish lives are lost, Israelis and the Western world tend to feel that the…

Russian-Speaking Militants Prepare To Fight Assad In Hama

By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/RL) ) | - - Two Russian-speaking militant groups, including a battalion within Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Al-Nusra Front, claim they are preparing to fight Syrian government…

Hillary Clinton finally let Benghazi Committee Have It

Thom Hartmann | (Video Report) - - "Thom Hartmann comments on Hillary Clinton's appearance before the House Select Committee on Benghazi." Thom Hartmann: "Hillary hits back at the Benghazi Committee"

What if the U.S. had not invaded Iraq in 2003?

By Peter Van Buren | (Tomdispatch.com) | - - What if the U.S. had not invaded Iraq in 2003? How would things be different in the Middle East today? Was Iraq, in…

First US Soldier Killed in Combat with Daesh/ ISIL as 70 Hostages Freed

By Juan Cole | - - A joint operation by US Delta force and Iraqi Kurdish freed 70 captives on Thursday, led to killing of 20 and the capture of 6 Daesh…

Did Hillary just Win the Presidency because Biden couldn’t Raise $2 bn. this Fall?

Patty Culhane | (Aljazeera English) | - - "United States Vice President Joe Biden has said will not run for president in 2016, ending months of indecision and removing one of Democratic…

US-Russia wrangle over Iraqi Sphere of influence: Parliament to Weigh In

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi is alleged to be under "enormous pressure" from Shiite militiamen and hardliners to seek Russian airstrikes on Daesh…

Armed Israeli Squatters Attack Palestinian Hebron Homes as Fateh calls General Strike

By IMEMC News | - - Armed Israeli settlers -- under Israeli military protection -- attacked Palestinian homes with stones and empty glass bottles to the east of Hebron city, on Tuesday,…

The Real Reason al-Assad Met Putin in Moscow

By Charles Recknagel | ( RFE/ RL ) | - - Three weeks after the start of Russia's bombing campaign, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during…

Could Nuclear Deal hand power to Reformists inside Iran?

By Farhang Jahanpour | (Inter Press Service) | - - OXFORD, Oct 19 2015 (IPS) - As in most countries, in Iran too there are hardliners and moderates. All polls show that…

Is Hillary Clinton Copying Bernie Sanders – And Why Does It Matter?

AJ+ | (Video report) | - - "Bernie Sanders has rubbed off on Hillary Clinton. Not only has she stopped combing her hair, she's railing against billionaires and Wall Street. But how…

The Aleppo Strategy against Daesh/ ISIL: Can it Work?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Washington Post was the first to broach the issue of Russo-Iranian grand strategy in Syria. It turns out that an Iraqi Shiite…

The Secret to Winning the Nobel Peace Prize Keep the U.S. Military Out

By Rebecca Gordon | (Tomdispatch.com) | - - Introduction, by Tom Engelhardt To this day, it remains difficult to take in the degree to which the American invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq…

The war of information in Israel and Palestine

By: Megan Hanna | (Ma'an News Agency) | - - Recent headlines by Western news outlets, such as the BBC, CNN and The Telegraph, in the coverage of the recent spate of…

Investing in Iran after Deal? Be careful of doing business with the Revolutionary Guards

By Mohammad M. Hedayati-Kakhki | (The Conversation) | - - The merest hint of a successful deal over Iran’s nuclear programme is enough to get people excited. And as the country emerges…

3rd Circuit to NYC: Being Muslim is not Reasonable Suspicion for Surveillance

By Nadia Kayyali | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | - - Being Muslim can’t be the basis for law enforcement surveillance. That was the message from the Third Circuit last Tuesday when it…

Brutal Bombing of Yemen risks Destroying its Cultural Heritage along with Civilian Lives

Human Rights Watch | - - (Beirut) – Parties to Yemen’s armed conflict should take all necessary measures to protect Sanaa’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. International humanitarian law provides…

Israel’s crackdown on protesters is illegal, costly and reckless

By Julie M. Norman | (The Conversation) | - - The escalation of violence in Israel-Palestine since the start of October has led to seven Israelis killed by Palestinians in a spate…

American Hypocrisy: Against Muslim Sharia law at home, Calls it “Moderate” in Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - I just watched the 5 pm news hour on CNN anchored by Wolf Blitzer, and the editors had clearly decided that the lead…

