Is the Saudi Boycott of Qatar Driving It into the Arms of Iran? Is the Saudi Boycott of Qatar Driving It into the Arms of Iran?
Saudi overreaching just might destroy the Gulf Cooperation Council—and strengthen Iran’s regional power.
Jun 28, 2017 / Juan Cole
The Iran-US Drone War in Syria Could Quickly Spin Out of Control The Iran-US Drone War in Syria Could Quickly Spin Out of Control
The US attempt to control the Syria-Iraq border will prolong the bloody Syrian civil war.
Jun 21, 2017 / Juan Cole
ISIL Hits Tehran; Trump Blames Victim, Iran Hard-Liners Blame Saudis ISIL Hits Tehran; Trump Blames Victim, Iran Hard-Liners Blame Saudis
ISIL uses terror to set people against one another, so by that standard, its attack on Iran may be more successful than the ones in Britain.
Jun 8, 2017 / Juan Cole
Ariana Grande Understands Counterterrorism Better Than Jim Mattis Ariana Grande Understands Counterterrorism Better Than Jim Mattis
Inclusiveness, not polarization, is the right approach.
May 31, 2017 / Juan Cole
US Arms Syrian Kurds—and Turkey’s Erdogan Cries ‘Terrorism’ Ahead of Trump Meeting US Arms Syrian Kurds—and Turkey’s Erdogan Cries ‘Terrorism’ Ahead of Trump Meeting
Ankara fears it will help the Kurds form a federal ethnic province in Syria, and thus give the Turkish Kurds ideas.
May 12, 2017 / Juan Cole
The Crucial Role of Islam in the French Election The Crucial Role of Islam in the French Election
A solid majority of French Muslims, about half of whom identify as secular, continued to support the left this year.
May 8, 2017 / Juan Cole
Is Turkey’s War on Syrian Kurds Becoming a War on the United States? Is Turkey’s War on Syrian Kurds Becoming a War on the United States?
President Erdogan seems to believe he can bully Trump into abandoning his allies in the fight against ISIS.
Apr 28, 2017 / Juan Cole
The Other Poison Gas Killing Syrians: Carbon Dioxide Emissions The Other Poison Gas Killing Syrians: Carbon Dioxide Emissions
If Trump and his cronies really cared about children killed by noxious gases, they wouldn’t be trying to spew ever more CO2 into the atmosphere.
Apr 18, 2017 / Juan Cole
What Is It With US Presidents and Tomahawk Cruise-Missile Strikes? What Is It With US Presidents and Tomahawk Cruise-Missile Strikes?
Typically deployed symbolically by presidents facing domestic political troubles, they rarely have significant military effect.
Apr 7, 2017 / Juan Cole
Trump’s Generals Are Considering a Wider War in Yemen Trump’s Generals Are Considering a Wider War in Yemen
A humanitarian crisis already threatens to starve millions. Deeper US involvement in the civil war will only make it far worse.
Apr 3, 2017 / Juan Cole