Juan Cole

Kafka Visits Cairo: Bassem Youssef’s Interrogation

Kafka Visits Cairo: Bassem Youssef’s Interrogation

JUAN COLE: ‘Explain what you meant by this punchline’. Yes, the surreal became real for Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef this week.

 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.

 Richard Silverstein

Israel Facing a Harsher, Less Predictable World

Israel Facing a Harsher, Less Predictable World

RICHARD SILVERSTEIN: There are forces out there seeking to capitalize on the Arab Spring: It’s s a different world Israel is facing. A harsher world, one more difficult to control.

 Juan Cole

Democracy: More Valued by Arabs than Americans?

Democracy: More Valued by Arabs than Americans?

JUAN COLE: Al Qaeda’s vision for the Arab World has been comprehensively rejected. It appears that Arabs – in particular, young Arabs – are prepared to put their lives on the line, not for a Caliphate, but for parliamentary democracy.

 Juan Cole

Goodbye Bin Laden. Now It’s Time to Exit Iraq

Goodbye Bin Laden. Now It’s Time to Exit Iraq

JUAN COLE: Post Osama, President Obama should do us all a favour and now remove U.S. troops from Iraq.