Guest views are now limited to 12 pages. If you get an "Error" message, just sign in! If you need to create an account, click here.

Jump to content

Rayzur

Platinum VIP
  • Posts

    3,338
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    16

Everything posted by Rayzur

  1. As we on DV know... Turkey has really messed things up... and has world leaders scrambling.... Like I told a buddy last night, I betcha all kinds of General / Admiral brass are getting out of bed in the middle of the night over this one: WASHINGTON – In a fresh test for U.S. coalition-building efforts, Turkey is launching airstrikes against Kurdish rebels inside its borders this week despite pleas from the Obama administration to instead focus on an international campaign to destroy Islamic State militants wreaking havoc in the region. Media reports about the Turkish strikes surfaced Tuesday as President Barack Obama and military chiefs from more than 20 nations gathered in Washington in a show of unity against the Islamic State group. “This is an operation that involves the world against ISIL,” Obama declared, referring to the militant group by one of its many names. The Turkish airstrikes occurred Monday and marked the country’s first major strikes against Kurdish rebels on its own soil since peace talks began two years ago. The strikes came amid anger among the Kurds in Turkey, who accuse the government there of standing by while Syrian Kurds are being killed by Islamic State militants in the besieged Syrian border town of Kobani. The Islamic State militants also targeted Kurds in Iraq, who have to some extent been able to hold off their advances. The United States is pressing Turkey – a NATO ally – to take a more active role in the campaign to destroy the Islamic State group, but the Turks said they won’t join the fight unless the U.S.-led coalition also targets Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government. The Obama administration sees those as separate fights and has no appetite to go to war against Assad. So far Turkey no one has openly challenged Turkey as to why its refusing any water, food or aid delivered to Kobani, as well as refusing to allow Turkish Kurds from leaving the country to go fight in Kobani, ...which is quite separate from standing down Turkish troops Officials from Ankara participated in Tuesday’s meeting at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Earlier Tuesday, the U.S.-led coalition stepped up attacks on Islamic State targets in Kobani, launching 21 airstrikes in and around the town. One of the strikes targeted the Tel Shair hill that overlooks parts of the city, according to Idriss Nassan, deputy head of Kobani’s foreign relations committee. Nassan said Kurdish fighters later captured the hill and brought down the black flag of the Islamic State group. However, the extremist group still controls more than a third of the predominantly Kurdish town. the picture above of the guy with the YPG flag, is planting their flag back on this hill... having re-taken it from IS While the White House tried to point out progress in the campaign against the militants, the government is also preparing the American public for a military effort that could extend well beyond Obama’s presidency. Officials acknowledged Tuesday the airstrikes in Kobani may not be enough to prevent a militant takeover, given the lack of an effective fighting force on the ground. (ineffective??? 30 days with no reinforcements, ammo running low, no water or food, facing constantly reinforced IS with US tanks and big weapons, is ineffective??? They've killed more IS than any other military group in the area, including us...) “We certainly do not want the town to fall,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. “At the same time, our capacity to prevent that town from falling is limited by the fact that air strikes can only do so much.” Washington is very aware of their pleas for air drops of ammo, bigger weapons to combat the US held weapons of IS, food, water, and with that they will prevail.... but apparently those simple things are outside the capability or is doing too much... of the only so much we can do...... Syrian Kurds are begging the international community for heavy weapons to help bolster their defense of Kobani. They’ve also called for Turkey to open the border to allow members of the Kurdish militia in northwestern Syria – known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG – to travel through Turkish territory to reinforce the city. He decided to bomb some other Kurds instead. So far, both requests have gone unfulfilled. The Kurds of Syria and Iraq have become a major focal point in the war against the Islamic State group, with Kurdish populations in both countries threatened by the militants’ lightning advance lightning advance???? Who writes this stuff... 