The Situation in Rojava - TTG

“We in the YPG have a strategic goal, to link Afrin with Kobani,” said Polat Can, a senior militia official, referring to two Kurdish enclaves in Rojava that are separated by 60 miles of territory controlled by the Islamic State. “We will do everything we can to achieve it.” Other areas, such as Raqqa, “are not so important,” he said in an interview in Suleimaniyah, Iraq.

American military officials say the U.S. won’t back any such operation, and officials in Ankara say Turkey would block it, by force if necessary. Turkey fears that if the YPG seizes the corridor, millions more Syrian Arabs and Turkmans will flee to Turkey. (McClatchyDC)

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This excerpt is from an excellent article by Roy Gutman writing for the McClatchy Newspapers. It is the best description of what is going on in Norther Syria I have found. How serious are the YPG and Erdogan’s government in their respective stances? This exchange appearing in an AKP supporting Daily Sabah says it all.

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş has been in a war of words with Prime Minister Davutoğlu, saying: "The YPG [People's Protection Units] will cross the Euphrates River and you will gawk [look on] at it."

The quarrel started after Davutoğlu said that the Democratic Union Party's armed YPG, a Syrian PKK affiliate, was hit by Turkish military forces twice in recent days as they were trying to cross the Euphrates. Speaking in a live interview on A Haber channel, Davutoğlu said Turkey had previously warned members of the YPG not to cross to the western side of the Euphrates and that if they did, Turkey would interfere. "We struck twice," he said, without giving further information.

Demirtaş responded to Davutoğlu earlier on Tuesday: "It is shameful to hit the PYD while ISIS maintains its presence in the region." Speaking on a live TV broadcast on Tuesday evening, Davutoğlu responded to Demirtaş: "Demirtaş is the one who needs to be ashamed; the PYD will not cross the Euphrates."

Demirtaş commented on Davutoğlu's remarks regarding Turkey striking the YPG. On Tuesday evening in Istanbul he said: "As if the YPG cannot cross to the west of the Euphrates. They will, Davutoğlu, the YPG will cross beyond the Euphrates and you will only gawk at them from the other side of the river." (Daily Sabah)

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Later today the White House is expected to announce the authorization of the deployment of less than fifty special operations forces into northern Syria. What could go wrong? Plenty. That’s the nature of war. That fact cannot be avoided, even if we do nothing. I have no problem with the proposed deployment of what will probably be Green Berets rather than JSOC operators. There should be more airdropping of small arms and ammunition along with increased air support. However, why do we have to broadcast these activities to the world? What’s wrong with a judicious application of STFU? A little sleight of hand? A little razzle dazzle? Some good old American maskirovka? 

I’d like to see the YPG cross the Euphrates and take Jarabulus and some motivated Arab militias start pressuring IS forces between Hasaka and Raqqa in accordance with their own goals. And I’d like to see the spokespeople at Pentagon press conferences feign amazement at how the Kurds and Arab tribes are able to do this. Flatly deny there are any US boots on the ground. Say we’ve also heard the stories of US citizens volunteering to work with the Kurds and Arab tribesmen, but deny any official involvement. Who knows. Maybe it’s the Russians or the Iranians. 

Didn’t we suggest something like this in our SST war-game last year?

TTG

Comments

[J Villain]

Any one remember when the US was a super power? If the US can get the UK and France to sit up and beg like a dog why is not able to put a leash on Turkey other than the fact Erdogan is a nut job?

I have to wonder ho Russia would look on Turkey attacking the Kurds in Syria? I don't think any thing good comes from that for Turkey.

[turcopolier]

J Vilain

Don't pose rhetorical questions and then answer them. "Erdogan is a nut job" pl

[Jack]

TTG, Sir

Why do you think the Obamanauts want to announce sending our soldiers into the combat zone? Are they serious about "containing" IS or is it just propaganda for domestic purposes?

[turcopolier]

Jack

The Obamanauts have idea how to deal with a disintegrating policy stupidity which they created. the idea of putting American soldiers into an area that the Turks are bombing is just crazy. Of course "b" will believe that the US controls the Turkish Air Force so in his mind this will not be a problem in the larger American conspiracy to create and use jihadi forces. pl

[Medicine Man]

TTG: Apologies if this answer is obvious and your question was half rhetorical: I think secrecy is discarded in part because Washington is motivated by domestic concerns. Increasingly I've gotten the feeling that the beltway politicos regard foreign policy as another front in the partisan struggle at home, and thus been seen as "doing something" is necessary.

[bell]

it's not a bad question, but there might be a different answer. such as erdogan has some info on the us that would be embarrassing and worse for them.. lots of room for speculation.. will wait and see the results of turkeys sunday vote to see how this game is reshaped..

