Juan Cole

Obama’s Speech: Is Era of ‘Perpetual War’ Closing?

Obama’s Speech: Is Era of ‘Perpetual War’ Closing?

JUAN COLE: President Obama’s inauguration speech is sure to trigger panic among the ‘we must have war’ crowd. But does he really mean it?

 Juan Cole

‘We Heart Torture’: Zero Dark Thirty’s Message

‘We Heart Torture’: Zero Dark Thirty’s Message

KAREN J. GREENBERG, INFORMED COMMENT: It’s a deeply flawed movie with a deeply troubling message – torture is great.

 Juan Cole

Israel’s ‘Journey to the Right’ Is Set To Continue

Israel’s ‘Journey to the Right’ Is Set To Continue

KIRK BEATTIE, INFORMED COMMENT: The ultimate Middle East nightmare – a small group of religious extremists in charge of nuclear weapons could happen soon – in Israel.

 Juan Cole

2012: Top 10 Developments in the Middle East

2012: Top 10 Developments in the Middle East

JUAN COLE: It’s been another extraordinary year across the Middle East. Here is my take on the most significant changes this year

 Juan Cole

Morsi’s Victory: But At What Cost to Egypt’s Future?

Morsi’s Victory: But At What Cost to Egypt’s Future?

JUAN COLE: A deeply polarized country must face the reality that Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood cadre have scored an overwhelming victory.

 Juan Cole

Flawed: Ten Reasons Why This Constitution Fails Egypt

Flawed: Ten Reasons Why This Constitution Fails Egypt

JUAN COLE: Some of the figures coming out of the constitutional referendum cause raised eyebrows at the least. But there are deeper problems.

 Juan Cole

Boycott of Constitution Vote Would Be a ‘Disaster’

Boycott of Constitution Vote Would Be a ‘Disaster’

JUAN COLE: There is much discussion about a possible boycott of the Egyptian Constitution referendum. It would be a very bad move indeed.

 Juan Cole

The Top Ten ‘Hotspots’ in the Arab World Today

The Top Ten ‘Hotspots’ in the Arab World Today

JUAN COLE: From Jordan to Tunisia, from civil war to pilfered Palestinian land the Arab world is in a febrile state.

 Juan Cole

The Ten ‘To Dos’ That Will Guarantee Gaza Ceasefire

The Ten ‘To Dos’ That Will Guarantee Gaza Ceasefire

JUAN COLE: Achieving a ceasefire is significant but if it’s to remain in place all parties must use the gap in hostilities to secure real progress.

 Juan Cole

Israeli Elections: Time To Get Hamas ‘Bogeyman’ Out

Israeli Elections: Time To Get Hamas ‘Bogeyman’ Out

LIOR STERNFELD, INFORMED COMMENT: Binyamin Netanyahu knows that the ‘existential threat’ play diverts voters attention from failure in other areas.

 Juan Cole

Afghanistan vs Affair: What Should We Be Concerned About?

Afghanistan vs Affair: What Should We Be Concerned About?

JUAN COLE: It was David Petraeus’s conduct of counter insurgency in Afghanistan rather than his evening activities that I was interested in

 Juan Cole

Every Day is ‘Sandy Day’ For Gaza’s Citizens

Every Day is ‘Sandy Day’ For Gaza’s Citizens

JUAN COLE: The evacuation of a hospital in the face of ‘Superstorm Sandy’ drew understandably heartfelt headlines. But this is a daily reality for Gaza hospital patients.

 Juan Cole

Malala: A Heroine Who Represents the Majority

Malala: A Heroine Who Represents the Majority

JUAN COLE: The Taliban are widely despised among the population of rural Pakistan. The biggest threat facing girls in this environment is a government that doesn’t care

 Juan Cole

A Brief Middle East History Lesson for Mitt Romney

A Brief Middle East History Lesson for Mitt Romney

JUAN COLE: The Presidential candidate appears to be entirely clueless about the recent history of US involvement in the region. Heres’ some help.

 Juan Cole

Enough: Libyans Drive Fundamentalists Out of Benghazi

Enough: Libyans Drive Fundamentalists Out of Benghazi

JUAN COLE: The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi seems to have been a turning point for the people of Benghazi.

 Juan Cole

Top Ten Consequences of Today’s Regional Turmoil

Top Ten Consequences of Today’s Regional Turmoil

JUAN COLE: ‘A collapse in tourism’, ‘improvement in Barack Obama’s election chances’ – two of the the most significant predicted outcomes of the crises enveloping the Middle East

 Juan Cole

Benghazi Attack: Romney Gets It Badly Wrong

Benghazi Attack: Romney Gets It Badly Wrong

JUAN COLE: His comments were hasty, distasteful and unwise. Can we afford to have an individual with such poor judgement in the White House?

 Juan Cole

Libya: The CIA’s Waterboarding Hot-Spot

Libya: The CIA’s Waterboarding Hot-Spot

ALICE ROSS, INFORMED COMMENT: A new report from Human Rights Watch reveals the true extent of Libya’s involvement as a CIA facilitator

 Juan Cole

Israel Apartheid, Avalon and the Smell of Fear

Israel Apartheid, Avalon and the Smell of Fear

JUAN COLE: Ayalon’s despererate and over-the-top rhetoric smells of fear, fear that when South Africa calls you on Apartheid policies, it legitimizes that critique of the Greater Israel project…

 Juan Cole

‘Diplomatic Ruin’, ‘International Isolation’: Peres Has Enough

‘Diplomatic Ruin’, ‘International Isolation’: Peres Has Enough

JUAN COLE: Netanyahu and Barak were intent on boxing Obama into a corner. But the wily octogenarian, Shimon Peres, has stepped in.