The Turkish Connection is exposed.

[another_liberal]

Now that the overwhelming evidence of Turkey's involvement in trafficking of Islamic State oil has been made public (including the direct involvement of the Turkish President's own family) what will the West, not to mention President Erdogan, do in response?

Russian Defense Ministry map of illegal oil routes to and through Turkey.


Russia to Provide Evidence of Turkish Involvement in Daesh Oil Trade

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family members are directly involved in illegal oil deliveries from Daesh oil fields in Syria, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family members are directly involved in illegal oil deliveries from oil fields belonging to Daesh (also known as the Islamic State) in Syria, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.

“Revenues from the sale of oil are one of the most important sources of activity by terrorists in Syria. They earn around $2 billion annually, spending these funds on hiring militants from around the world and equipping them with weapons, equipment, and arms,” Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said during a briefing in Moscow.

The ministry provided photographs of columns of oil fuel tankers on the Turkish-Syrian border. Fuel tankers with oil freely cross the border between Turkey and Iraq, according to Russia's General Staff. “The main consumer of this oil stolen from the legal owners in Syria and Iraq is Turkey. According to available information, this illegal business includes the upper political leadership of the country, President Erdogan and his family,” Antonov added.

These oil revenues are used not only to enrich the Turkish leadership but to arm terrorists as well, the General Staff stated. Antonov said that Russia will continue to provide facts that Turkey steals from its neighbors, adding that it's a surprise no one in the West ever noticed that Erdogan's son is the owner of one of the largest energy companies, while the president's son-in-law was appointed energy minister.

(snip)

Read more at: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151202/1031113310/russia-defense-syria-daesh-turky.html

[GGJohn]

1. Sputnik news again??????

How about a link to a reliable, unbiased news source? And I don't mean RT.

[SamKnause]

3. Hello.

Does the U.S. have a reliable, unbiased news source ???

The media has been lying for decades.

They lied about Vietnam.

They lied about Iraq.

Our government lies.

Our media lies.

Where do you get your news from ???

I like Democracy Now.

[GGJohn]

4. Sputnik news was created by the Kremlin for the express purpose of

getting the Russian govt's views to the world.
It's to Putin what Pravda was to the defunct Soviet Union, nothing more than a mouthpiece.

Do you have a link to Democracy Now?

As far as where I get my news from?
Many sources, somewhere in the middle is the truth, you just have to weed out the bullshit.

[SamKnause]

8. Here is the link.

http://www.democracynow.org

It is archived all the way back to February 1996.

Just click on past shows.

It has excellent interviews from a large group of knowledgeable people.

It contains a wealth of information.

I like you, use many sources and it is tough weeding out the bullshit.

Have a wonderful and safe day.

[GGJohn]

9. Thank you for the link.

Will definitely check it out, one can never have too many sources.

You have a wonderful and safe day also.

[MohRokTah]

10. This OP consistently spams anything pro-Russian.

Take that however you will.

[GGJohn]

13. Yep.

OP's main source is either RT or Sputnik news.

[MohRokTah]

15. I take anything posted by this DUer to be the exact opposite of the truth.

So in this case, Turkey is doing more to fight ISIS than Russia, which is most likely far more accurate than the story posted.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

21. What is Turkey doing to fight Daesh? nt

[Fast Walker 52]

30. in fact, Turkey is fighting the Kurds, who are fighting ISIS

So there's a natural incentive for Turkey to help ISIS.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

37. I know that. And you know that. Apparently, Mo doesn't know that. nt

[Octafish]

12. New York Times takes editorial direction from CIA reliable?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/29/correspondence-collusion-new-york-times-cia

My Friend, rather than the right wing reflex to censor those perspectives that do not fit with our worldview, why not have an open mind and take in news and information from more than one source or side? Who knows? We might not get lied into the next war.

[GGJohn]

14. Maybe you missed my earlier post where I said that I get my news from many

different sources and somewhere in the middle is the truth, one just has to weed out the bullshit.
Another DU'er just turned me on to Democracy Now, so I'll check that out, never can have too many news sources.

[Octafish]

16. Thanks. 70,000,000 Du posts and that's the one I missed.

Here's why I keep an open mind:

When was the last time William K. Black appeared on US television?

William K. Black: Justice Department is the Dog that has Refused to Bark for a Decade

US media avoid him like the plague. Why? As a forensic economist at the SEC, he helped send more than 1,000 banksters to jail when they were looting the S&Ls.

[SidDithers]

35. A few more...

Noted loon Alex Jones:


Noted holocaust denier Gordon Duff:



And a couple of your personal favourites -

Noted White nationalist Paul Craig Roberts:


Noted homophobic bigot Wayne Madsen:



RT will put anyone on, as long as they're got something to say that's critical of the West.

Sid

[Octafish]

40. Because nothing says ''Democracy'' like ''Shut up.''

Ironic, really, as when it comes to learning anything, I don't seem to recall SidDithers of DU for anything worth knowing.