Yes, George W. Bush bears some Responsibility for the 9/11 Attacks

Yes, George W. Bush bears some Responsibility for US Vulnerability on 9/11

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Donald Trump-Jeb Bush tiff over whether George W. Bush "kept us safe" is another example of how Donald Trump is better than…

Former Detainees Sue CIA Torture Psychiatrists

Former Detainees Sue CIA Torture Psychologists

By Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian | (The Young Turks) | - - "Ten months after the Senate released its report on the CIA’s illegal torture program, the ACLU is getting involved.…

The new Chinese Century? Can a Green China with no Mideast Entanglements Surpass US?

By Neil Thompson | (Informed Comment) | - - In the last fifteen years the United States has spent a total of between $4 trillion and $6 trillion on its twin wars…

Is the Syrian Crisis Nearing the point where Diplomacy Can make a Difference?

Jo Comerford and Mattea Kramer | ( Tomdispatch.com) | - - Introduction by Tom Engelhardt: Whatever happened to the “imperial presidency”? In mid-September, in the midst of the serial collapse of a…

200 Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village with firebombs

Ma'an News Agency | - - HEBRON (Ma’an) -- More than 200 Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian villages of Wad al-Haseen and Wad al-Nasara near the illegal Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba…

Syrian Army advances under Russian air Support, al-Qaeda no. 2 Killed

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Arabic press is reporting that under cover of Russian air support, the Syrian Arab Army of Bashar al-Assad has made some advances…

‘Putin of Arabia’ hugely popular among Iraqi Shiites

By Jean-Marc Mojon with Raji Nasser in Najaf | ( Your Middle East ) | - - The new Iraq Russian President Vladimir Putin's bullish entry into the Syrian conflict has worked…

Palestine: Death of a Stone-Thrower: Intifada 3.0

VICE News | (Video Report) | - - "Tension builds in Israel and the West Bank with three new stabbing attacks on Israelis reported on Saturday, and the funeral for a young…

Big Win For Fair Use In Google Books Lawsuit

By Corynne McSherry | (Electronic Freedom Foundation) | - - In a long-anticipated ruling, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals handed Google a clear victory today, soundly rejecting the Authors Guild’s claim…

Study: Miami, New Orleans Can’t Be Saved From Rising Sea Levels

GeoBeats News | - - "According to a recently published study, Miami, New Orleans, and a number of other US cities are already beyond the point of being saved from rising sea…

Hungarian PM Orban’s Ancestors Protected by Ottomans; now he says Islam never part of Europe

Ottomans saved Hungarian PM Orban’s Ancestors; now he says Islam never part of Europe

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban not only continued to defend his anti-immigrant bigotry but went on to say that Islam has never been…

While Sanders Scores Small Donors, Clinton and Bush Buoyed by Wall Street

By Deirdre Fulton, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org | - - In terms of support from financiers, 'no other candidates came close to Clinton and Bush' "She’s gonna all of a sudden…

The anger of Palestine’s ‘lost’ generation

By: Killian Redden | - Ma'an News Agency | - - BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- A few weeks before an Israeli soldier shot him through the stomach, Mutaz Zawahreh discovered a love of…

Putin says Afghan Situation ‘Close to Critical’: Will he intervene there, Too?

By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE / RL) | - - Russia has signaled its willingness to boost its involvement in Afghan security in a power play that could help President Vladimir…

Will Iran’s Alliance with Russia Strengthen its hand in Mideast?

By Nader Habibi and Harith Hasan Al-Qarawee | (The Conversation) | - - The sudden launch of Russia’s military operations in Syria late last month caught the United States and regional players…

Al-Qaeda in Syria Leader: Kill Alawite Minority, Russians; Christians fear West Backs Him

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The leader of al-Qaeda in Syria, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, has called for an escalation in attacks on the population centers of the Alawite…

Still underestimating al-Qaeda & Taliban despite 1500 Military Analysts

By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - That figure stunned me. I found it in the 12th paragraph of a front-page New York Times story about “senior commanders” at…

Read their lips: Israeli leaders’ plans for the Palestinians

By: Samah Sabawi | (Ma'an News Agency) | - - History in the Holy Land seems stuck in a loop. In 2000, former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, at the time leader…

