If your congressperson votes any additional funding for this, don’t vote for them in the midterms. Let the Pentagon reallocate from its already wildly inflated and misspent budget.

In Lebanon, Israel seems to be following the same logic it deployed in Gaza: emptying out entire areas through what amounts to ethnic cleansing. @joelleabirached.bsky.social writes from Beirut as bombs rain down once again:

This administration makes a lot of head-scratching decisions, but the non-decision to replenish the strategic oil reserve while prices were in the low $60s is one of the head-scratchingest when you think about who is in leadership positions on energy.

The sheer strategic stupidity of bailing Russia out of its economic hole by launching a war that entirely foreseeably spikes the oil price - and then having no minesweepers in place to deal with the foreseeable fallout. Rank incompetence.

Less than a quarter of Americans support the US-Israeli war in Iran, but legacy Jewish establishment groups like the ADL, AIPAC, and the Jewish Federations are throwing their weight behind this unpopular war, and they’re falsely claiming to speak in the name of all American Jews while doing so.

Pope Leo XIV’s Vatican newspaper is the only publication in the Western world to run the photograph of 150 Iranian girls' graves — killed in President Trump's military strikes — on its front page.

Iran names Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, as new supreme leader, state media report reut.rs/4s0C4NZ

This whole story is so horrifying at so many levels. It should be a seismic scandal but it will probably barely make a ripple.

Walid Khalidi, an exceptional Palestinian scholar and one of the most important memory-holders of Palestine has passed away.

All the polls on the U.S. war in Iran so far G. Elliott Morris, writing on polls on US sentiment towards the Iran war in Strength in Numbers: "The big takeaway from these numbers is that the new war in Iran is very unpopular. Not merely n... https://arabist.net/2026/03/06/all-the-polls-on-the.html

Qatar warns war will force Gulf to stop energy exports ‘within days’ Andrew England and Malcolm Moore, in the Financial Times: Qatar’s energy minister has warned that war in the Middle East could “bring down the economies of th... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/03/06/qatar-warns-war-will-force.html

How much is this going to cost US taxpayers?

“The opposition remains deeply fragmented. Many constituencies—including liberals, democrats, leftists, women’s groups, and marginalized communities such as Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis, and those in southern Khuzestan—do not align with Pahlavi.” @alexshams.bsky.social talks with Asef Bayat:

a thing historians will marvel about when they study this era is the extent to which the "war is a thing that happens to poorer, browner people" class went about systematically dismantling every aspect of the global political order that confined the costs of war to poorer and browner people

It’s a bit odd that where the CIA station in Riyadh is appears to be public knowledge. Usually they are in embassies.

x.com/gothburz/sta... extraordinary testimony by a diplomat involved in the Oman-led negotiations between the US and Iran.

J Street opposes President Trump’s reckless decision to launch a war of choice against Iran. Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/3N71E4w

"History shows external attack tends to consolidate regimes, not topple them." @alivaez.bsky.social explains why the idea that American and Israeli bombing would trigger a popular uprising in Iran is wishful thinking to @wsj.com. www.wsj.com/world/middle...

How to understand war with Iran? We must get away from propaganda. Facts suggest two interpretive frameworks: a foreign war as a mechanism to destroy democracy at home; and a foreign war as an element of personal corruption by the president of the United States. snyder.substack.com/p/why-attack...

In fact, this war was effectively triggered by Trump’s ultimatums and threats during the Iranian protests. This is absolutely Trump’s chosen course of action.

I was warned it might be not good for me in the long run, and have no real plan for how it’s going to make me feel later today, but this morning I decided to launch a preemptive strike on a stack of waffles slathered in maple syrup.

I’m sure he’ll resign in protest.

Netanyahu Calls Iran Strikes Necessary To Prevent War He Just Started

Stunning shift among Democrats - that's strikingly unreflected in the stances of their elected officials

An unpopular president is about to drag the country into an unpopular war. Democratic leader should be out front in opposition, not politely asking for a briefing. My piece in @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/27/d...

So either the US-Israel strategy is decapitation and provoking regime change (that is, civil war) or it is to get Iran to fully capitulate on missiles, nuclear, regional affairs. The first option means massive chaos and suffering; the second is unlikely.

