Is this what is driving US Kurdish policy?

 

"Maj. Gen. Yair Golan also said that he saw ISIS fighters walking on the Syrian-Israeli front, and that he “can cope with that”. However, Maj. Gen. Yair Golan said that he can’t cope with Iran, and said that Iran is a “much more threatening compared to the ISIS threat.”

“Because the Iranians are sophisticated, they are a higher form of civilization, they have a nice academic infrastructure, nice industry, good scientists, many talented young people. They are very similar to us. And because they are similar to us, they are much, much more dangerous,” Maj. Gen. Golan said.

Furthermore, Maj. Gen. Golan said that Israel can effect Iran just like Iran can effect it. However, he said that Israel can’t do anything serious to Iran without a help from the USA.

“And while we can achieve decisive victory over Hezbollah… and while we can defeat any Shia militia in Syria … we cannot fight Iran alone,” Maj. Gen. Yair Golan said.

Maj. Gen. Yair Golan is well-known for his controversial statements. In general, Israel officials say that his statements don’t represent the state of the official Israeli attitude. However, Maj. Gen. Golan’s statements about the Kurds and Iran clearly reflect the current policy of the Israeli government."  Golan & SF

********

 "During an international counter-terrorism conference in Herzliya on September 11, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked announced that Israel supports the idea of turning Iraq’s Kurdistan Region into an independent state.

Shaked added that Israel and Western countries have a major interest in this case.

“Israel [and] the Western countries have a major interest in the establishment of the state of Kurdistan,” the minister said. “I think that the time has come for the US to support the process.”

The statement came ahead a referendum on the Kurdistan Region independence from Iraq that is scheduled for September 25.

This is not the first time when top Israeli officials clearly support the idea of creation of the independnet Kurdish state in the Middle East. They expect it will be friendly toward Israel and allow to shift further the balance of power in the region.

In 2016, Ayelet Shaked already called for this during the ninth annual International INSS (Institute for National Security Studies) Conference in Israel."   Shaked & SF

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If this is actual "thinking "  in current Israeli government circles, then this is yet another demonstration of the unreality of the milieu in which Israelis live.  The notion that Turkey would give up half of eastern Anatolia and the port of Iskenderun is laughable. 

Iraq, Syria and Iran are supposed to contribute Territiry and natural resources to this fantastical project hatched in Israel?

Is eastern Syria supposed to be the first "building block" for construction of Israeli Kurdistan?  pl 

https://southfront.org/israeli-general-pkk-not-terrorist-organization/

https://southfront.org/israeli-justice-minister-israel-and-west-have-major-interest-in-establishing-independent-kurdistan/

 

Comments

[Cameron Kelley]

The Israelis seem far more interested in establishing a Kurdish state than a Palestinian one. I wonder why that is?

[Bandolero]

All

Regarding the speech of Maj. Gen. Yair Golan at Winep I found this news item in English languaged Turkish media. Quote begin TRT World:

"PKK is not a terrorist organisation, says Israeli general

Israel's Major General Yair Golan went further to say that he believed that the only positive development in the Middle East was the emergence of an independent Kurdish entity. ...

The Israeli general stressed that it was his personal idea about the PKK's position.

"That’s the way I look at that. It’s a very personal approach. I don’t reflect here any formal position of Israel."

However it also does not appear as a terror group on Israeli Ministry of Justice's list of terrorist organisations and individuals. ...

Quote end. Source: http://www.trtworld.com/mea/pkk-is-not-a-terrorist-organisation-says-israeli-general-10407

I think Israel is just about to develop a very fond relationship with Turkey.

In an apparently unrelated development Turkish president Erdigan just said Turkey has already paid a deposit as part of an agreement with Russia for the purchase of S400 air defense.

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/09/12/534889/Turkey-Erdogan-Russia-S400-deposit

And, redarding Syria's Idlib province, Erdogan not only had warm words for Russia, but also for Iran. Quote begin Sputnik:

Erdogan: Turkey, Russia Have No Disputes Over De-Escalation in Syria's Idlib

... "Currently, the process in Idlib is being executed as we agreed upon with Russia. There are no disputes with Russia on it. No controversy was brought to the agenda during our meeting with Iran. I am of the opinion that healthy talks will continue following the Astana summit. The process is developing positively," Erdogan said, as quoted by the Hurriyet newspaper."

