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
If Trump Wants to Defeat ISIS, He’d Better Stop Alienating Muslims If Trump Wants to Defeat ISIS, He’d Better Stop Alienating Muslims
From the Salafi Muslims who beat the terrorists in Libya to the Shiite militias of Iraq, they are crucial allies in this fight.
Trump’s Muslim Ban Hurts US Troops and Helps Islamist Extremists Trump’s Muslim Ban Hurts US Troops and Helps Islamist Extremists
The president has enraged Middle Eastern allies who are carrying the brunt of the fight against ISIS.
Jan 30, 2017 / Juan Cole
Iran, Angered Over Obama’s Renewal of Sanctions, Braces for Trump Iran, Angered Over Obama’s Renewal of Sanctions, Braces for Trump
Nothing would please Tehran’s hard-liners more than for the new US president to push Iran back into confrontational mode.
Dec 5, 2016 / Juan Cole
How Will Trump Reshape the Middle East? How Will Trump Reshape the Middle East?
If he follows through on his erratic statements, he could manage to alienate Russia, the Gulf monarchies, the EU, and Iran.
Nov 10, 2016 / Juan Cole
Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism? Did Medieval Muslims Invent Modern Secularism?
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam was embraced by many Western intellectuals as an aid to their own secularization.
Nov 7, 2016 / Juan Cole
Will the Reconquest of Mosul Lead to the Breakup of Iraq? Will the Reconquest of Mosul Lead to the Breakup of Iraq?
The Arab world is divided, often along sectarian lines, on what to expect.
Oct 31, 2016 / Juan Cole
Oliver Stone’s ‘Snowden’ Is a Horror Movie—and the Monster Is Our National Security State Oliver Stone’s ‘Snowden’ Is a Horror Movie—and the Monster Is Our National Security State
For Trump to have these instruments of power would be a catastrophe.
Sep 19, 2016 / Juan Cole
What Should We Take Away from Turkey’s Almost-Coup? What Should We Take Away from Turkey’s Almost-Coup?
The attempted military coup in Turkey is sure to reverberate beyond its borders, leaving the United States and its NATO allies with decisions to make.
Jul 19, 2016 / Juan Cole