Trans-Pacific partnership raise the barriers for the access to affordable medicines

Trans-Pacific partnership raises the barriers for the access to affordable medicines

By Carlos M. Correa | (Inter Press Service) | - - GENEVA (IPS) - The pharmaceutical industry from the US and Europe scored a major victory with the adoption, in 1994, of…

” ‘Homeland’ is Racist”: Showtime hijacked by Egyptian graffiti artists:

Ian Lee | (CNN Video News Report) | - - "Egyptian graffiti artists, who were asked to add authenticity to the show "Homeland," managed to sneak in some mocking Arabic slogans. CNN's…

Iran in Syria? Reports its Troops plan Idlib, Aleppo Campaigns

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Jordanian newspaper al-Ghad (Tomorrow) is reporting that the commander of the Jerusalem Brigade of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards has been spotted near…

Education under occupation: everyday disruption at a Palestinian university

Brendan Browne | (The Conversation) | - - As the clock moves towards 12.45pm I begin to anxiously await the flurry of emails that I’ve come to expect in advance of my…

Israeli forces deployed around E. Jerusalem as Tensions over Colonization Rise

Ma'an News Agency | - - JERUSALEM (Ma’an) -- Several Palestinians were detained and checkpoints were set up at the entrances to Palestinian neighborhoods on Wednesday as Israeli officials launched punitive measures…

Thanks to Sanders, Democratic Party Just Debated Capitalism

By Sarah Lazare, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org) | - - Presidential hopefuls broke usual parameters of discourse when they debated capitalism versus socialism Tuesday night. Breaking the usual parameters of election…

ISIL, al-Qaeda in Syria call for Holy War against Russia

By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/ RL Both the [so-called] Islamic State (IS) group and Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front, this week called for attacks against Russia, as Russian air strikes…

Bernie Sanders: Why I’m sick of Clinton’s email

CNN | (Video interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders) | - - Sen. Bernie Sanders says he is tired of talking about Hillary Clinton's emails instead of focusing on income equality and other…

Debate: Clinton slams Iran, Putin & supports Syrian Rebels; Sanders rejects Intervention

Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Foreign policy came up a bit in the Democratic Party debate. One form it took was a series of clashes over Hillary Clinton's 2002…

Oct.: Israelis kill 30 Palestinians, wound 1500; 4 Israelis Killed, over 20 Wounded

Oct.: Israelis kill 30 Palestinians, wound 1500; 7* Israelis Killed, over 20 Wounded

By IMEMC | - - Since October 1st, 30 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 1500 others injured by Israeli troops, according to the most recent report by the Palestinian Ministry…

Iran Parliament ratifies Nuclear Deal as Tehran Emerges on World Stage

By Edward Wastnidge | (The Conversation) | - - Iran’s parliament has approved the much-ballyhooed deal to limit its nuclear programme. After years of suspicion and sanctions, the tense stand-off with the…

Swedish Bearded Men Mistaken For ISIL

AJ+ | - - "In Sweden a group of bearded men (Bearded Villains) are saying that they were mistaken for ISIL fighters during a gathering in the countryside, prompting a visit by…

Endless Rounds of “Vietnamization” as America’s Colonial Armies Collapse one by One

By Andrew J. Bacevich | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - First came Fallujah, then Mosul, and later Ramadi in Iraq. Now, there is Kunduz, a provincial capital in northern Afghanistan. In…

Ankara bombs: Turkey is being torn apart by bad leaders and bad neighbors

By Alpaslan Ozerdem | (The Conversation) | - - It had already been a deadly summer of political instability in Turkey. And now this. Another bloody massacre – this time at the…

Global Warming: See the Extreme Ice Changes Near the Antarctic Peninsula

James Balog | The National Geographic (Video Report) | - - "Join the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) team on an expedition to South Georgia Island near the Antarctic Peninsula. This trip adds…

Can Russia afford Its Syria Campaign?

By Charles Recknagel | ( RFE/ RL ) Rough estimates suggest that Moscow has spent at least $87 million for air and cruise-missile strikes in the first two weeks of its bombing…

Palestinians want West Bank & Gaza to be put under UN protection

By Samer B. Jaber | (Ma'an News Agency) | - - We, a group of professional and trade union figures, intellectuals, and political activists, appeal to the Palestinian leadership within the Palestine…

Syria: Will US arming of Kurdish-led Northeast Rebels Provoke Turkey?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The intrepid Anne Barnard and Karim Shoumali at the NYT have a piece on how Saudi-supplied TOW anti-tank weapons to rebels in Hama…

Does Obama have a Syria Strategy? Putin Does.

