Jon Stewart despondently dusts off his 'Mess O'Potamia' chyron to cringe over what's happening in Iraq

Jon Stewart despondently dusts off his 'Mess O'Potamia' chyron to cringe over what's happening in Iraq
(Image credit: Daily Show)

Jon Stewart, like many of us, is watching the steady advance of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants toward Baghdad and wondering "What the f--k is going on over there?" On Thursday night's Daily Show, he walked through, in his Daily Show way, the situation in Iraq, including a short primer on ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Baghdadi, an expert talking head informed us, is more anti-American than even Osama bin Laden, a claim that drew Stewart up short: "So you're telling me that if Baghdadi and bin Laden are having an argument about America, bin Laden is the one going 'No, look, I hate them, too — I'm just saying...'?"

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.