Juan Cole
Juan Cole
John Ricardo I. "Juan" Coleis an American academic and commentator on the modern Middle East and South Asia. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Since 2002, he has written a weblog, Informed Commentwhich is also syndicated on Truthdig.com...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEducator
CountryUnited States of America
government people political
I don't accept the argument of people like David Horowitz that the government should impose some sort of predetermined political balance on academic research.
military government isis
To the extent that the (ISIS's) advance is a series of urban revolts against the government of PM Nouri al-Maliki, the US would end up bombing ordinary city folk. For the US to be bombing Sunni towns all these years later on behalf of Mr. al-Maliki would be to invite terrorism against the US.
cannot sort understand
I just cannot understand this sort of argument.
american-educator apparently arrest decision early knowledge movement nature understanding widespread
Take the decision in early March to arrest Muqtada al-Sadr. It was made apparently without knowledge or understanding of the nature of his movement or how widespread it is.
advantages began control federalism parties
They began to see some advantages to federalism - one of them being that the parties would control the resources.
money owes spreading whoever wins
They are like lobbyists. They're spreading the money around, so whoever wins owes them.
confidence national sort vote
This vote is sort of a national vote of confidence for that leadership.
american-educator
I speak Urdu quite a lot, too, and I read a lot of Persian.
calls fed listen street
This could be a tipping point. At some point, the Shiite street is going to be so fed up that they're not going to listen any more to calls for restraint.
cause hit major might suddenly
A U.S. withdrawal would not cause the Sunnis suddenly to want to give up their major demands; indeed, they might well be emboldened to hit the Shiites harder.
given good perhaps
Perhaps that's why he was given such a good reception.
gut letter tells
My gut tells me the letter is a forgery.
across against american-educator april country moved saddam surprised
For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party across most of the country when the Americans moved in March and April of 2003.
american-educator drawn looks major nations understand willing
I just don't understand under what circumstances other nations will be willing to be drawn into what looks increasingly like a major quagmire.