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - In his "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday President Obama made some remarks on Syria, but do they add up to a policy? Obama…

3 Memes: Twitter debates as Russian support for Syria intervention Doubles

By Anna Shamanska | ( RFE/RL) | - - Support among Russians for military intervention in Syria has more than doubled, to 31 percent in early October from 14 percent in September,…

Palestine: Of course, it is an intifada: This is what you must know

By: Ramzy Baroud | (Ma'an News Agency) | - - When my book ‘Searching Jenin’ was published soon after the Israeli massacre in the Jenin refugee camp in 2002, I was quizzed…

The Mideast’s New Cold War: Why Russia won’t Defeat Iraq’s Extremists

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | - - Since the announcement of a new military alliance including Russia, locals have been trading arguments. Could Iraq become the stage for a…

Elderly Palestinian man confronts Israeli soldiers over shooting at Youth, before collapsing

Lauren Hampshire | (ODN Video News Report/ ITN) | - - An elderly Palestinian man confronted a group Israeli troops after they clashed with Palestinian youths in Hebron, before he collapsed on…

Israeli settlers carry out attacks in East Jerusalem, West Bank

Ma'an News Agency | - - JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers on Saturday carried out a number of attacks on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, witnesses told Ma'an.…

Who Bombs a Peace Rally? An Unprecedented 86 Dead in Turkey capital as Accusations fly

Who Bombs a Peace Rally? An Unprecedented 95 Dead in Turkey capital as Accusations fly

Written by John Lubbock | ( Globalvoices.org Twin bombings hit a peace rally organised by leftist groups in Ankara on the morning of October 10 in what has proven the deadliest bomb…

Putin’s Syria Strikes Irk some among Russia’s 16 mn. Muslims, Raise Risks

By Tom Balmforth | RFE/ RL MOSCOW -- With its soaring minarets and golden dome, the huge new mosque that President Vladimir Putin opened in Moscow late last month was welcomed by…

Tunisian Nobel Recognizes role of Labor Unions, the Left in Democratic Transition

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - How many American news reports about the Nobel Peace Prize given to the Tunisian Quartet that pushed the country toward democracy and compromise…

Israeli Army kills 6 Palestinians, wounds 145 at Gaza Border Demonstration

Ma'an News Agency | - - GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Six Palestinians were killed and 145 others injured as Israeli military forces opened fire at a demonstration by the border fence east…

Top 5 Signs cheap Renewable Energy is taking the World by Surprise

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - 1. Vice News points out that a new report from the Paris-based International Energy Agency estimates that in just five years, by 2020,…

How Syria is becoming a test bed for high-tech weapons of electronic warfare

David Stupples | (The Conversation) | - - The relationship between Russia and the West is becoming increasingly dangerous with potential flashpoints developing in both eastern Europe and Syria. After repeated incursions…

Violence in Israel & Palestine: It’s the Occupation, Stupid!

Dena Takruri | (AJ+ Video Report) | - - "When you think of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, you probably think of clashes, rockets, checkpoints and Gaza – but what's really at the heart…

Climate Change “Tipping Points” and the Fate of the Earth

By Michael T. Klare | Tomdispatch.com Not so long ago, it was science fiction. Now, it’s hard science -- and that should frighten us all. The latest reports from the prestigious and…

Hillary Ad: GOP has admitted Benghazi Investigation Bogus

Cenk Uygur and John Iadarola | (The Young Turks) | - - "Hillary Clinton responded to Kevin McCarthy’s recent gaffe admitting the political motivations for the Benghazi committees. Cenk Uygur and John…

In final Failure for Bush/Cheney, many in Iraq seek Russian Alliance

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The Iraqi government in Baghdad, threatened by Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) and frustrated by the Obama administration's foot-dragging in taking it on, seems increasingly…

Armed Extremists plan “Global Rally” to Stalk American Mosques

Bridge Initiative Team | (Tracking islamophobia) Against the backdrop of increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric, a coalition of online activists is calling on “patriots” to organize protests in front of mosques across the United…

What is Russia’s Strategy in Syria & Why does Egypt Approve?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Russian MiGs for the first time on Wednesday gave close air support to the Syrian Arab Army as it attacked rebels north of…

If Russia is Region’s new Gun for Hire, Afghanistan Warlord wants to Bring it In

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/ RL) | - - With the Taliban threatening to overrun large parts of Afghanistan, First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum is seeking help from an old ally…

How much Palestinian unrest is work of Undercover Israeli Agents?