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Colleagues,
The Col. called it right: "the idea of putting American soldiers into an area that the Turks are bombing is just crazy". This whole mess is shaping into a massive clustefxxk. Let us see what Monday morning brings. I wish Putin had stopped transit visas to Turkish truckers a month ago...
Ishmael Zechariah

[The Twisted Genius]

Medicine Man,

You're right. The Borg collective in DC and a sizable chunk of the American public are desperate to believe that the US is still the indispensable nation destined to rule the world. To believe otherwise is destroy our cargo cult-like mythology. Like a frightened bully, we just have to yell louder to keep ourselves from pissing our pants. Babak's suggestion to just cut and run is probably better than the kabuki theater we're now engaged in.

[different clue]

The Twisted Genius,

I begin to feel as if the various factions which make up the Borg have been affecting eachother and have been somewhat swapping memes and ideology-segments the way unrelated bacteria are supposed to be able to swap bits of bacterial DNA. So the NeoCons now have some Neo Liberal belief-chunks embedded in their brains and the Neo-Wilsonians have some Free Trade Conspiracy beliefs embedded in their brains, and so forth. So they have indeed all become semi-similar Borgistas together.

I wonder whether their shared stance could be called Borgismo, "like" the Fidelismo and Sandinismo and Chavismo and etc. of Latin America. I wonder whether the Borgista headquarters could be referred to as Borgismo Central. If so, could one then speak of Borgismo Central and the Axis of Jihad?

[David Habakkuk]

different clue,

''I begin to feel as if the various factions which make up the Borg have been affecting each other and have been somewhat swapping memes and ideology-segments the way unrelated bacteria are supposed to be able to swap bits of bacterial DNA.''

This idea really appeals to me, and also think it may be getting at something very important.

About 'Borgismo' I am not so sure. It is not clear to me that the 'flavour' is quite right.

In relation to some figures – for example Samantha Power, and, over here, Tony Blair, and indeed David Cameron – I wonder whether 'Borgasm' might be a possibly useful term.

A defining feature of 'the Borg', it seems to me, is its sense of its own righteousness.

Many of us have to find some way of living with our own devils – on the basis that letting them loose is liable to end up badly not just for others but for ourselves.

But those who have an unshakable belief that they are the 'good guys' commonly do not have to wrestle with such problems. Once they have defined others as the 'bad guys', they can unleash murder and mayhem on them, without any sense of guilt – and, I often suspect, thoroughly enjoy themselves in so doing.

[VietnamVet]

TTG

Watching Jeb Bush saying the United States is the indispensable nation is totally unbelievable. Reality and beliefs are in conflict and the psychosis expresses itself in his speech. United States has no control over its allies; Turkey, Israel or the Gulf Monarchies. The Iraq/Syrian wars are out of control. Russia intervened. The wars and Turkey and Greece unleashing the refugees directly caused the current European crisis. It is not hyperbole to say that Islam is at the Gates of Vienna again. The Eurozone is a dead man walking.

As Colonel Lang said it is crazy to embed Special Forces with YPG Kurds while Turkey is bombing them. But, doing crazy things is easier than facing reality. The USA has eight Presidential Candidates who want to start WWIII with Russia. The alternative to a world at war is to back down and acknowledge that a multipolar world has reappeared. Survival requires strong borders, consent of the governed and a people’s Army of the United States.

[rjj]

Perhaps the borg has decided it could make use of a few casualties -- with lots and lots of media coverage, etc. etc. ...

[Medicine Man]

TTG,

You speak a mouthful. I find I've defaulted to isolationist/peacenik in the face of this addiction to mad hatter schemes that plagues western leadership. There is a fight worth prosecuting but it seems clear that US troops would have to battle both jihadis and the fairy tale incoherence of the country's leaders. Getting you guys shot at to maintain the country's machismo is asking an awful lot.

[turcopolier]

Medecine Man

It is the post of honor. "It is for this that we are soldiers" said Captain Ord when he fell mortally wounded at San Juan Hill. If I were a young man in SF I would be clamoring for the job. pl

[Thomas]

"Once they have defined others as the 'bad guys', they can unleash murder and mayhem on them, without any sense of guilt – and, I often suspect, thoroughly enjoy themselves in so doing."

And it forces those souls with a shred of humanity remaining to ask themselves at what point are you morally responsible to do unto them before they destroy even more innocent lives?

[The Beaver]

@DH

"Once they have defined others as the 'bad guys', they can unleash murder and mayhem on them, without any sense of guilt – and, I often suspect, thoroughly enjoy themselves in so doing."