9000 IS in open fields with HUGE tanks lumbering toward Kobani is not even fast, let alone lightening anything... Wanna see how well we can see and target even little things, not to mention big things like tanks and columns of people? See video below..... Syrian and Iraqi Kurds took part in cross-border operations to help rescue tens of thousands of displaced people from the minority Yazidi group from Iraq’s Sinjar Mountain in August. Turkey, however, is wary of the Syrian Kurds and their YPG militia, which it believes is affiliated with the Kurdish PKK movement in southeast Turkey that waged a long and bloody insurgency against Ankara. The United States considers the PKK a terrorist group. The PKK and Turkey agreed to a cease-fire last year, but the agreement began to unravel. Asked about the reports of a resumption in strikes against the Kurdish rebels, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday that Turkish forces took the “necessary measure” following intense “harassing fire” by the rebels on a military outpost yeah... that was not reported anywhere in any source until after the strike. “It is impossible for us to tolerate or to placate these (attacks),” Davutoglu said. Kurds, who make up an estimated 20 percent of Turkey’s 75 million people, faced decades of discrimination, including restrictions on the use of their language. The PKK fought Turkey for autonomy for Kurds in a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1984. The United States is pressing Turkey to focus its efforts on the fight against the Islamic State group, an enemy the Turkish government shares with the Kurds. U.S. officials pointed to some signs of cooperation from Turkey, including commitments to help stem the flow of foreign fighters ISIS across the border into Syria. The White House said Tuesday that discussions are also continuing over whether Turkey will allow the United States and other countries to use bases in the country to launch attacks against the Islamic State group. I'll find the CentCom link later, this one from RT will work to underscore the point....
  2. For sake of discussion, lets suppose that the unintended consequences of Western decision making resulted in the creation of al-Qaeda, which has now been re-branded as ISIS, (currently referred to as IS).... And suppose they (whoever they are) used ISIS to drive some agenda (for example, re-engage the ME with military and control). So what occurred to me was this: ISIS is not a country... its an ideology..... And while it may have been created, for the advancement of a particular agenda... it has become it has morphed into an entrenched ideology. Its like this huge frickin magnet that is now attracting every angry, whacko, insecure, enraged, deranged psychotic, freakazoid from around the planet. The reports coming out of Kobani are clear that the most barbaric, horrendous acts are committed "by the Europeans, speaking English".... The following report is rather graphic... honestly, scroll past if these things bother you... its cool...... And this is why stopping IS/ISIS/ISIL should be our paramount agenda above all others.... above all other missions: The barbarians from ISIS are leaving behind a trail of headless bodies as they withdraw from Kobane. The Telegraph reported: THERE are “tens, maybe hundreds” of headless bodies lying in the bloody streets of a besieged Syrian border town — left to rot by ISIS savages to terrorise Kurdish fighters and residents, according to a new report. “I have seen tens, maybe hundreds, of bodies with their heads cut off. Others with just their hands or legs missing. I have seen faces with their eyes or tongues cut out — I can never forget it for as long as I live,” Amin Fajar, a 38-year-old father of four, told the Daily Mail about the incredible scene in Kobane. “They put the heads on display to scare us all.” Another resident, 13-year-old Dillyar, watched as his cousin Mohammed, 20, was captured and beheaded by the black-clad jihadis as the pair tried to flee the battle-scarred town. “They pushed him to the ground and sawed his head off, shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ ” the boy said. “I see it in my dreams every night and every morning I wake up and remember everything.” Farmer Ahmed Bakki said his cousin, a father of seven, stayed behind when his terrified family fled. “We phoned my cousin and [iSIS] answered his phone. They said, ‘We’ve got his head, and we’re taking it,’ ” Mr Bakki said, adding that the most brutal ISIS barbarians were European. Last week ISIS beheaded a female Kurdish fighter and reportedly posted it online. (Photo below the fold) The Kurdish Army posted this tribute to her: • While beauty kills • While motherhood die • When love ends • The most heinous crime • No worse than that .. I am not going to post the picture of IS holding her head....However I can verify she was killed in action in Kobane....G-d Bless in her return to you.....