By Celine Hagbard | IMEMC | - - A Reuters camera operator captured on film a group of Israeli undercover agents dressed as Palestinian youth during a demonstration in Beit El on…

Nigeria’s Boko Haram is about Vengeance, not Islam

By Gregory Alonso Pirio | (Informed Comment) | - - So many people are scratching their heads as they search for an explanation for the extreme acts of violence meted out by…

In massive Green Commitment, India Pledges 40% Renewables by 2030

The Tree | - - With the informal deadline now expired, India has joined other major economies to submit its climate pledge to the United Nations. The world’s third biggest polluter aims…

As Russia Strikes 20 Targets, Arab Twitter Wars over call of 52 clerics for Jihad against “occupation” of Syria

As Russia Strikes, Arab Twitter Wars over call for Jihad against “occupation” of Syria

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Russian plans hit 20 targets in Syria on Tuesday according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. Among them were a training camp…

Netanyahu’s Tango with the Ayatollah: Why Israeli & Iranian Hardliners Need Each Other

By Saeed Rahnema | (OpenDemocracy) | - - Netanyahu did have Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, disgraced former Iranian President, who with the support of Khamenei, would say one foul thing after another about Israel.…

Far Right wing Israelis rally for more Land Theft, destruction of Palestinian homes

By Celine Hagbard | IMEMC News | - - Thousands of Israelis, including legislators and , gathered Monday in front of the home of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, calling for increased theft…

Citing NSA Spying, Euro Court of Justice Forbids Auto-Sharing of Personal Info

Danny O'Brien | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | - - The spread of knowledge about the NSA's surveillance programs has shaken the trust of customers in U.S. Internet companies like Facebook, Google, and…

Parenting in Fear: Leaving a Climate Apocalypse to our Children

Frida Berrigan | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - Madeline is in the swing, her face the picture of delight. “Mo, mo,” she cries and kicks her legs to show me that…

No, Donald Trump, Mideast wouldn’t be more Stable under Saddam & other Dictators

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Donald Trump alleged this weekend that "of course" the Middle East would be more stable if dictators like Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi…

Syria: Russians volunteering to fight ISIL alongside Leftist Kurds

By Tom Balmforth and Dmitry Volchek | ( RFE/RL) Bondo Dorovskikh traveled to eastern Ukraine last year to join separatists in their war against Kyiv. He soon quit the rebels in disillusionment…

10 Million at Risk of Hunger Due to Climate Change and El Niño, Oxfam Warns

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage | (Inter Press Service) | - - UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - At least ten million of the poorest people face food insecurity in 2015 and 2016 due to extreme…

Red Crescent: Israeli forces injure Nearly 500 Palestinians in 3 days

Ma'an News Agency | - - BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- At least 499 Palestinians have been injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers across the occupied Palestinian Territory since Saturday, the Palestinian…

Education for refugees can help save Syria’s lost generation

By Dorrie Chetty | (The Conversation) | - - With the world’s focus firmly on the European response to the refugee crisis in recent weeks, attention has been diverted away from the…

Facing ISIL Propaganda, Russia Denies its Syria Campaign is a “Holy War”

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Remember when George W. Bush lapsed and called his Iraq War a "crusade?" He had to back off that religious rhetoric really quickly…

Why Are So Many Millennials Rallying Behind Bernie Sanders?