We should not forget that sales of weapons to the GCC have been up 70% over five years.

It is ironic that "Human Rights" are used as the tautology whenever they want to get rid of a non-client but it is OK to trade with others with the same faults

[Babak Makkinejad]

The road to the Japanese colonization of Korea went through Koreans; there was a faction that wanted to manipulate China to advance that faction's interests in Korea, there was another that wished to bring in the Japanese to manipulate them for their own ends, there were factions looking to Russia or Germany and then there was a very very small tiny group of thinkers - subsequently killed or sent to exile - that sought to rely on Korea's own resources to advance the cause of Korea.

We all know what happened.

In the Middle East we have had a very similar dynamics since 1950 - with various countries and factions within those countries bringing in this or that extra-regional power to advance their narrow parochial causes. And like everything else in Life, some factions for some time enjoyed a period of success before things blew up in their faces.

All these countries, from the Atlas Mountains to the India Border and from the Black Sea to Mali are experiencing grand strategic failures, in my opinion.

Over a 60 year period of time, I cannot point out to a single country and say that they have been winners in any sense - not when I can see for myself that the young people have nothing in these countries as compared to the Youth in North America and EU.

[Fred]

David,

"A defining feature of 'the Borg', it seems to me, is its sense of its own righteousness."

I think you are correct. I'm reminded the the scene from "The Kingdom of Heaven". The usual suspects are whispering in the ear of the Borg the same thing the fanatic on the outskirts of Messina was telling the Crusaders. "Once you have defined the others as 'bad guys,...." it is not murder.

[Medicine Man]

Col. Lang,

We have different perspectives. I don't doubt the capability and willingness of your fellows, but I'd want a higher degree of confidence in the goals and intentions of those in charge before I'd ask you guys to climb that hill on my behalf.

[Valissa]

Monkeys With Smaller Testicles Scream Louder to Compensate, Study Finds http://nextshark.com/howler-monkey-testicles-study/

[The Twisted Genius]

pl and Medicine Man,

As would I. I've been under USN five inch gunfire as a young man. Dodging a few Turkish bombs can't be much different. This is the kind of mission us sons of Aaron Bank live for.

[Trey N]

Thanks for the belly laugh! That sentence immediately brought so many images to mind re the neocons and the Izzies (esp with their always screeching about "gonna bomb Iran, hold me back!" over the last decade).

[Castellio]

Talking about righteousness, it might be worthwhile to take a look at the US Ambassador to Ukraine G. Pyatt's recent statement.

"Ukraine's two wars go on. The war against a determined aggressor in the East. Against a relentless propaganda machine. And, less visible but arguably even more insidious, on the home front, the war against corruption, the central battlefield in the struggle between Old Ukraine and New Ukraine. [...) the Prosecutor General's office must stop undermining reforms, stop protecting corrupt prosecutors within its ranks [...] and stop blocking criminal investigations into bribery, graft, and political dealing."

This is the man on the phone to Nuland, who agreed to bring "Yats" to power, who supports the oligarch Poroshenko. He is complaining about "political dealing"

Ambassador Pyatt's full remarks are available at http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/statements/pyatt-kse-10302015.html.

There is one other quote worth noting.

"According to a recent poll, only five percent of Ukrainians approve of the job judges are doing. Five percent! For the majority, the courts exist not to defend them, but to protect the financial and political interests of corrupt and powerful special interests."

[walrus]

There used to be this thing in the Western world called "The Free Press" and its had an ability to make all of us reflect on our values and standards. It is no more. It's last great battle was with Richard Nixon. That object lesson was not lost on a variety of oligarchs who then put their minds to acquiring this tool and converting it to their own use.

To my shame, the leader of this pack was an Australian; Rupert Murdoch. The media collective is now a value free zone. Anything is right if they wish to portray it that way. There is no shame, no honour, in fact no virtue in what they do. The latest example is the resurrection of Rebbekah Brooks.

This is why Blair, Cameron, Clinton, Bush and a host of others can get away with what they do. The Press will never hold them to account. The press will support them if they stumble. They will salve their wounds. They will destroy their enemies. All provided that these "leaders" do the bidding of their backers.

Garrison Keilor an alleged humorous American writer, summed the situation up perfectly in his short story "remorse" in which he painted an enduring image of an ageing Adolf Hitler being interviewed by an American talk show host; "And the Jews Adolph?" "why do you always bring that up? Do you know how it upsets Eva and the kids?"

Blair, Cameron and the rest of them are Ghouls.

[turcopolier]

medicine Man

We don't need your request. Actually, it is irrelevant. pl