What We've Lost Since 9/11: Taking down the First Amendment in post-constitutional America

brucebennett > Bassie Kims of Yesteryear • 2 days ago

Speaking of Russia Today, the Obamabots over on "Democratic Underground" consistently refer to RT as "Putin News" and dismiss it as propaganda. However, thanks to RT I found out that Hillary used her position as SoS while on a trip to Russia to lobby for Boeing and that she managed to secure a $3.7 billion contract from the Russian government for them. Boeing's way of saying "Thanks!" was to donate $900,000 to Hillary's campaign war chest.
Since she is the big fave among so many Demos for President I can only presume that the loathsome trashing of our founding document under Bush the Idiot and Obomber will continue if she wins. Of course, whatever Rethug is nominated will do the same or worse.
I think that point that the author made about "wading" into this is wrong. I think we are already up to our armpits in this betrayal and the next decade will just about finish us. With a thoroughly compliant media, totally corrupt politicians, right-ward leaning courts, and a complacent electorate I see little hope in turning this around and we will follow the fate of dozens of imperialistic countries before us.
For some solace read "Shine, Perishing Republic" by the great poet Robinson Jeffers. We are indeed "settling into the mold of our vulgarity, heavily thickening into empire".

SOURCE: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/06/16-0

[another_liberal]

20. Heard you the first time . . .

And the second time, and the third time, and the . . .

(sigh)

[leveymg]

2. The $2 billion figure is about 4 times previous estimates.

Unlikely that ISIS oil exports have actually increased this year given the increased airstrikes against production, storage and transportation facilities.

[another_liberal]

18. They were doing an increasingly booming business until quite recently . . .

That volume may still have been enough to amount to an increase for the year, despite the very real destruction air strikes have begun to do.

[leveymg]

24. The previous high-end estimate was $800 million in 2014

As UN Security Council Mulls ISIS Oil Sanctions, Most Funds Still Flow from Saudi and Gulf Donors
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026192755
Proposed UN Sanctions Do Not Go To Most ISIS Funding from Wealthy Donors

There is broad agreement that "substantial" funds are still reaching ISIS from wealthy elites in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states. As the Pentagon announced yesterday, oil exports now do not account for most of ISIS finances. ISIS is instead depending on donations, “a lot of donations,” according to Rear Admiral John Kirby, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Further sanctions do not threaten the primary source of finance for the so-called Islamic State (IS), reported to be in excess of $2 billion last year. On Thursday, a UN measure was proposed by Russia that would sanction the trade in oil and stolen antiquities that partially funds ISIS funders. However, according to the NYT, it does not add to the existing list of individuals named for sanctions. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/07/world/middleeast/un-prepares-resolution-to-confront-islamic-state-on-oil-and-antiquities.html?_r=0

This spares the US and NATO the difficult task of having to immediately punish most of the same Sunni states with which it has been previously cooperating in prosecuting the war in Syria. The measure discussed on Friday would, however, specifically sanction parties engaged in smuggling oil from ISIS controlled areas, paying ransom, and the sale of stolen antiquities, the latter valued at $35 million last year.

Nobody seems to want to put a finger on exactly how much cash is still flowing to ISIS from wealthy ISIS funders, and who exactly they are. But, everyone agrees that support from the Saudis and Gulf elites continues to be substantial. See, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/whos-funding-isis-wealthy-gulf-angel-investors-officials-say-n208006

In 2014, Saudi Arabia publicly agreed to clamp down on some donations from its citizens and religious foundations. As a result, most private funding now goes through Qatar. The UN Security Council Resolution 2170 passed last August 15 named only six individual ISIS leaders for direct sanctions. The new measure does not expand that list, but calls for a committee to nominate others for violation of existing UN resolutions.

The effects of the additional sanctions on oil exports proposed would have its primary impact on crude oil smuggling in and out of Turkey. The majority of ISIS oil revenues are derived through the black market in that country. Last June, at its height, a Turkish opposition MP and other sources estimated the annual oil revenues at $800 million. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/221272-report-isis-oil-production-worth-800m-per-year

If accurate, oil sales was about 40% of the total ISIS operating budget as stated by the group. However, even at its height, petroleum accounted for only a fraction of ISIS funding. Some western estimates placed the IS annual total budget as high as $3 billion. See, http://thehill.com/policy/defense/228465-isis-puts-payments-to-poor-disabled-in-2-billion-budget; http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-news-caliphate-unveils-first-annual-budget-2bn-250m-surplus-war-chest-1481931

The $800 million figure is actually at the top end of the estimates. US sources quoted by CNN last October stated that ISIS oil income was more likely half that figure: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/world/meast/isis-funding/

The U.S. Treasury Department does not have hard figures that it can make public on the group's wealth but says it believes ISIS takes in millions of dollars a month.

Sources familiar with the subject say that ISIS' "burn' rate" -- how much the group spends -- is huge, including salaries, weapons and other expenses. For ISIS' oil sales, sources told CNN, the group probably makes between $1 million and $2 million per day, but probably on the lower end.


Along with everyone else, the returns on ISIS oil are probably a fraction of what they were at the height of world oil prices a year ago. Plus, the US and allies are bombing the group's oil platforms and vehicles. That has cut production and export to the point where US commanders now acknowledged that oil sales aren't the source of most ISIS funds, and that they are coming from donations, "a lot of donations":

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is no longer relying on oil as its main source of revenue to fund its terrorist activity, according to the Pentagon.

