Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Sinan Antoon

Sinan Antoon, an Iraqi writer and poet, teaches at the Gallatin School of New York University. He is an editor of this magazine.

Reading César Vallejo in Arabic

The Poets The posthumous poetry collection of the Iraqi poet Sargon Boulus (1944–2007), ‘Azma Ukhra li-Kalb al-Qabila (Another Bone for the Tribe’s Dog), published in 2008 shortly after his death in Berlin, is populated with ghosts. [1] There are ghosts of anonymous humans who perished in recent wars,

Sinan Antoon • 9 min read

MER Article

Bending History

A watchword of the Baathist regime during Iraq’s eight-year war with Iran was the “spirit of victory.” Preserving this “spirit” (ruh al-nasr) was a major task of the regime’s efficient propaganda machine throughout the fighting. As soon as war broke out in September 1980, the cultural sphere was

Sinan Antoon • 8 min read

MER Article

Monumental Disrespect

Somewhere in east Baghdad there is a brick wall bearing the names of the Iraqi soldiers who died in the Iraq-Iran war, launched by the regime of Saddam Hussein in September 1980. There is no reliable tally of the casualties to date, but the number of dead is estimated to be between 500,000 and 800,0

Sinan Antoon • 7 min read

MER Article

Of Graves and Grievances

Sinan Antoon • 7 min read