Juan Cole

“Due Process”: It’s Being Erased from U.S Constitution

“Due Process”: It’s Being Erased from U.S Constitution

PETER VAN BUREN, INFORMED COMMENT: Drone attacks on U.S nationals overseas could be a portent of things to come at home.

 Mondoweiss

‘Thanks for Meeting Malala. But What About Other ‘Malalas’?’

‘Thanks for Meeting Malala. But What About Other ‘Malalas’?’

MONDOWEISS: In an open letter to President Obama a young Pakistani woman welcomes his meeting with Malala but asks about victims of U.S drone strikes

 Ramzy Baroud

Trust: A Diminishing Resource in International Relations

Trust: A Diminishing Resource in International Relations

RAMZY BAROUD: Hard to win and lost in an instant, it’s trust. The U.S seems to be unconcerned about its diminishing reputation in the world

 Tabsir

Satire in the Arab World: Getting to the Crux of Issues

Satire in the Arab World: Getting to the Crux of Issues

TABSIR: Jon Stewart’s recent appearance on Bassem Youssef’s Egyptian show underscores the power that satirists have to unsettle holders of power

 Juan Cole

‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ in Obama’s Terror Speech

‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ in Obama’s Terror Speech

JUAN COLE: Some praise is due but Obama remains wedded to the idea that extra-judicial assassination is an effective counter-terror tool.

 Francis Matthew

Tangled: The CIA’s Confused Middle East Web

Tangled: The CIA’s Confused Middle East Web

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has got itself into the confused position of fighting Sunni fighters in Iraq, but supporting some of them in Syria.

FRANCIS MATTHEW: The CIA is in the position of fighting Sunni fighters in Iraq, but supporting them in Syria.

 Juan Cole

The Problem With ‘Argo’: An Orientalist Viewpoint

The Problem With ‘Argo’: An Orientalist Viewpoint

JUAN COLE: The Iranian ‘baddies’ come from a very old school of stock Middle Eastern characters. Wouldn’t it have been a good idea to show why they were angry?

 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.

 mai abdul rahman

‘Ethical Code of the Hunter’: Not Applicable To Gaza

‘Ethical Code of the Hunter’: Not Applicable To Gaza

MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: There are so many agendas at play in Gaza today but one of them undeniably is the opportunity to showcase – and sell – weapons.

 mai abdul rahman

Re-Election: The Arab-Americans Obama Has To Thank

Re-Election: The Arab-Americans Obama Has To Thank

MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: Single women and Latinos had a key role to play in re-electing Barack Obama but Arab-Americans played a major part as well.

 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

 Rob L. Wagner

The Malala Backlash: Conspiracy Theorists Go To Town

The Malala Backlash: Conspiracy Theorists Go To Town

ROB L. WAGNER: It didn’t take long for the moral relativists and conspiracy theorists to get to work on Malala Yousufzai. Inevitable but depressing.

 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

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

 The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Analysis: Does the CIA Step Up Drone Strikes During Ramadan?

Analysis: Does the CIA Step Up Drone Strikes During Ramadan?

TBIJ: Last week witnessed some of the most intense bombing by the CIA in many months. But are drone strikes more frequent during Muslim religious holidays?

 Ramzy Baroud

American ‘NeoCons’ Eye Arab Spring Spoils

American ‘NeoCons’ Eye Arab Spring Spoils

RAMZY BAROUD: After a short respite, neoconservatives are back with their bizarre maps, bleak visions, and a fail-proof recipe for perpetual conflict.

 David Roberts

Syria in Balance: Broken Borders, Unbroken Alliances

Syria in Balance: Broken Borders, Unbroken Alliances

DAVID ROBERTS: Russia is unfazed about alienating swathes of the Middle East not to mention the majority of Syrians, believing in time their position can be reasserted

 David Roberts

Qatar Fire: Out Come The Shia Bogeymen

Qatar Fire: Out Come The Shia Bogeymen

DAVID ROBERTS: There has been some utterly dreadful reporting of the recent fire in a mall in Qatar. One particular report, however, stands out

 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

 Juan Cole

Ten Ways the Iranians Are Beating Sanctions

Ten Ways the Iranians Are Beating Sanctions

JUAN COLE: The last crackpot Neocon plan cost America $1 trillion and nearly 5,000 soldier’s lives. The latest one is meeting resistance.