  3. According to Kurdistan News, Lots of people demonstrated in front of Kurdistan Parliament... with everything going on..... They are demonstrating this one... Finally!!!! The units of YPG and the international anti-IS coalition are coordinating with each other on the ground... Huge Significance: YPG recovered ground taken by IS, the flag of YPG once again flies on the hill of the village of Tel Shair. .
  4. Seems like I'm doing too many Kobani titled posts, or the info gets buried (understandable) by other threads..... And I'm not sure peeps are necessarily interested and don't want to crowd the board if not... So for those interested, I'm going to use this thread primarily to report the info my road dogs are emailing, texting or calling about.... etc etc.. I'll try to use judgment in limiting new threads to only major developments..... First on the menu appears to be CentCom's letter to the world (okay news folk) that they are indeed doing Air Strikes on Kobani.... In case you don't think your voice matters... apparently it does. If you'll recall only a week ago, Kerry said it wasn't all that important..... Hopefully someone can figure out how to make this bigger... Interesting report to news agencies...(and DV peeps ) lol .
  5. Hey Umbert.... amazing to watch isn't it.... they whole world asks Turkey to help the Kurds in Kobani against ISIS and somehow the Turkish president heard "bomb the Kuds in southern Turkey...Interesting we get to watch the beginning of a huge civil war erupt..... I posted this last night about Turkey bombing the Kurds...... I've some pretty good contacts over there and not sure if peeps notice I'm about 1/2 to full day ahead of a lot of stuff being published... sometimes I wait to see if it gets picked by someone so I can quote.... and am trying to figure out how I can post some of the incoming without quoting articles.... hummmmm Good to see ya! http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/188666-turkey-f-16s-bomb-kurdistan-workers-party-pkk-in-southern-turkey/#entry1443639.
  6. Yeah, please G-d.... I almost get the impression that few seem to recognize that this battle will determine the fabric of that entire region for the next century.... That this battle will determine whether or not Iraq stands as it is, relative to IS.... There is too much documentation that Turkey is supporting IS... and President Dill Weed of Turkey is starting to look almost psychotic in his decisions... He seems to forget the rest of the world is not under his information control and are watching... And Turkey is supplying IS with arms, men, treatment of wounded etc etc... whether overt or covert... its happening... Look at a map... find Turkey... find Kobani...then find Iraq.... BOOM.... Whatever the agenda of the US was in going in this time.... the world is watching and is demanding that IS be stopped.... not sure if that's a mission change.... .
  7. +1 Dog... the world is sitting on a powder keg called Turkey..... The world (well except for the US peeps who are a little late to this game... unfortunately)... but most of the world is demanding that Turkey come to the aid of Kobane Kurds and stop supporting ISIS... The US asked Turkey to provide arms and military support... Instead Turkey bombs the southern Kurds, prevents Kurds from leaving Turkey to go help Kobani (hundreds if not thousands are being detained at the border) and recently closed its gate to Kobani refugees... actually tossing about 70 of them out of Turkey... who in turn would be sitting ducks for ISIS should it prevail...... Turkish President Dill Weed seems to forget that just because he banned the internet and live streaming from Turkey, the rest of the world has access to live streaming and the internet and are documenting... what an idiot. There is actual evidence of Turkish rail cars with ISIS weapons going to ISIS... and on and on.... Mind you ISIS made threats against the US that were considered credible enough to even start this campaign... and Turkey as a NATO country which one would presume would come to the aid of another NATO country (that would be us). .... and instead they are being documented as supporting IS (where do you think the reinforcements, weapons and treatment of their wounded happens.... yeah... Turkey)... and bombing Kurds!!!! Okay so now we're all on board with awareness as to Turkey's agenda.... which doesn't align with what is going on... and is in opposition to the only ground forces opposing the IS people who are threatening the US.... .... While the US doesn't seem to be erupting into protests like the rest of the world... (though seem to be stepping it up)... the rest of the world is very clear.... Kobane is unquestionably a watershed battle.... (on many levels about which I'm trying to sort through enough to boil down for later posting... )... It is a watershed battle that will determine the entire fabric of that region.... Turkey voted into EU.... doubtful after this.... Turkey erupting into massive civil war and all peace talks with Kurds cease, probably if Kobane falls.... A united Kurdish Kurdistan.... doubtful if Kobane fails....Striking a blow against IS... doubtful if Kobane fails... their supply line directly from Turkey into Iraq would be assured and intact... and on and on.. It appears the coalition has finally figured this out and hopefully its not too late.... .. The battle Kobane will determine the face of that region for the next century... .