Quote end. Source: https://sputniknews.com/politics/201709121057310839-idlib-de-escalation-russia-turkey/

What I wonder is, if Turkey doesn't like the idea of an Israeli Kurdistan, which LOCs are the Israelis planning to use to support their Israeli Kurdistan?

[eakens]

The Israelis started betting on the Kurds shortly after 9/11. Here's a 13-year old article in the New Yorker about this: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/06/28/plan-b-2

The Iranians and Turks have also been aware of Israeli activities in "Kurdistan", and so it is a farcical dream to think they would allow the creation of such a state given today's situation. Perhaps immediately after going into Iraq, this might have been more likely, but now that the US sees what sort of damage the Iranians and their proxies can wreak, it's unlikely there would be the will to try to bring such a state about.

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Col. Lang, SST;

"Ayelet Shaked, the izzie justice minister"-is there really justice to administer in izziistan?
It is nice to see the mask of the izzies slipping- their goal was always to remove all aspects of modernism in MENA to ensure their own dominance. The suppression of secular Arab nationalism, the promotion of wahabism, the break-up of Turkey and the promotion of kurdish aspirations were major pieces of this Borg gambit. This gambit worked well until they made the mistake of trying to take out Russia concurrently using Ukraine/Crimea as a starting point. Now the Borg and its "brain team" have a problem. So do their "collaborators" in MENA. The Borg will do its damnedest to achieve through "soft power" what it lost on the battlefield. There is an even chance that it might still prevail-but it will be uphill work for them. This will be fun to watch.

Ishmael Zechariah

[Oilman2]

It seems as if others are thinking Syria should donate their oilfields to the new country, whatever it is called...

http://www.voltairenet.org/article197831.html

[Kooshy]

Colonel IMO, after the defeat of Syrian regime change project, Israelis, and thier international Borg backers are adopting old king Crimson song lyrics as thier new policy that is
"Confusion will be my epitaph. As I crawl a cracked and broken path. If we make it we can all sit back and laugh, But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying, Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying."

[Kooshy]

"which LOCs are the Israelis planning to use to support their Israeli Kurdistan?"
Their' and thier American backer' current fantasy is a LOC from Jordan, to eastern Syria up to northern Syria, Iraq , which also kills the east west Shia LOC

[turcopolier]

Cameron Kelley

I suppose that is a facetious question, but, if it is not, the Kurds are not competing with Israel for Eretz Israel. pl

[mike]

My two cents on what is driving US Kurdish policy:

In Syria the original dumpkopf US behavior of arming un-vetted FSA groups was at the urging of Israel, Turkey, the Saudis, and the Gulf States. That had nothing to do with the Kurds. US antipathy for Iran since October 1983 was probably also the basis of that policy.

Our later policy of siding with the Syrian Kurds against Daesh was started after freelance US journalist was beheaded on video by Daesh in October 2014. Our airstrikes on Daeshis at Kobani which helped to lift the Turkish/Daesh siege of Kobani happened shortly after Foley's beheading. That unofficial alliance has continued ever since. There is no attempt by the Syrian Kurds or by the US to establish an independent Syrian Kurdistan. That conspiracy theory was being pushed by the Turks who are worried about their own Kurdish minority and by the IRGC for the same reasons (and maybe for their view of the Syrian Kurds as atheists). But that conspiracy theory is now apparently also being pushed by Israel through MajGen Golan. Why? Most likely to sow discord.

In Iraq, the US has advised the KRG against holding the independence referendum, which is scheduled in less than two weeks. Threats to Iraqi Kurdistan if they dare to issue their own Declaration of Independence are being thrown around by some in southern Iraq and in neighboring countries. If there is violence I do not believe any US response there will be due to Israeli influence. ExxonMobil has investments there made by T-Rex Tillerson before he became SecState. By the way the Russian oil conglomerate ROSNEFT also has deals in Iraqi Kurdistan, both for oil and other commercial interests. So the Putin and Lavrov will mediate any violent disturbances there. The Koch Brother billionaires, who got 90% or Republican Senators and Congressmen elected, are reported to have investments in the KRG. Plus Senator Corker has a substantial Kurdish-American constituency in Nashville as does Congressman Duncan Hunter in San Diego. That is and will be the basis of our policy in Iraqi Kurdistan. Israelis IMHO are just trying to stir up trouble in the region with this latest from MajGen Golan.

