Yes, its true, Juan Cole wants to win 2008 Weblog Awards competition–and he is currently in the lead. Best of luck to him.
Martin Kramer has a different take. He cites simple factual problems that undo Cole's analysis. My two favorites deal with confused chronologies and dramatic assertions based on faulty data:
Cole claimed that Mohammed Atta to join what became the 9-11 attacks by his fury at seeing Israeli jets bomb Cana. His evidence? Atta's 1996 will, allegedly inspired by that Israeli air strike at Cana. Small problem as Kramer explains: "Actually, Atta's will was dated April 11, 1996—one week before the Qana tragedy, on April 18. We don't know for certain why he made it, but it cannot be because he witnessed any footage from Qana, which was still in the future."
Earlier, Cole claimed the September attacks were by an Israeli assault on a refugee camp near Jenin. Again, Kramer spots the error: " Israel's Jenin operation took place seven months after 9/11."
Too often a simple fact is the pebble in the shoe that topples the giant claim. If this is the stuff that earns a Weblog Award, well, then the award is not worth much. It simply becomes a badge to be won by whatever side can drive the biggst mob onto the field. Is that really where Weblog Awards wants to go?