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Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:09 PM Nov 2015

Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it?

In the wake of the murderous attacks in Paris, we can expect western heads of state to do what they always do in such circumstances: declare total and unremitting war on those who brought it about. They don’t actually mean it. They’ve had the means to uproot and destroy Islamic State within their hands for over a year now. They’ve simply refused to make use of it. In fact, as the world watched leaders making statements of implacable resolve at the G20 summit in Antalaya, these same leaders are hobnobbing with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a man whose tacit political, economic, and even military support contributed to Isis’s ability to perpetrate the atrocities in Paris, not to mention an endless stream of atrocities inside the Middle East.

How could Isis be eliminated? In the region, everyone knows. All it would really take would be to unleash the largely Kurdish forces of the YPG (Democratic Union party) in Syria, and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ party) guerillas in Iraq and Turkey. These are, currently, the main forces actually fighting Isis on the ground. They have proved extraordinarily militarily effective and oppose every aspect of Isis’s reactionary ideology.

But instead, YPG-controlled territory in Syria finds itself placed under a total embargo by Turkey, and PKK forces are under continual bombardment by the Turkish air force. Not only has Erdoğan done almost everything he can to cripple the forces actually fighting Isis; there is considerable evidence that his government has been at least tacitly aiding Isis itself.

It might seem outrageous to suggest that a Nato member like Turkey would in any way support an organisation that murders western civilians in cold blood. That would be like a Nato member supporting al-Qaida. But in fact there is reason to believe that Erdoğan’s government does support the Syrian branch of al-Qaida (Jabhat al-Nusra) too, along with any number of other rebel groups that share its conservative Islamist ideology. The Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University has compiled a long list of evidence of Turkish support for Isis in Syria.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/turkey-cut-islamic-state-supply-lines-erdogan-isis

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? (Original Post) Jesus Malverde Nov 2015 OP
You raise interesting questions.......WHY? KoKo Nov 2015 #1
The last paragraph from the article nails it... Jesus Malverde Nov 2015 #2
"Cup of Tea"................yes! KoKo Nov 2015 #4
They want ISIS to cull the Kurds for them mwrguy Nov 2015 #3
Huh? KoKo Nov 2015 #5
Where did you get anything about Putin from that? mwrguy Nov 2015 #6
What you said in you post. KoKo Nov 2015 #7
'Putin' is not spelled T-U-R-K-E-Y mwrguy Nov 2015 #8
they need a religion of peace..... nt msongs Nov 2015 #9

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
1. You raise interesting questions.......WHY?
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:25 PM
Nov 2015

What you Say....that does raise questions.

It might seem outrageous to suggest that a Nato member like Turkey would in any way support an organisation that murders western civilians in cold blood. That would be like a Nato member supporting al-Qaida. But in fact there is reason to believe that Erdoğan’s government does support the Syrian branch of al-Qaida (Jabhat al-Nusra) too, along with any number of other rebel groups that share its conservative Islamist ideology. The Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University has compiled a long list of evidence of Turkish support for Isis in Syria.

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
2. The last paragraph from the article nails it...
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:27 PM
Nov 2015
The next time you hear one of those politicians declaring the need to crack down on civil liberties or immigrant rights because of the need for absolute “war” against terrorism bear all this in mind. Their resolve is exactly as “absolute” as it is politically convenient. Turkey, after all, is a “strategic ally”. So after their declaration, they are likely to head off to share a friendly cup of tea with the very man who makes it possible for Isis to continue to exist.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
4. "Cup of Tea"................yes!
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:37 PM
Nov 2015

Just had to post that "last paragraph:"

The next time you hear one of those politicians declaring the need to crack down on civil liberties or immigrant rights because of the need for absolute “war” against terrorism bear all this in mind. Their resolve is exactly as “absolute” as it is politically convenient. Turkey, after all, is a “strategic ally”. So after their declaration, they are likely to head off to share a friendly cup of tea with the very man who makes it possible for Isis to continue to exist.

mwrguy

(3,245 posts)
3. They want ISIS to cull the Kurds for them
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:35 PM
Nov 2015

Kind of like the Soviets allowing Polish partisans to get exterminated by the nazis before moving in.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
5. Huh?
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 09:56 PM
Nov 2015

Putin is Stalin going against the Polish Partisans? Putin is Stalin to you? You don't get much into WWII and the Conflicting Forces?

Look.......there's much bitterness left over from WWII...but, you'd need to make your point better for us to understand "in context" of today.

mwrguy

(3,245 posts)
6. Where did you get anything about Putin from that?
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 10:57 PM
Nov 2015

Turkey is acting like the Russians did in WWII, letting group A get wiped out by group B before dealing with B.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
7. What you said in you post.
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 11:00 PM
Nov 2015


Kind of like the Soviets allowing Polish partisans to get exterminated by the nazis before moving in.

mwrguy

(3,245 posts)
8. 'Putin' is not spelled T-U-R-K-E-Y
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 11:06 PM
Nov 2015

There is no mention of Putin in my post.

Hell, he wasn't even born yet in WWII.

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