Juan Cole - 11/09/05

The Problem with Frenchness

Readers have asked me for comment about the riots in France that have now provoked emergency laws and a curfew. What I would rather comment on, however, is the myths that have governed many rightwing American comments on the tragic events. Actually, I can only think that the disturbances must produce a huge ice cream headache for the dittoheads. French of European heritage pitted against French of African and North African heritage? How could they ever pick a side?

Saddam Attorney Assassinated

Reuters reports that another attorney working for Saddam's defense team was assassinated on Tuesday.

It is obvious that Saddam cannot be properly tried in Iraq under these circumstances.

It is not known who is behind the killings, but Saddam to put it lightly has a lot of enemies. It is also possible that the guerrilla movement sees a trial of him as a threat to their own hopes of taking over, and that the killings are by Saddams' former supporters.