Of the many theoretical explanations and rational debates of this US/Israeli strike on Iran, has anyone considered the possibility that nobody knows what the f*** they're doing www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblo...

The Open Society Foundations condemn the arbitrary detention and denial of entry of our managing director of Programs, Brian Kagoro, by authorities in Kenya. No formal charges were presented, and no written reasons were provided to him.

We’re about to be dragged into another war in the Middle East for AIPAC and Netanyahu. We must do everything to support those fighting for democracy diplomatically, not with bombs. This is no different than the invasion of Iraq over 20 years ago. Congress must stop this war, before it’s too late.

Governments Need to Disrupt the Business of War Crimes Anton Moiseienko and Matthew Neuhaus, writing in Just Security: International crimes are typically complex and coordinated, involving multiple perpetrators. For instan... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/12/governments-need-to-disrupt-the.html

Jean-Noël Barrot appelle à la démission de Francesca Albanese, la rapporteuse spéciale de l’ONU pour les territoires palestiniens | Le Monde France is more interested in joining the Trump administration in shutting up c... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/12/jeannol-barrot-appelle-la-dmission.html

Epstein never cracked the Gulf. After death, he’s finally a player. | Semafor A piece of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and DP World chief Ahmed bin Sulayem that I missed earlier: Beyond the vulgarities is an accu... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/12/epstein-never-cracked-the-gulf.html

This Must Be the Podcast: Stephane Lacroix Marc Lynch interviews renowned French islamologue Stephane Lacroix about his new book on Egyptian salafism. Marc is right here than Stéphane is one of the most exciting writers on modern Islamist movements around.

Renewed U.S.-led Talks in Madrid Lend Momentum to Western Sahara Diplomacy, but Big Challenges Remain | International Crisis Group: https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/10/renewed-usled-talks-in-madrid.html

After the Epstein revelations, Jack Lang leaves a mixed record at the Arab World Institute | Le Monde Of course what’s coming out now - beyond Lang (and his daughter’s) proximity to Epstein – is Lang’s propensity to lea... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/09/after-the-epstein-revelations-jack.html

UAE edged out of Riyadh defense fair | Semafor Around 30 Emirati companies were listed as participants, but none showed up; the exhibition space allocated to EDGE Group — one of Abu Dhabi’s biggest arms makers — was turned into a c... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/09/uae-edged-out-of-riyadh.html

Ashes to Pistachios • EQUATOR A surrealist story by Syrian Kurdish writer Golan Haji, translated by Robin Moger, who provides a useful introduction to the author. "Aboul Nanaat would join us for the sessions where we discus... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/07/ashes-to-pistachios-equator-a.html

OpenAI in talks with Abu Dhabi’s G42 to create specialized ChatGPT version for UAE | Semafor "OpenAI is working with Abu Dhabi-based G42 to build a new version of ChatGPT tuned for the UAE to accommodate local language, political... https://diary.arabist.net/2026/02/07/openai-in-talks-with-abu.html

We owe it to Epstein’s victims and to British democracy to demand historic change | Gordon Brown | The Guardian This a rare sign of decency from a top politician these days.

I hope Dems begin to see that moderate or progressive, AIPAC is not our friend. They endorse January 6th insurrectionists. Yet if you so much as suggest the US uphold its own Leahy laws, no matter your record, they will work against you.

Palestinian American hails Virginia win: ‘You can be bold on the Gaza genocide and still be victorious’ says Democrat Sam Rasoul, after winning re-election to the state legislature, despite attacks from pro-Israel groups. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Lock this war criminal up

Photo journalist Shade Abu Sido was kidnapped on March 18 2024 during the Israeli occupation's raid on Al-Shifa Medical Complex. “I entered Gaza and found it like a scene from Judgment Day. This is not Gaza. Where is the world?”

A mass walkout of the UN General Assembly as Netanyahu prepares to speak.

“The actual state of Palestine” — brilliant front page from UK Observer

Of course Mamdani has visited Jewish communities. What angers Greenblatt is that Mamdani isn't courting HIM. By winning the young Jewish vote while condemning Israel, Mamdani is exposing how out of touch Greenblatt is with many of those he claims to represent. That's what makes Mamdani a threat.

brad lander primary chuck schumer