(Marcus)
He thinks we should leave the "civilized world" and move to a nice, warm island where we can concentrate on finding ripe coconuts, good bananas, the odd lobster and where the doings of the
Fundament of Borgistas will not so oppress us.
He raises the following points:
- The Turks describe their Indian Reservation in NW Syria as being a "no-fly" zone for their favorite non-IS rebels. These include the Nusra front.
- The US anti-IS czar, General (ret.) Allen USMC says it is not a no-fly zone.
- Who is going to defend this Indian Reservation?
- The Turks have now graciously given us access to four air bases that we built and maintained on their territory. We did this because they were once something like NATO allies of the United States.
- The Turkish Deputy PM has once again insulted a woman member of parliament by telling her that she should shut up BECAUSE she is a woman. We need allies like the Erdogan government? Oh, I forgot we have other allies like that, the Saudis!
- The Turkish Air Force has now begun to bomb installations of the PKK. This is a problem for the US since the other Kurds; PM, YPG, etc. do not share Turkey's view of the PKK and the various Kurdish groups are the only people effectively fighting IS. We (Allen) traded the Turks our de facto agreement to this in return for the use of the air bases? Have we considered the fact that Turkey may now become unstable over this intervention? I hope someone is thinking about air base security.
- An unnamed "senior US official" said today that the US does not seek the military defeat of the Syrian Government. No? You could have fooled me. Oh, I forgot (getting old) that we hope that Assad will decide to commit personal and national suicide by allowing us to jaw-bone him into leaving.
- Kurdish and Syrian government forces have driven IS back from Hasakah in NE Syria. Will the Turks accept that or will they bomb IS's enemies there because they are Kurds and Syrian Government? US air reportedly put in 10 strikes at Hasakah to help with the anti-IS effort. We are not helping the Syrian Government?
I suggest a de-confliction office somewhere to prevent US/Turkish/Syrian engagements.
Marcus and I will continue to discuss the possibility of escape. I am thinking of Bora Bora. I remember the old San Miguel ad that began "I was standing on the beach at Bora Bora..." pl,
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/opinion/turkeys-shift-on-the-syrian-war.html?_r=0
http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/daesh-ousted-from-hasakeh-2015-07-29-1.598388
'No fly zone' as in 'nobody but us flies' or, more to the point, 'free fire zone'.
Posted by: confusedponderer | 30 July 2015 at 02:33 PM
Ishmael Zechariah,
If this violence is strictly perpetrated only by Kurds, then the Erdogists could find it very handy for ethno-Turkish solidarity behind Ergogan. If so, I would imagine the Erdogists driving as many Kurds as possible to commit as much violence as possible in order to drive the Turks even closer together behind Erdogan.
If, on the other hand, the violence is being perpetrated by Kurds and counter-Erdogan Turks in equal measure, then the Erdogists have a deeper problem. In this scenario, could too much Erdogist repression result in a coalition-of-violence among Kemalists, Alevis, Kurds, Gulenists, etc. against Erdogists-in-general? (Though I think I remember you telling me in the past that Kemalists and Alevis were often somewhat the same people).
Posted by: different clue | 30 July 2015 at 03:14 PM
HankP
I had the good fortune long ago to be for a time the XO of HHC of the 8th SFGA at Ft. Gulick in the Canal Zone. In that capacity I was among other things the mess officer of the Group's only mess. In that mess we employed hired Cuna Indians as KPs. Our troops contributed to a fund so that we could pay these little folk and the soldiers would be relieved of the onerous duty. My skill in Spanish was what caused me to take that job, that and a reputation for a "take no prisoners attitude" with regard to maladministration. There had been a lot of that in HHC. The Indians spoke no English. I spent many happy days with them out in the San Blas archipelago. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 30 July 2015 at 03:16 PM
Ursa Maior,
I have read that one of the Canary Islands, perhaps Gran Canaria itself, is a huge volcanic cone with a very deep split in one side. At some point a multi-cubic-mile big chunk of Gran Canaria will break off the island along that split-line and fall into the Atlantic. Anyone living there would want to be on the part of the island that remains in existence after the big chunk falls away.
Posted by: different clue | 30 July 2015 at 03:16 PM
Bill H,
If Erdogan is asking for this no fly zone, it would be to keep the Syrian Air Force ( or any other Air Force) out of the zone for long enough that the Erdogists could transfer that land to Nusra control if they are forced to aquiesce in the "removal" of ISIS specifically from that land.
The Erdogists remain pro ISIS most of all, but would settle for Nusra rule over Syria if they couldn't get their beloved and sponsored ISIS into control. The Saudies and the Gulfies would agree with that.
Posted by: different clue | 30 July 2015 at 03:20 PM
BillH
The Erdogistas wish to prevent the Syrian Air Force flying over that part of Syria. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 30 July 2015 at 03:26 PM
Be advised that YPG is ethnically-cleansing Arabs form its territory.
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 30 July 2015 at 04:55 PM
DC,
The violence is being perpetrated by separatist Kurds or those who call themselves separatist Kurds or those who pretend to be separatist Kurds. PKK has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Tukish Nationalists (secular or otherwise) and Alevis are not and will not be involved in violence againist TSK. Gulenists do not have kinetic capability, neither do the liberal intellectuals (libosh in common parlance). Patrick Bahzad would be the person to explain what is going on, if he has the time or the inclination.
Ishmael Zechariah
Posted by: Ishmael Zechariah | 30 July 2015 at 08:10 PM
Babak,
All the accusations of ethnic cleansing are coming from ISIS supporters and Turkish supporters of ISIS. YPG is allied with Euphrates Volcano, an Arab rebel group. Given that, I don't doubt certain YPG elements have treated Arabs rudely and forced some out of their villages. They are worried, rightly or wrongly, about ISIS supporters and stay behinds. No, YPG ethnic cleansing is largely a ISIS/Turkish propaganda effort.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 30 July 2015 at 09:41 PM
Thank you. I told you I needed a score card.
Posted by: Bill H | 31 July 2015 at 12:21 AM
i.e. they provide ISIS with air cover.
Posted by: confusedponderer | 31 July 2015 at 02:12 AM
... and air support.
Posted by: confusedponderer | 31 July 2015 at 02:12 AM
I read in an Iranian paper - with pictures etc.
I credit it; I saw a similar thing in Mahabad, Iran, more than 30 years ago...
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 31 July 2015 at 10:44 AM
A great movie IMO! Sparks betwen Stewart and Deb AND the wonderous return of a royal to his kingdom to be!
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 02 August 2015 at 10:15 AM
Respectfully disagree. Turkey is central to NATO IMO!
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 02 August 2015 at 10:16 AM