The Islamic state

[Patteran]

In the sense of concentrating resources on building their own autonomous areas instead of supporting FSA and secular groups in the fighting in other areas against assad and the islamists - in fact, actually clashing with them on occasion. This weakened both and allowed ISIS/assad to sneak into strategically key areas through the gaps that mutual distrust/distance between kurdish groups/rebel groups created. Instead of watching each others back they turned blind eyes - or at least decided their resources were better spent on themselves. Until it was too late.

Gotcha - and thanks again for the responses.

 

[butchersapron]

Inside Kobani

Recommended read for eye-witness accounts of the fighting:

Boras, a short and stocky 19-year-old dressed in dusty black jeans and a black T-shirt, explained how Kurdish fighters are organized into small groups of sometimes as few as five or six people, who stake out positions on the front lines. Teams with rocket-propelled grenades and Russian-designed machine guns known here as "Doshkas" have taken up positions in the upper stories of some buildings to maximize the Kurds' limited firepower.

"We are communicating with walkie-talkies," Boras said recently during a three-day break from the fight. "We tell them on our walkie-talkie that they're attacking and we throw a red smoke bomb to show the position of the attack, and then the machine guns and RPGs provide support."

Kurdish men and women fighters spread out on the various fronts are mainly armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and grenades. They carry backpacks with ammunition, biscuits and canned beans and hummus, and when they run low they call into headquarters.

"We have special words for martyrs, wounded, ammunition and food on the walkie-talkie," Boras said. They frequently switch frequencies to avoid being spied on over the airwaves.

 

[phildwyer]

you said you were leaving because an islamist got voted in.

I did. I had no choice. I worked at a state-owned but proudly secularist institution, and the AK Party stopped paying our salaries. That´s how they roll. So I don´t need any lectures on their wickedness, cok tashekullar.

 

[phildwyer]

Phil, should I understand your consistent use of the words región and opinión differently from region and opinion?

Claro que non. I´m in Mexico and they have this funny thing called "Spanish."

 

[butchersapron]

Guerrilla groups hunt down ISIS in Syria

BEIRUT: Small groups of Syrians are hunting down ISIS fighters in one of their main strongholds in eastern Syria in a new guerrilla campaign that has emerged as a response to the Islamists' growing brutality.

The main aim is to generate fear in ISIS' ranks, said the head of "White Shroud" - a group that says it has killed more than 100 ISIS fighters in attacks in Deir al-Zor province in recent months.

The name reflects that aim: White Shroud is a reference to the death shroud it says awaits ISIS fighters responsible for crimes against the Syrian people, said the group's leader, Abu Aboud, in an interview via Skype.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says White Shroud is one of several small groups that have taken up arms against ISIS in Deir al-Zor province in recent months and are picking off ISIS fighters whenever they get the chance.

They have all taken similarly menacing names. These include the "Phantom Brigade" and "The Brigade of the Angel of Death", said Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory, which says it gathers information from sources on all sides of the conflict.

One such group killed no fewer than 10 ISIS fighters in a nighttime gun attack on a checkpoint in the town of Al-Mayadin in Deir al-Zor province last Thursday, the Observatory reported. In a separate attack, a gunman on a motor bike opened fire on another ISIS checkpoint.

"There is an increase in their operations against ISIS," Abdulrahman said.

 

[phildwyer]

Following the links on that to the article on democratic autonomy, I have to agree with the person who pulls them up for their uncritical approach to the PKK. Simply describing their activities as 'guerrilla warfare' doesn't do justice to what they have done in the last 30 years, the places they have targetted, the tactics they have used, and the people they have killed.

It is a shame you have dwyer on ignore here. One of his claims is that the PKK are hated by many Kurds. I'd like dwyer to back that up, tbh, not merely assert it, but it seems at least possible that this is true - the PKK have a history of bullying anyone on their side who doesn't tow their line.

With respect, LBJ, I see no need to "back up" what is common knowledge. The PKK is a Stalinist organization using Maoist tactics. In the áreas they control or influence, they kill everyone who opposes them--especially Kurds. They kill anyone they decide is a colloborator with the state--that includes teachers, doctors etc. They show no compunction about attacking civilians at random throughout Turkey. The vast majority of Kurds loathe them, for very good reason. There are more Kurds in arms against the PKK than fighting for them.

