Turkish warplanes strike northeast, 'huge panic: Kurdish-led SDF

 

 

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Turkish warplanes struck its region in the northeast, sparking “huge panic among people” on Wednesday.

 

“Turkish warplanes have started to carry out air strikes on civilian areas,” SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said on Twitter.

 

Syrian state media and a Kurdish official separately said bombing hit the town of Ras al-Ain in the northeast along the Turkish border.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-09

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Here we go again, the Middle East is once again at war, how long before others join in.

Turkey is aiming to eradicate the Kurds and it looks as though they will be able to do it without NATO lifting a finger to stop them.

Don’t forget that the battles are in Syria and Assad’s main supporter is Russia, are they going to sit back quietly ?, I very much doubt it.

Edited October 9, 20196 yr by PJPom
Correction

3 hours ago, PJPom said:

Here we go again, the Middle East is once again at war, how long before others join in.

Turkey is aiming to eradicate the Kurds and it looks as though they will be able to do it without NATO lifting a finger to stop them.

Don’t forget that the battles are in Syria and Assad’s main supporter is Russia, are they going to sit back quietly ?, I very much doubt it.

Nothing to do with Assad, this is far outside of the area he controls.

Turkey can do what they want, unless Trump holds his promise. Fat chance of that happening.

Well, latest is that a prison, holding ISIS fighters has been hit with an airstrike. I am sure some have survived. Thanks Trump!

The Turks have been wanting to eliminate the Kurds forever...Kurds hold land rich in oil reserves which Turkey has been foaming at the mouth to obtain.

 

The only thing holding the Turks back has been fear of retaliation by US forces...with this fear removed...a genocide style bloodbath is likely...Kurds are Christians...isolated and surrounded by Muslims...this is not going to end well for the Kurds.

 

Very bad decision to abandon an ally in this region of the world.

 

Israel must be thinking...are we next?   ????

23 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

The Turks have been wanting to eliminate the Kurds forever...Kurds hold land rich in oil reserves which Turkey has been foaming at the mouth to obtain.

 

The only thing holding the Turks back has been fear of retaliation by US forces...with this fear removed...a genocide style bloodbath is likely...Kurds are Christians...isolated and surrounded by Muslims...this is not going to end well for the Kurds.

 

Very bad decision to abandon an ally in this region of the world.

 

Israel must be thinking...are we next?   ????

I am not sure what land that is rich in oil that you think the Turks want.   If it is land that belongs to Turkey, they can drill for oil -- they do not need the permission of the Kurds.

 

The Kurds are not generally Christian.   About 75% are Muslim, with most being Sunni, with a slight bend away from the Turkish or Arab versions of Islam.   There is a significant Christian population as well as a host of other religions.  

 

In general, they are moderate in their religion and are bound more by their ethnic identity than by religion.  

 

28 minutes ago, Scott said:

I am not sure what land that is rich in oil that you think the Turks want.   If it is land that belongs to Turkey, they can drill for oil -- they do not need the permission of the Kurds.

 

The Kurds are not generally Christian.   About 75% are Muslim, with most being Sunni, with a slight bend away from the Turkish or Arab versions of Islam.   There is a significant Christian population as well as a host of other religions.  

 

In general, they are moderate in their religion and are bound more by their ethnic identity than by religion.  

 

he is referring to northern iraq oil fields, that i think is under kurdish autonomous control these days. kurds idea is that that area and some surroundings should eventually become a kurdish state.

i think they should have taken one step at a time and secure the state of northern iraq before mentioning parts of turkey and syria

This is a betrayal that will live in infamy; who the hell in the Middle East (or elsewhere) will trust the Americans again?

 

I can't shake the feeling that Trump's betrayal of the Kurds is directly related to the property/hotel that he owns in Turkey, and I hope that he rots in hell for what he has done.

 

Every American on the planet should be bowing their heads in shame at this.

 

 

6 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

he is referring to northern iraq oil fields, that i think is under kurdish autonomous control these days. kurds idea is that that area and some surroundings should eventually become a kurdish state.

i think they should have taken one step at a time and secure the state of northern iraq before mentioning parts of turkey and syria

I lived and worked in the Kurdish held area for 3 years and have many friends from there.   I am still in contact with quite a few (many were resettled in the US).   They have a strong and thriving oil business.  
 

9 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is a betrayal that will live in infamy; who the hell in the Middle East (or elsewhere) will trust the Americans again?

 

I can't shake the feeling that Trump's betrayal of the Kurds is directly related to the property/hotel that he owns in Turkey, and I hope that he rots in hell for what he has done.

 

Every American on the planet should be bowing their heads in shame at this.