“We know that oil revenue is no longer the lead source of their income in dollars,” Pentagon spokesperson Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday.

ISIS’ loss of income is compounded by its losses on the battlefield as the group has “lost literally hundreds and hundreds of vehicles that they can’t replace,” Kirby said.

“They’ve got to steal whatever they want to get, and there’s a finite number.”

ISIS is instead depending on “a lot of donations” as one of the main sources of income. “They also have a significant black market program going on,” Kirby said.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/02/05/Pentagon-oil-is-no-longer-ISIS-main-source-of-income-.html

That leaves a big hole in the Caliphate's budget - that gets filled by someone.

Imposition of expanded UN sanctions would entail difficulties and costs for the US, particularly with Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the Security Counsel measure is limited, and does not yet show if the world is truly serious about eradicating ISIS.

[another_liberal]

27. That's a great deal of work . . .

Thank you.

[leveymg]

36. Thank you.

Many of my posts involve a lot of research, which I do for work and pleasure. Check out my DU Diary and work on DKOS, when you have a chance.

My pleasure.

[polly7]

39. +1,000,000. nt.

[DetlefK]

5. Not just oil. Turkey turned a blind eye to ISIS-recruiters on turkish soil.

At one point, ISIS-recruiters acted openly on turkish campuses. When students tried to expel them, ISIS threatened bloodbaths if the recruiters aren't left alone.

Or how about ISIS-recruiters had specific cafes in Turkey where they conducted the interviews with prospective recruits. Are we really supposed to believe the turkish intelligence services overlooked that?

And lastly:
The turkish-syrian border is ~600km long. The turkish-iraqi border is ~200 km.
How many possible routes are there along this border where oil-trucks could possibly cross from Syria into Turkey?
A few hundred at most.
Let's say 600 border-crossings times 50 soldiers. Turkey could easily keep an eye on every road by sending 30,000 soldiers and civilian observers to its southern border. Or ask the people who live there to report every oil-truck they see. Hell, they could install a single camera on each road to find out whether oil-trucks use it or not.
If Turkey wanted to, it could seriously clamp down on the oil-smuggling.
But it doesn't.
Why?

[another_liberal]

17. Good agruments and convincing examples . . .

Turkey long ago figured out that it was in the "catbird seat" as far as NATO was concerned. They have been able to, largely, get away free with anything they wanted to try. This is because of the simple fact that their country's location is one of the most strategically important crossroads in the world.

[edhopper]

6. Did you ever notice that the people who defend sputniknews

and RT, sound just like the people who defend Fox News?

[GGJohn]

7. Funny how that goes huh. eom.

[MohRokTah]

11. Similar propaganda driven agendas. eom

[leveymg]

25. No. But I've noticed how much some people sound like RW Red-baiters. n/t

Don't change the subject and pull this tired "kill the messenger" garbage. It doesn't prove your point and only kicks the thread.

[Fast Walker 52]

29. nope, never noticed that. So are you saing there's no link with Turkey and ISIS?

I thought that was well established.

[Octafish]

31. Funny, I don't recall you pointing out who calls the shots in US media.

One example of many:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025400732

[DisgustipatedinCA]

19. Reply to this post to signify that you think Turkey has nothing to do with ISIS.

I've seen lots of 'kill the messenger and medium' posts in this thread. Fine. Does that then mean that you believe Turkey is not and has not been supporting ISIS materially? Have the guts to say what the hell you mean.

[another_liberal]

22. Nothing . . .

Except the crickets.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

23. ...which means they just want to attack the messenger and the message.

None of us here KNOWS with certainty the extent to which Ergodan is assisting ISIS, but the general consensus outside of DU's anti-communist brigade is that Turkey is up to its eyeballs in ISIS support.

[another_liberal]

26. Some people see things from a odd point of view . . .

They seem to believe the old saying "Stay true to your School" should apply to international policies of aggressive war and regime change, with no regard to treaties entered into or respect for equally applied international law. They are wrong, badly wrong. What our military, State Department and CIA are doing overseas is not a football game where one should always "Root for the Home Team!"

They just don't seem able (or willing) to understand the difference.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

28. To root for the Home or Away team is binary. This stuff is a lot more complex than that.

I don't see Vladimir Putin as a good guy. But neither do I see the US government as the good guys. Irrespective of how I feel about either party, I think there's ample reason to take a closer look at what Turkey is doing and who they're supporting.

[another_liberal]

34. Agreed.

Couldn't have said it better.

[SidDithers]

32. ...according to Russia's Defense Ministry...nt

Sid

[another_liberal]

33. And the volumes of indisputable photographic and eye-witness evidence . . .

Yeah, according to that.

[randome]

38. So indisputable you couldn't find any other sources, right?

That's some level of 'indisputable', all right.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Aspire to inspire.[/center][/font][hr]

[another_liberal]

41. If it is evidence . . .

Then it is evidence. Right?

If one only accepts information coming from those thought to be trusted friends, he will remain largely ignorant about what is happening in our world.