And this is before we even begin debating the ethics of launching an armed struggle for an impossible goal against a conscript army.

 

[phildwyer]

I've got not a second of time for the PKK or their leaders democratic turn - any links i give on here and on the the Rojava thread are just filling in the blanks and circulating info - in fact on that thread i also link to a very politically hard rejection of them which is closest to my position.

You don´t have a second of time for them, but you want us to send them money for guns.

From the (excellent) link you provide: "the PKK declared itself willing to use any means, however terrible certain acts may be. It launched an armed struggle with numerous attacks, including against other Kurdish political fractions.... The PKK was initially ruthless towards the village guards, and towards all Kurds who showed any sympathy with the Turkish central authority, in addition to their attacks against certain landowners. So the PKK lost the sympathy of a part of the Kurdish population."

 

[miss direct]

A lot of people here are afraid. There are rumours going around about shopping centres being blown up, warnings about public transport/international schools/a lot of scaremongering basically. This was sent to all the foreigners at a big school here:

In light of recent political events in the region, we thought it timely to share some recommendations regarding safety measures. These items have come to us from experienced expatriates and are meant to encourage preparation and vigilance rather than concern.

· It is a good idea if you register yourself with your Embassy or Consulate to get the latest information about your country, citizenship, safety and other information. You might also put the phone number of your consulate on your cell phone.
· For medical emergencies, please note that 112 is the state ambulance service.

· Ensure that some cash is available in your apt, should the ATM service be disrupted (consider having Euros and Dollars available). Have essential documents and things that you absolutely can’t leave behind in one place so that you can grab them and go quickly if necessary.
· Send family back home phone numbers of work friends here that may generally know how to reach you.
· Ensure that the school has any updated emergency contact information of your family back home.
· Have an idea of where you may go in the case of an emergency and share this information with your family or friends.
· Have a family phone list in your home that a friend could get to just in case you cannot personally contact your family. Consider giving a spare house key to someone you trust. It may be a good idea to give your keys to someone who may be able to send you your things later on should you need to leave quickly.
· Remember, Istanbul is a safe and dynamic place with many wonderful and very helpful people: some planning and common sense will ensure you stay safe and thrive in this inimitable city.

Sorry it's not directly about IS but it kind of is. Personally I'm finding it really odd that during all the Gezi protests, daily life changed a lot - lessons cancelled, banging, public transport affected, everyone talking about it, but everything is continuing much as normal during this. It only seems to be the foreigners and the Kurds who are discussing this and interested and concerned.
Made the mistake of watching a Turkish news channel yesterday.

 

[phildwyer]

utterly laughable consdering the fact that not only is it a member of NATO..and a major ally of the Zionist state..

Not any more it´s not. The detrioration of Turkey´s relations with Israel--which are now openly hostile--is a very significant development that´s largely been overlooked in the West.

I agree with everything else in your post, and can´t imagine who you´d think I wouldn´t.

 

[coley]

Inside Kobani

Recommended read for eye-witness accounts of the fighting:

As stated in the article,this battle has to go to the wire, both sides have too much invested in it.

 

[phildwyer]

These scum do not deserve to live

So we should kill them.

This is a perfect example of the fucking stupid thinking that got us into this mess in the first place.

Killing them makes more of them. It´s called "martyrdom," a very important concept in radical Islam, as also in forms of Christianity and even Communism. A concept that modern, secularized, Western, capitalist mindsets like yours do not understand. But unless you (and those like you) learn to understand it, we are facing geopolitical disaster.

 

[phildwyer]

we may not like the pkk et al but when they are all that stands between sex slaves and mass beheadings its time to help surely

No. Arming the PKK will store up worse trouble for the future.

 

[coley]

With respect, LBJ, I see no need to "back up" what is common knowledge. The PKK is a Stalinist organization using Maoist tactics. In the áreas they control or influence, they kill everyone who opposes them--especially Kurds. They kill anyone they decide is a colloborator with the state--that includes teachers, doctors etc. They show no compunction about attacking civilians at random throughout Turkey. The vast majority of Kurds loathe them, for very good reason. There are more Kurds in arms against the PKK than fighting for them.