 

 

And here's what Trump had to say:

President Trump on Wednesday criticized the Kurds, saying they didn't help the United States during World War II and that they were only fighting for their land in Syria during the battle against ISIS.

"The Kurds are fighting for their land," Trump told reporters at the White House during an event in the Roosevelt Room.

 

"And as somebody wrote in a very, very powerful article today, they didn't help us in the second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-defends-syria-move-the-kurds-didn-t-help-us-in-normandy/ar-AAIxxbl?ocid=ob-fb-enus-280&fbclid=IwAR1xPSI_jWAZQjIKFQkJcuH1YVPYqXwAHrV1oK9NEonq56Mz7G5SqFe6HiA

1 hour ago, Credo said:

"And as somebody wrote in a very, very powerful article today, they didn't help us in the second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example.

Trump is a danger to the world. He's an embarrassment to America. The people who continue to defend him in the wake of this should be ashamed of themselves.

No surprise this benefits Russia.

This betrayal will long haunt us here in America mr scott thankyou for your insightful posts and most of all your service 

24 minutes ago, jcsmith said:

Trump is a danger to the world. He's an embarrassment to America. The people who continue to defend him in the wake of this should be ashamed of themselves.

No surprise this benefits Russia.

To follow your logic, the US should have permanent military presence on the ground in every place on earth where there is potential conflict. You know that's neither practical nor appropriate. Conflicts need to be resolved, not preserved in aspic. Turks and Kurds need to sort this out for themselves.

 

The only solution - assuming nobody want's all-out war, and assuming Kurds in Turkey will never renounce their Kurdishness and become Turk (which would be the easiest thing, but of course humans would rather watch their wives and children die than give up their culture) - the only solution is to let Turkey clear their 'corridor' which will at least make them feel more secure and hopefully they will stop at that - I don't think they are seeking territorial expansion in Syria, which would only bring them close to the core Kurdish territory in any case, and that is what they are trying to distance themselves from. The corridor will involve some population displacement, but that is what happens when populations spread in desert regions, and let's be frank, one bit of desert is pretty much the same as another.

 

Looking at the map of Kurdish populations in the region they seem to be an expansive people. Population pressures in desert areas are bound to lead to conflict in any case. The Kurds should ask themselves whether they should stick to their core territory for one thing, because all those peripheral and spreading dots on the map may well be the main cause of tension.

I think many people are missing the point.   The Kurds, throughout the region, have long allied themselves with the US.   This is not a withdrawal, it is an abandonment of an ally.   

 

The Kurds now have an enemy with Turkey and with Syria.  They will abandon their posts guarding the 11,000++ ISIS prisoners and continue to fight the Turks using guerilla warfare tactics.   

 

Let's not forget that Russia and Turkey are now nominally aligned on Syria.   There is a good chance that Iran will get involved as well.  There are historical border disputes between the two as well.

 

Whether or not we should have been involved is very different from what action we take to protect our allies.   We have now failed miserably.   

 

Edited October 10, 20196 yr by Credo

58 minutes ago, Tug said:

This betrayal will long haunt us here in America mr scott thankyou for your insightful posts and most of all your service 

Sadly a repeat of recent history i.e. US betrayal of the Iraqi Kurds and Shiites by Bush Snr which led to the deaths of thousands.

Well, the Turks are in big trouble now. Remember what Trump asserted about what he would do if Erdogan launced Turkish attacks on the Kurds?

'I will wipe out his economy if that happens'"

12 hours ago, PJPom said:

Here we go again, the Middle East is once again at war, how long before others join in.

Turkey is aiming to eradicate the Kurds and it looks as though they will be able to do it without NATO lifting a finger to stop them.

Don’t forget that the battles are in Syria and Assad’s main supporter is Russia, are they going to sit back quietly ?, I very much doubt it.

Turkey is NATO. Nice.

Little boy Trump

Sat on his Rump

And sold the Kurds away...

 

This is a betrayal that will live in infamy; who the hell in the Middle East (or elsewhere) will trust the Americans again?
 
I can't shake the feeling that Trump's betrayal of the Kurds is directly related to the property/hotel that he owns in Turkey, and I hope that he rots in hell for what he has done.
 
Every American on the planet should be bowing their heads in shame at this.
 
 

Trust is lost most everywhere not only the middle east. I feel anger and sorrow that a president supposedly representing me pulled a move like this. What's next?

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Trump is a danger to the world. He's an embarrassment to America. The people who continue to defend him in the wake of this should be ashamed of themselves.

No surprise this benefits Russia.

His support base is starting to show cracks. It's about time!

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Well, the Turks are in big trouble now. Remember what Trump asserted about what he would do if Erdogan launced Turkish attacks on the Kurds?
'I will wipe out his economy if that happens'"

I see tariffs on Turkish delight candies looming with foreboding on the horizon.