  8. YPG Spokesman Can: We are Working with the Coalition against ISIS October 14, 2014VariousCoalition airstrikes, ISIS Kobani, Kobane, Mutlu Çiviroğlu, Polat Can, YPG In an exclusive interview with the daily Radikal, Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) Spokesperson Polat Can says they are officially working with the International Coalition against ISIS, and their representative is in the Joint Operation Command Center. Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc *** Mr. Polat Can, you have been leading a fierce struggle against ISIS in Kobane for the last 30 days. The world is watching Kobane. What is the situation in Kobane now? In the morning, the Kobane resistance will be on its 30th day and a new, long-winded process will start. Everyone knows that the resistance that YPG put up against ISIS is unprecedented by the forces in the region, especially in comparison to the Iraqi army. Cities ten times the size of Kobane surrendered to ISIS in a few days and those cities were not even besieged with considerable force. However, when they started attacking Kobane, they gathered their forces from around the region, from places including Minbij, Raqqah, Jarabulus, and Tal Hamis. What I mean by considerable force is tanks, cannons, heavy artillery and thugs whose numbers were in the tens of thousands. They wanted to capture Kobane within a week, but they did not succeed. Then, they wanted to say their Eid prayers in Kobane, and they could not do that either. Since last week, they seized some streets in East Kobane, and now they want to capture the whole city, but they can’t advance. As they try to make their way, they sustain considerable losses. Especially within the last few days, both YPG attacks and the air strikes against ISIS terror led by international coalition forces have increased. They sustained major losses, many of their bodies and weapons passed into the hands of the YPG. Mutlu Civiroglu and Polat CanSo, can we say that Kobane is relatively safe from danger? No, saying this would be major heedlessness. Because ISIS still controls a large portion of Kobane. In addition, all of the villages in Kobane are occupied by ISIS. The resistance we started both within and around Kobane is ongoing. ISIS continues to receive renewed assistance. This war is a matter of life and death for us in every way. Thus, it is not yet possible to say that there is no danger. You are saying that ISIS consists of tens of thousands of people and constantly renewed support. Your numbers are very small in comparison. Do you receive any kind of support? Kobane has been under an embargo for the last year and a half. None of the major forces from other cantons have been able to reach Kobane. Kobane is resisting with its own efforts. Some Kurdish youth have been able to reach Kobane from the north of Kurdistan, especially through Suruç. Some arrived Kobane in small groups from the cantons of Afrin and Jazira. In addition, some of the youth from Kobane who were living abroad came to Kobane to protect their city. Some of the small groups from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are here under the name of “The Volcano of Euphrates.” This is all of our power and support. Unfortunately, we did not receive any additional military support, neither from the South, nor from other places. What can you tell us about the air strikes by the coalition led by the United States? For the last few days, the air strikes have been numerous and effective. We can clearly state that, had these attacks started a couple weeks ago, ISIS would not have been able to enter Kobane at all. ISIS would have been defeated 10-15 kilometers away from the city, and the city would not have turned into a war zone. Alright, why did effective air strikes start one week before, and not two? Or, to ask in another way; What happened over the course of the last week that the strikes intensified? The YPG’s relationship with the coalition, then, had just started recently. I will be blunt; some regional powers, especially Turkey was a serious obstacle. They made every effort to prevent any help from reaching us and to prevent the air strikes. At first, coalition jets could get no closer than 10 kilometers to the Turkish border, because Turkey would not allow it. Of course, there were other problems as well such as logistics and distance. The coalition had not yet made a serious decision to help the YPG. Moreover, everyone thought that Kobane would fall in a week or two and be forgotten easily, but that did not happen. Kurds all around the world and their friends have risen up, supported by calls by world-famous