Lindsay Miller | (Popsugar Video Report) | - - "If you've been on Facebook lately, there's a good chance you've seen Bernie Sanders popping up in your feed. The 73-year-old senator is…

Enabled by Climate Change, ISIL wages Water war on Shiites of south Iraq

Aided by Climate Change, ISIL wages Water war on Shiites of south Iraq

By Raad Salem | (Niqash.org) | Amarah | - - "Droughts, extremists' control of water upstream and government austerity measures that are shutting pumping stations: Iraq's already-precarious, but precious, marshes and wetlands…

Civil War: Israeli troops shoot 96 Palestinians after 4 Israelis Killed

Ma'an News Agency | - - BETHLHEM (Ma'an) -- At least 96 Palestinians have been wounded by live rounds or rubber-coated steel bullets in clashes with Israeli forces and settlers since Saturday…

Syria: Is there a Russian-Iranian Dispute over Fate of al-Assad?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Russia and Iran don't see eye to eye about the future of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad after their military intervention in the civil…

Turkey fears fallout from Russian strikes in Syria

Euractiv | - - Turkey will not allow "terror to take root" or "fait accompli situations" next to its borders, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday (1 October), a day after…

The Young Iraqis Promoting Darwinism and Rationalism To Save Iraq

Marwan Jabbar | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | - - One of the more unusual, grass roots groups in Iraq today is Real Sciences. They are young Iraqis who translate scientific articles into…

Palestine – The Exception To Free Speech In The U.S.?”

AJ+ | (Video News Report) - - "University campuses are the front line of Palestinian human-rights advocacy in the U.S., but a new report by the Center for Constitutional Rights and Palestine…

Kathleen Turner: The Real Target of the Planned Parenthood Attacks

By Kathleen Turner | (Otherwords.org) "The leading GOP candidates have aligned themselves with a platform based on endangering women’s health care access. In the first two Republican presidential debates, the candidates slugged…

Deal with Saudis? Why does the US care if Russia bombs al-Qaeda and its Allies in Syria?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - President Obama on Friday pledged not to turn Syria into an arena for a proxy war between the US and the Russian Federation.…

Can anti-Muslim Bigotry Help Donald Trump Or Ben Carson Win The Republican Race?

AJ+ | (Video News Report) | - - "Donald Trump may still lead the Republican polls, but Ben Carson is now only a point behind. What do the two candidates have in…

Afghanistan’s Elite Special Forces led in Recovering most of Kunduz from Taliban

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/RL) | - - Afghanistan's much-maligned security forces were facing their greatest challenge yet in trying to retake a key northern city from the Taliban -- and expectations…

Alabama Requires Photo IDs for Voting, Then Shutters DMV Offices in Black Counties

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org) | - - "The 'decision to cut out ID services to almost all counties with a majority black population is discriminatory and wrong,' says…

Mercer, targeting Christians, kills 1/3 the annual gunshot death toll in England

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - The shooter at Umpqua Community college in Roseberg, Oregon, Chris Harper Mercer, had three hand guns, likely semi-automatics, and an assault rifle. He…

Reason Trumped: How the Donald Phenom will Change our Lives

By Nomi Prins | ( Tomdispatch.com) | - - The 2016 election campaign is certainly a billionaire’s playground when it comes to “establishment candidates” like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush who cater…

Is Putin Gambling it all on Syria?

By Scott Lucas | (The Conversation) | - - For those watching closely, the signal for Russia’s first airstrikes came in a statement early on September 30 by Kremlin spokesman Sergei Ivanov,…

Union: 70 percent of Gaza workers live in poverty

Ma'an News Agency | - - GAZA (Ma'an) -- Around 70 percent of workers in Gaza live in poverty, the director of the Gaza General Federation of Trade Unions, Sami al-Amsi, said…

Trump Supports Putin’s Russia Policy in Syria

Erin Burnett | (CNN news video) | - - "Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with CNN's Erin Burnett on foreign policy issues including Iran, Syria and ISIS." CNN: "Donald Trump: 'Let…

Afghanistan: The Taliban reign of Fear in Kunduz belies Charm Offensive

By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE/ RL) | - - An expected Afghan government counteroffensive to retake Kunduz from the Taliban appears to have largely stalled as troops await reinforcements." "The citizens…

It is Israel that abrogated Oslo Peace Accords, as Netanyahu Boasted

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Mahmoud Abbas, president of Palestine, renounced the Oslo Peace accords Wednesday, on the grounds that Israel itself has long since reneged on every…

The Colonial roots of Hating on Muslims, & of Muslim Nationalism

Sami Zubaida | (Open Democracy) | - - The presence of growing Muslim populations in Europe at the same time as the rise of political Islam and the inception of Israel, was…