Not.

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5 hours ago, Credo said:

"And as somebody wrote in a very, very powerful article today, they didn't help us in the second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example.

Right!

 

The Kurds failed to supply troops to take part in the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

 

This is used as justification for allowing the Turks, (who have a certain track record for genocidal behaviour in this part of the world - Armenia) to launch attacks upon them.

 

And this from a man who avoided being drafted to fight in his own countries wars by "suffering" from a debilitating condition which exempted him, yet allowed him to pursue energetic sporting pastimes while exempt form military service!

 

Mind you he probably thinks Armenia is in the same mail order catalogue as Melania!

16 hours ago, PJPom said:

Here we go again, the Middle East is once again at war, how long before others join in.

Turkey is aiming to eradicate the Kurds and it looks as though they will be able to do it without NATO lifting a finger to stop them.

Don’t forget that the battles are in Syria and Assad’s main supporter is Russia, are they going to sit back quietly ?, I very much doubt it.

 

Turkey are Russian friends too. Erdogan and Vlad buried the hatchet long time ago after Turkey shot the Russian fighter down.

 

Erdogan plays a dangerous 2 sided game - in NATO but pals with Russia and Iraq; In Europe but in Asia too; Secular (officially) but openly very pro Islam; democratic but imprisons more journalists than any other country and harasses the opposition.

 

He's obviously sussed U-Turn Trump out and pulling the right strings there.

 

He and Turkey's continual denial of the Armenian genocide doesn't bode well for the Kurds now Trump has sold them out. But the Erdogan family will probably profit.

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Right!

 

The Kurds failed to supply troops to take part in the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

 

This is used as justification for allowing the Turks, (who have a certain track record for genocidal behaviour in this part of the world - Armenia) to launch attacks upon them.

 

And this from a man who avoided being drafted to fight in his own countries wars by "suffering" from a debilitating condition which exempted him, yet allowed him to pursue energetic sporting pastimes while exempt form military service!

 

Mind you he probably thinks Armenia is in the same mail order catalogue as Melania!

 

Hmmm - Trump the genius at it again.

 

Many countries didn't supply troops to take part in D-Day. Germany did .............. oh er, on the wrong side!

 

The way Trumps mind works, Merkel best start worrying. There's still a US Army of Occupation there!

Bring all the troops home POTUS, none should be bleeding in the middle east. Kurds are not allies, none in that part of the world are except when it benefits them. The Kurds have been struggling as a people since long before America was America.  Should not be a problem of the USA.

Erdog has waited forever to whack the Kurds after supplying isis with weapons for years has failed wait for the body bags to arrive Mr coup faker???? 

6 hours ago, JamesBlond said:

To follow your logic, the US should have permanent military presence on the ground in every place on earth where there is potential conflict. You know that's neither practical nor appropriate. Conflicts need to be resolved, not preserved in aspic. Turks and Kurds need to sort this out for themselves.

 

The only solution - assuming nobody want's all-out war, and assuming Kurds in Turkey will never renounce their Kurdishness and become Turk (which would be the easiest thing, but of course humans would rather watch their wives and children die than give up their culture) - the only solution is to let Turkey clear their 'corridor' which will at least make them feel more secure and hopefully they will stop at that - I don't think they are seeking territorial expansion in Syria, which would only bring them close to the core Kurdish territory in any case, and that is what they are trying to distance themselves from. The corridor will involve some population displacement, but that is what happens when populations spread in desert regions, and let's be frank, one bit of desert is pretty much the same as another.

 

Looking at the map of Kurdish populations in the region they seem to be an expansive people. Population pressures in desert areas are bound to lead to conflict in any case. The Kurds should ask themselves whether they should stick to their core territory for one thing, because all those peripheral and spreading dots on the map may well be the main cause of tension.

keep it simple, this just proves that beeing a U.S ally in the fight against ISIS in the M.E means nothing. 

Erdogan is now threatening to 'unleash' 3.8 million refugees on Europe if they don't withdraw their criticism.

Erdogan is now threatening to 'unleash' 3.8 million refugees on Europe if they don't withdraw their criticism.

No wonder that he and 45 get along so well. Threats R us.

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Now up to now Trump had my moral support by me as a non American , but this changes my support for the before underdog  , as you don't abandon your allies like this ,who did a good job …

just my strong opinion 

 

 Two possibility's : 

1) Or he is getting senile or totally frustrated driven by the Democrats

 

2) Or he is in need for another war to avoid his impeachment ,because that is a possibility if those captured trained  Isis fighters break out and re-group , or worse... spread over the west as individual smaller cells