Juan Cole

Civilian Toll: The Startling Truth About Drone Strikes

Civilian Toll: The Startling Truth About Drone Strikes

CHRIS WOODS, INFORMED COMMENT: We need to know as much information as possible about who drones kill

 M.-Lynx-Qualey

‘Poetry of the Taliban’: Worth All The Fuss?

‘Poetry of the Taliban’: Worth All The Fuss?

M. LYNX-QUALEY: The editors surely anticipated – and welcomed – the storm that has erupted around publication of their collection

 Eman-Al-Nafjan

‘Stand Up to IOC on Women’ Says Saudi Cleric

‘Stand Up to IOC on Women’ Says Saudi Cleric

EMAN AL NAFJAN: Saudi conservatives appear to be spoiling for a fight with the IOC over women’s participation in sport.

 Common Ground News Service

How To Secure Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

How To Secure Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

DAVID CORTRIGHT, CGNEWS: We asked Afghan women how they believed their hard won rights could be secured.

 James M. Dorsey

The $750,000 Guantanamo ‘Pitch’ to Cooperate

The $750,000 Guantanamo ‘Pitch’ to Cooperate

JAMES M. DORSEY: The $744,000 pitch outside a $39 million penitentiary-style building is intended to reward the most cooperative of the 120,171 inmates.

 Common Ground News Service

Afghani Quran Burning Sign of Larger U.S Failure

Afghani Quran Burning Sign of Larger U.S Failure

LISA SCHIRCH, KARIM MERCHANT, CGNEWS: There seem to be an ongoing litany of serious mistakes by the U.S in Afghanistan

 Juan Cole

Gingrich Electioneering Puts US troops At Risk

Gingrich Electioneering Puts US troops At Risk

JUAN COLE: Obama’s apology was intended to prevent more US troops from being killed. Gingrich is giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

 Common Ground News Service

Assassination By Drone: Time for A Re-Think of US Policy

Assassination By Drone: Time for A Re-Think of US Policy

KEN BALLEN, CGNEWS: ‘You can kill extremists but you don’t kill extremism with missiles’. Perhaps the U.S should look at new policies.

 Steve Royston

2012 and Beyond: The Many Reasons to be Both Fearful – and Cheerful

2012 and Beyond: The Many Reasons to be Both Fearful – and Cheerful

STEVE ROYSTON looks at the arts, society, education, politics, business, technology and the environment as we move into 2012, the Year of Fear’.

 Michael J. Totten

The Real Issues Facing Egypt’s Christians: A Religious Leader Speaks Out

The Real Issues Facing Egypt’s Christians: A Religious Leader Speaks Out

MICHAEL J. TOTTEN: Sectarian clashes between Christians and Muslims are increasing daily throughout Egypt. Coptic leaders are understandably cagey…

 James M. Dorsey

Somali Jihadists Skewed Focus on Women Sports

Somali Jihadists Skewed Focus on Women Sports

JAMES M. DORSEY: While Al Qaeda is attempting to portray a gentler face, distributing aid to famine victims, Al Shabab, are ensuring strict adherence to a ban on women’s sports.

 Juan Cole

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

JUAN COLE: Both the U.S President and arguably America’s most creative entrepreneur provide proof of the value of multiculturalism.

 Tabsir

Yemen: The Desperation of Ali Abdullah Salih

Yemen: The Desperation of Ali Abdullah Salih

DANIEL M. VARISCO: It’s the ‘same old, same old’ with Yemen’s recently returned President, blather, bluster and baloney. In the words of the song ‘he just keeps hangin’ on’

 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.

 Michael J. Totten

Ex Brotherhood Members Speak Out

Ex Brotherhood Members Speak Out

MICHAEL J. TOTTEN: What exactly is the Muslim Brotherhood’s ‘game-plan’ for Egypt? One way of finding out is to talk to former loyalists…

 Naseem Tarawnah

‘Casinogate’: An Unwelcome Distraction

‘Casinogate’: An Unwelcome Distraction

NASEEM TARAWNAH: On and on it goes with no end in sight. Some are calling it a ‘test of democracy’. Really? There are a lot more pressing issues facing the Jordanian people.

 Tabsir

Threats to the ‘Arab Spring’ Growing by the Day

Threats to the ‘Arab Spring’ Growing by the Day

DANIEL M. VARISCO: Where there was once optimism of fundamental change taking hold as a spirit of freedom swept the region, there is now growing pessimism.

 Common Ground News Service

Time for Muslims to Re-Discover their Voices

Time for Muslims to Re-Discover their Voices

SYDNEY SMITH: Most Muslims, it appears, are relieved that bin Laden is gone but how do they deal with the prejudice and suspicion engendered by his deeds?

 Juan Cole

The Damage Bin Laden has Wrought on Islam

The Damage Bin Laden has Wrought on Islam

JUAN COLE: According to the Pakistani rock musician Salman Ahmad few individuals over the last 1,400 years have done as much damage to the standing of Islam as Osama bin Laden.

 Common Ground News Service

Time is Ripe for Re-alignment of U.S/Pakistan Relations

Time is Ripe for Re-alignment of U.S/Pakistan Relations

HUMA YUSUF, CGNEWS: The way in which the United States summarily despatched Osama bin Laden on Pakistani territory has alarmed and upset many in the country. Unlikely as it seems there is, however, room for optimism.