intellectuals, and the resultant public opinion. This situation has affected shift on some countries’ policies towards us and created pressure for more effective and intensified air strikes and assistance for the YPG. What sort of help? There are calls to provide arms to the YPG, has any such assistance been provided? Up until now, we really can’t speak of the provision of arms to Kobane. The YPG is trying to bring certain arms which we require to Kobane through certain means. Because we are in serious need of arms. Not only for Kobane, but also for Jazira and Afrin. It’s important that we have fighters that come and fight, but it’s equally important that there be arms for them to use. It’s very difficult to fight using light weaponry against ISIS, who possess heavy weaponry. In the current situation, under such circumstances, we are throwing ourselves heroically in a fight against a force utilizing the latest weapons technology. You mentioned the coalition’s being late. What sort of relationship does the YPG have with the US and other countries in the coalition? Can you elaborate on this? Long before the Kobane resistance, we had relations with many countries including the USA. When Kobane was attacked, our relationship became more substantial and our exchange of ideas was realized in practice. In a way, urgent situation on the ground expedited some things. True partnership comes to realization when the situation is difficult and parties support each other. Can we say there is an official relation between the YPG and the coalition? Yes, we are acting in concert with international coalition forces. We are in direct contact with them, in terms of intelligence, on a military level, and in terms of air strikes. I guess the coordinates for the airstrikes are comung from you? Yes. One of our special units in Kobane gives us coordinates, and the YPG transmits these coordinates to coalition forces, and then air strikes are directly realized. I would also like to mention that we also benefitted from the assistance of certain Kurdish factions, and this assistance is ongoing. Some media outlets reported that these airstrikes are carried out through peshmergas? No. We have a direct relation with the coalition without any intermediaries. YPG representative is physically ready in the joint operation command center and transmits the coordinates. Indeed, no airstrikes would be possible militarily without YPG taking part in the process because the clashes are ongoing and the situation on the ground changes rapidly. But, I would like to acknowledge efforts of some Kurdish parties and individuals in regard, and their assistance for the YPG is still onging. For a while, news agencies from around the world have been discussing the fall of Kobane. In fact, last week, some of them announced that the city fell. However, now the American press has started to applaud the resistance by the YPG, comparing it to the famous Alamo resistance. What is your take on American and other peoples’ support for Kobane? We have 5-6 American fighters in YPG. One of them was wounded during combat. The fact that they are fighting for us is making us proud. There are fighters from other peoples as well. We are thankful for all the people who have been appealing to their politicians on our behalf to get their attention, to help us. Especially some European armies and their commanders are working vigorously towards providing help to the YPG. Yes, right now YPG is fighting against ISIS, but in reality this fight belongs to the whole world; the world should fight ISIS. The fighters of ISIS are from 81 different countries which will be responsible for the terror that ISIS will unleash on us. Therefore, everyone should take responsibility. If Kobane falls, a possibility we never consider, ISIS will attack many other territories motivated with the fervent of so-called conquest. Hence, the victory of Kobane resistance means a victory for Kurdistan, coalition forces, USA and for every human being with a conscience. The global public was first introduced to the YPG during the Sinjar Massacres against Yezidi Kurds. Now, the whole world is talking about the outstanding resistance of the YPG in Kobane. Can we consider the YPG as one of the main actors in the war against ISIS? Kurds are the strongest people fighting on earth today, be it YPG or the Peshmergas, it is the Kurds! There is of course a surprising element to this: a relatively small number of young people, equipped with light arms, stage an unprecedented resistance against heavy weaponry. I state this cut and dried; if there was any army of even 500 thousand soldiers in our place, they wouldn’t be able to resist, even for one week. We don’t possess one thousandth of the resources and arms that those who lost to ISIS in Mosul, Tikrit and Anbar had. But we have a will and we have faith, and we protect our lands. This is why the coalition forces must consider YPG as one of the main actors in this war. Many high ranking officials of the coalition forces have congratulated us and expressed their admiration for our struggle. Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to the whole world which has been watching you with admiration? We respectfully salute all the peoples of the world who support the YPG, Kobane and the Kurds. We promise to millions of Kurds and the friends of the Kurds who can’t sleep, whose hearts beat for us this: We will fight until the last person falls, until our last bullet, our last drop of blood, and we will win this fight. We will embellish this resistance worthy of the Kurdish people with victory and dedicate it to first to the proud Kurdish people and to all the peoples of the world. The resistance against Nazis in Stalingrd and in Alamo is what is repeating in Kobane. We invite everyone to support Kobane, the YPG and Kurdistan until the day of victory. Translated into English by Cagla O, Dilek U and Cihan T
  9. Iraqi Kurdistan apparently stepping in for Kobani: 14 Oct 2014 Iraqi Kurdish official said on Tuesday, a senior, said that the management of the Kurdistan region of Iraq has provided military aid to Kurdish fighters in the Syrian city of Ain Arab (Kobanî in Kurdish). Hamid said Darbandi official Syrian file at the head of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, "We helped them on almost all the squares, we sent them aid includes military aid." The Kurdish fighters in the city of Ain Arab (Kobanî) Syrian border with Turkey, succeeded in retrieving the two sites were seized them organize "Daash" in the south of the city of Ain Arab, without affecting the balance of power within the city threatened to fall into the hands of the organization "Daash" extreme. http://www.alhadath.net/2014/10/14/%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%83%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A.html
  10. Baghdad (AFP) - An Iraqi MP and prominent militia leader was one of at least 21 people killed on Tuesday in a suicide bombing immediately claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Ahmed al-Khafaji, a commander in the Shiite Badr militia, was killed in the attack in the Kadhimiyah area of Baghdad, a fellow lawmaker and a medical official said. The bombing, which wounded at least another 51 people, was the third in the Shiite district of Kadhimiyah in four days. In a statement posted online, the Islamic State group (IS) said that a suicide bomber it identified as Abu Aisha al-Samarraie had carried out the attack and that Khafaji was the target. A Shiite MP said that Khafaji was killed in the attack. "We have confirmed that he was killed, although it is not yet entirely clear whether he was the target of the attack," the MP told AFP. A medical official also said Khafaji was among the 21 people killed in the explosion. View photos  Iraqi Minister of transportation, Hadi al-Ameri speaks during a press conference on September 2, 201 … Khafaji was a member of the main Shiite bloc in parliament, the State of Law coalition, of which Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's Dawa party is also part. But he was best known as a top leader of the Badr organisation, which is one of the main Shiite militias in Iraq and has close ties to Iran. The death of the Badr commander is the second high-profile killing in three days by IS, which also claimed an attack that killed the police chief of Anbar province on Sunday. The Badr organisation was created in the 1980s with Tehran's backing to fight the regime of executed former president Saddam Hussein. It is currently headed by Hadi al-Ameri, a former transport minister whose declared candidacy for the as-yet-unfilled interior and defence portfolios has raised concern at home and abroad. Badr plays a frontline role in Baghdad's military efforts to fight back against IS and try to reclaim some of the land lost when the jihadists launched a devastating offensive in June. View photos  An Iraqi man inspects the site of a car bomb explosion from the day before at a checkpoint in the mo … Badr has for years been accused of a litany of abuses, including executions and abductions targeting the Sunni Arab minority in Baghdad and elsewhere. - Militia power - The organisation is one of the four main Shiite militias in the country. While they have ranks of up to several tens of thousands