Archives for January 2007

Holy Day attacks Kill at Least 56 Sunni Arab guerrillas seeking to provoke further fighting in Iraq’s sectarian civil war targeted Shiites on the holy day of Ashura, Tuesday, killing 56 and wounding dozens. Many of the Shiites targeted were in smaller towns or cities, or were hit by mortar shells. The deployment of 11,000 […]

Bush Comment on Najaf Farcical; Hawatimah Tribe of Diwaniyah involved in Mahdist Uprising? Attempts are being made to knock down all kinds of stories about the Najaf uprising. Bush expressed happiness that the Iraqi Army (actually the Badr Corps fundamentalist Shiite militia) acquitted itself well against the rebels. But in fact, the Iraqi security forces […]

Cole in Salon.com: Bush’s Anti-Iran Fatwa My Salon.com column this week is now available:“The danger of Bush’s anti-Iran fatwa”: The president’s decision to use force against Iranian “agents” inside Iraq could snare innocent pilgrims, and raises the risk of open warfare. Excerpt: ‘ George W. Bush last week announced that American troops in Iraq were […]

Mahdist Cult Almost Defeated Iraqi Army at Najaf Wave of Bombings, Mortar attacks in Baghdad Marc Santora of NYT reveals that the Iraqi army was very nearly overwhelmed and defeated by the Army of Heaven militia of the Mahdawiya millenarian movement near Najaf on the weekend. They had to call in not only US airstrikes […]

Cole Interview on CNN Monday Cole on CNN. YOUR WORLD TODAY Aired January 29, 2007 – 12:00 ET JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Now, from the raging battle outside Iraq, to the political posturing by Washington and Tehran, what’s really at stake? Earlier, we spoke with Juan Cole, professor of modern Middle East history at […]

Fighters for Shiite Messiah Clash with Najaf Security, 250 Dead Over 60 Dead in Baghdad, Kirkuk Violence Well, a big battle took place at the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Saturday night into Sunday, but there are several contradictory narratives about its significance. Iraqi authorities, claimed that the Iraqi army killed a lot of […]

Elhanan Guest Editorial: Another Way for Israel Another Way for Israel Elik ElhananCombatants for PeaceVia The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace This is the message we want to bring to the American Jewish community: Let us try another way. In the eyes of many, the key to this conflict lies in the US. Your […]

7 US Troops Killed Bombing kills 13 in Baghdad, 40 Bodies Found Massive Anti-War Protest on Mall in DC It was announced Saturday that 7 US soldiers have been killed by guerrillas deploying roadside bombs in the past 3 days. I cannot see any sign in this Reuters roundup of violence in Iraq on Saturday […]

Dabbous Guest Editorial: Getting Home in Beirut My View from our Sunni-Beiruti Neighbourhood Eugène Richard Sensenig-Dabbous ‘For those of you who know Beirut, I drove from my office at the Maronite Catholic Notre Dame University Zouk Mosbeh up the hill from Jounieh) Thursday, via Sassine Square to Sodeco/Damascus Street at the north-western edge of predominantly […]