[Kooshy]

Two points, even before 9/11 off and on all westerners especially French were fantasizing and helping Kurds in case one day they become useful, this I heard from a french diplomat. But more importantly Kurds mountain people they are not trained or use to ( uncapable) fighting and holding flat desert open land, they will be having a hard time outside their mountain territories.

[kao_hsien_chih]

Seems disturbingly like modern version of Greater Poland, born after World War I, the one that ensured that World War 2 (at least in Europe) was inevitable.

[Kooshy]

Colonel they are hoping to create a non domestic legal (fully western backed UN member state) headache in middle of 4 major muslim states, just as Israel project itself was.

[Bandolero]

Kooshy

"Their' and thier American backer' current fantasy is a LOC from Jordan, to eastern Syria up to northern Syria, Iraq , which also kills the east west Shia LOC"

If an LOC from Jordan to support a separatist kurdish state is indeed the US ambition they behave strange. On Sunday for example Reuters reported that the US ordered it's proxy militia from that region in Syria close to Jordan back to Jordan.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-south/syrian-rebels-say-u-s-allies-push-for-retreat-from-southeast-syria-idUSKCN1BL0YP?il=0

Such an order is surely not unhelpful to the SAA which is currently gaining ground along the Syrian-Jordan border:

https://twitter.com/Syria_Hezb_Iran/status/907596735240962054

If the US would want that area as a strategic LOC for a "US-Israeli Kurdistan" I'ld expect the US to bolster their forces in that area, not ordering them to pull out.

[turcopolier]

mike

In my lifetime the US has always favored the Kurds against the governments of these countries. Justice Douglas wrote a book in the '50s called "Journey Among Brave Men." This was about Barzani Kurd wars against the Iraqi government, then a Hashemite kingdom. this was a very influential book at the time. Tthe State Department has always had a romantic fixation on the Kurds. Kooshy is right. What the Izzies want is an allied state that will weaken the regional government and under US protection. pl

[aleksandar]

Mike,
Create a Kurdish state has nothing to do with conspiracy theory. I remember US studies from think tank during the 90' advocating for such a move. What has changed is that most of the time, Syrian Kurds were not mentioned.
This Rojava state is dead. Killed the day Russia brokered an agreement btw Syria and Turkey to let Turkey liberate Al Bab from ISIS and install theirs FSA proxies there.
No LOC between Kurds in east Syria and Kurds in west Syria.This road from east to Aleppo and Tartous is the " life line " for an independent Kurdish state in east Syria.
Having Kurds split in two distinctive areas is a military and political victory for Assad and Erdogan.
Erdogan is a special guy but he is not an imbecile. He probably has already understood that he will not be allowed by the Russians to maintain his troops in Syria.
IMO , SAA will clean this part of Syria even before reconquering Idleb.Erdogan will throw FSA under the bus and smile having SAA contolling this zone north of Al BaB up to the turkish border. After all killing this Rojava state was his aim since the beginning.

[Kooshy]

Firstly they US did not agree to pull back from Tanf for now they are keeping the base in 3 corners, secondly is this just a tactical, pullback move? above all IMO whatever and whoever this policy is, in MHOP it is a fantasy it will not work, as Colonel wrote yesterday tribal Arab shikhs, and Kurdish (democratic) warlords are not loyal including to thier own tribes and next of kin nor woleharthely will fight for anyone , once paychecks dry up.

[Kooshy]

Colonel thank you sir, IMO an independent land locked mountainous,economically insufficient Kurdistan will create a 5 way game of whack a mole that Poor village Kurds will get whacked from 4 sides (more than they are getting now) with the difference that every time Turkey a US alley bomb them you will hear nothing ( like now) but every time Iran and Syria bomb them since it not an internal matter you will have a UNSC meeting and a resolution, that is what Israel and US want.