And this is before we even begin debating the ethics of launching an armed struggle for an impossible goal against a conscript army.

Can you give some evidence of this, where the PKK has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians?

 

[coley]

No. Arming the PKK will store up worse trouble for the future.

For whom?

 

[phildwyer]

without oil and gas, we would still be intensely interested in this fight.

No we wouldn´t. Without oil and gas we wouldn´t even notice it.

 

[phildwyer]

Can you give some evidence of this, where the PKK has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians?

Sigh.

It isn´t in disupte. Read Wikipedia. And I say that as someone who hasn´t read Wikipedia on the subject.

 

[coley]

Sigh.

It isn´t in disupte. Read Wikipedia. And I say that as someone who hasn´t read Wikipedia on the subject.

Bigger sigh

 

[Pickman's model]

Sigh.

It isn´t in disupte. Read Wikipedia. And I say that as someone who hasn´t read Wikipedia on the subject.

going back to what you said about the pkk and instanbul above, was this attack http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11664707 ever confirmed to be their work? and some evidence rather than bluster would be nice.

 

[phildwyer]

Ancient prophecies of apocalypse rally IS jihadists

This is the thing about prophecies. They tend to come true.

 

[Pickman's model]

This is the thing about prophecies. They tend to come true.

no they don't. how many times have people foretold the end of the world only for everything to go on as before? btw, that's a rhetorical question.

 

[phildwyer]

going back to what you said about the pkk and instanbul above, was this attack http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11664707 ever confirmed to be their work?

I´ve no idea.

Why do you ask? What is it about this particular attack, out of the many thousands of such attacks Turkey hs suffered in the last decade, that has piqued your interest?

 

[Pickman's model]

I´ve no idea.

Why do you ask? What is it about this particular attack, out of the many thousands of such attacks Turkey hs suffered in the last decade, that has piqued your interest?

i'm just wondering which attacks by the pkk in istanbul had roused your ire.

 

[phildwyer]

no they don't. how many times have people foretold the end of the world only for everything to go on as before? btw, that's a rhetorical question.

Because the end of the world looks highly unlikely at the moment doesn´t it? It´s a good thing there´s no environmental destruction or nuclear weapons to worry about.

 

[phildwyer]

i'm just wondering which attacks by the pkk in istanbul had roused your ire.

So this attack was carried out by the PKK?

Can you provide some evidence please?

 

[Pickman's model]

Because the end of the world looks highly unlikely at the moment doesn´t it? It´s a good thing there´s no environmental destruction or nuclear weapons to worry about.

the world will not end. human participation in the future may be less than it is today, but there's no rapture round the corner. and that's what people mean by 'the end of the world', something fairly sudden and religious.

 

[Pickman's model]

So this attack was carried out by the PKK?

Can you provide some evidence please?

you said there had been attacks by the pkk targeting civilians in istanbul. you've denied the bombing i mentioned was one of the attacks you meant. so which bombings which may or may not have been by the pkk aroused your ire?

 

[phildwyer]

They are reportedly considering that the seized explosives could be part of ammunition that was allegedly deployed by ISIL in big cities, the report added.
Now why would they be doing that, phil?

Preparing retaliation in case Turkey allows aid to the PKK. Obviously.

Which seems to me another very excellent reason for Turkey not to do that.

What´s your point?

 

[phildwyer]

you said there had been attacks by the pkk targeting civilians in istanbul. you've denied the bombing i mentioned was one of the attacks you meant. so which bombings which may or may not have been by the pkk aroused your ire?

All of them.

I´m trying to respond to you seriously, on what is after all a very serious subject, but you´re not making much sense frankly. Why don´t you explain what you´re getting at and we´ll take it from there?

 

[coley]

This is the thing about prophecies. They tend to come true.

Some versions of the prophecy mention the Muslim army moving on after the great battle to take Constantinople, the former capital of the Christian Byzantines and present-day Istanbul.

That'll really spoil your day

 

[coley]

Preparing retaliation in case Turkey allows aid to the PKK. Obviously.

Which seems to me another very excellent reason for Turkey not to do that.

What´s your point?

That you have repeatedly stated that Turkey has nothing to fear from IS.