[Anna]

On the ziocons' orders: http://www.moonofalabama.org/2017/09/syria-summary-a-new-clash-looms-in-syrias-east.html
"It is now obvious that the SAA will bridge the river (all regular bridges have been destroyed by U.S. bombing) and send significant forces across. New questions now are: When, where and with what aim?
As soon as the government intent became clear the U.S. pushed its local proxy forces to immediately snatch the ISIS held oilfields. In less than two days they deployed over 30 kilometers deep into the ISIS held areas north of the Euphrates. It is obvious that such progress could not have been made if ISIS had defended itself. ...
The U.S. diplomat tasked with the job, Brett McGurk, recently met with local tribal dignitaries of the area. Pictures of the meeting were published. Several people pointed out that the very same dignitaries were earlier pictured swearing allegiance to the Islamic State.
Just like during the "Anbar Awaking" in its war on Iraq the U.S. is bribing the local radicals to temporarily change over to its side. This will help the U.S. to claim that it defeated ISIS. But as soon as the payments stop the very same forces will revert back to their old game. ...
Originally the U.S. had planned to let ISIS take Deir Ezzor. It had twice attacked Syrian government forces in the area killing more than a hundred of them. This had allowed ISIS to capture large chunks of the government enclave and to disable the airport which was need for resupplies.
The Syrian government again pointed out that U.S. (and Turkish) forces on its ground are uninvited and that their presence is illegal."
Sigh

[Christian Chuba]

Interesting that these Israeli leaders are choosing the exact opposite of what most would consider the rational choice.

Let's see, we can have a totally insane enemy who is just as likely to do a suicide attack as eat breakfast and can expand at the blink of an eye, just because they are weak today, OR we can have a more powerful, well organized enemy who is much more rational and has a healthy fear of death. Hmm...

[Bandolero]

Kooshy

Yes, you're right. The US did not agree to pull back from Tanf - for now - yet. But the presence of the - at least once - US backed forces, broadly to be described as "FSA militias" - is shrinking in that region. And that is while any possible LOC from Jordan to Kurdistan is already broken anyway, since the SAA and allied militia control a strip of land to the border east of Tanf.

With regard to the question whether this is just a "tactical, pullback move" by these US backed FSA forces, let me just say this much: US backed "FSA" or "moderate rebel" forces announced a lot of "tactical withdrawals" in recent years, eg from Homs, Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo etc. So now they do one more "tactical withdrawal" - this time from the badia region. And I think these tactical withdrawals may well continue until Syria is free.

[mike]

Aleksandar -

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you that Erdogan will throw his proxies in northern Aleppo under the bus. His proxies in Idlib also.

I also remember those US think tank studies from the 1990s that you mention. You are right that the Syrian Kurds were not mentioned. It was about the Kurds in northern Iraq. It never became official US policy that I am aware of. But it has a better chance now with Senator Corker heading the Foreign Relations Committee. He has many politically active Kurdish-American voters in his home state of Tennessee.

Rojava state?? To my knowledge the Syrian Kurds are not asking for a state, only some degree of autonomy within the Syrian State. Many in Turkey are claiming the opposite. That there are so many people here believing that is evidence that such a conspiracy exists.

[mike]

Kooshy -

Why would Syria want to play whack-a-mole in Iraqi Kurdistan? Turkey and Iran yes, and probably Iraq also. But I don't see Syria doing that, too much to do at home, and they have no beef with the KRG.

In any case I would think that Putin would put a priority on protecting the interests of ROSNEFT in Iraqi Kurdistan. Do you believe that he would abandon his favorite oil company and not play a diplomatic role in stopping any violence?

[mike]

Colonel -

I've read Justice Douglas' other book on his travels throughout Iran. He championed all the common peoples there whether they were Persians, Kurds, Lurs, Armenians, Azeris or Arabs.

He did not have anything good to say about the Shah and his cronies though.

[turcopolier]

mike

The Greter Kurdistan is a Zionist project, not Syrian. Douglas was a leftist. He had no use for kings. pl

[Kooshy]

Mike, thank you, you sound like Richard Hess in CNN' Freed show, do you think Russia's Putin will give up geostrategy for more oil, as I wrote before, I believe you know better than that.