of fighters and are integrated in government operations, they act outside the law. "They can look and operate like regular armed forces but are not regulated by any laws or subject to oversight and accountability mechanisms," Amnesty International said in a report issued Tuesday. The report, titled "Absolute Impunity: Militia Rule in Iraq", said that execution-style killings and sectarian attacks carried out in the name of revenge against IS amounted to war crimes. "By granting its blessing to militias who routinely commit such abhorrent abuses, the Iraqi government is sanctioning war crimes," said Amnesty's Donatella Rovera. On Monday, at least 43 people were killed in triple bombings in Baghdad, including one on the edge of Kadhimiyah also claimed by IS. The jihadist organisation claimed another of those attacks, saying one of its Saudi followers detonated a suicide car bomb packed with 650 kilogrammes of explosives in the Sadr City neighbourhood. Kadhimiyah, a district home to one of the holiest shrines in Shiite Islam, was also one of two areas targeted in double bombings that left more than 40 dead on Saturday. The United Nations said more than 1,110 people were killed in acts of violence across Iraq in September. According to an AFP count, more than 350 have already been killed this month. While the bloodshed has been mainly on the frontlines where federal, Kurdish and allied forces -- including Shiite militias -- are battling IS, blasts and executions in Baghdad continue to take a heavy toll. Most of the major suicide bombings in Baghdad are ascribed to IS, but some of the smaller bomb attacks and assassinations are carried out by other more marginal Sunni groups and by Shiite militias. http://news.yahoo.com/iraqi-mp-killed-suicide-bombing-claimed-174248654.html;_ylt=AwrBEiI8bD1UqT8AyA7QtDMD
  11. The battle of Kobane has been continuing for the past month. The attacks started on the 15th of September, and according to initial plans, firstly the surrounding the villages and then the town centre was to all by the 20th of September. The Turkish state officials also made contingencies in accordance with this plans and was expecting for 400,000 people from Kobane to come to Urfa by the 20th. This way, Turkey would be 'the country opening its arms to Kobane when it falls'. When this plan collapsed, in the redrawn plan some were talking of celebrating Eid in the mosques of Kobane. Some must have indulged in this plan so much that they were unable to held back from running with headlines like 'the expected scenario never materialised'. Then Erdogan could no longer hold himself and gave away his feelings when he declared 'Kobane is about to fall'. However, Kobane never fell; it resisted, and is still resisting. This resistance is now the main agenda of not only the Kurds and the Middle East, but the whole world. Then let's take a look at Kobane under a few subheadings: The military situation The 15th of September Kobane attack by ISIS was an expected development after ISIS occupied Mosul and overran military bases belonging to the Syrian army in Raqqah. The YPG made preparations for this within its means. When the attacks began, the YPG evacuated the surrounding villages around Kobane. Some of the people were brought to Kobane and the rest went across the border into Suruc next to their relatives. The evacuation of tens of thousands of people was a successful operation. The YPG was aware of the size of the attack that was being planned and took this precaution in order prevent a massacre. The geographic conditions and ISIS's superior weapons advantage meant that the YPG had to narrow the lines defence. By doing this, the YPG was able to better position itself. The last stage was urban warfare and so the main preparations were made for this. ISIS believed this to be a weakness and thought the progress it made on deserted lands was a success for itself. This is why Erdogan, some US officials and analysts made the claim that 'Kobane was about to fall'. However, the real battle with ISIS started on the edges of the town. ISIS fired mortars from a distance in the hope of clearing a path for itself. This is how it was able to enter the neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the town. They lost hundreds of fighters as a result of ambushes by the YPG/YPJ fighters. And for the past 4 days they have been unable to make any progress whatsoever. Many of their attacks have been repelled. Now, ISIS is attempting to use car bombs against YPG positions. These cars have been noticed and destroyed from a distance. In the havoc caused by these explosions, ISIS fighters are able to take a few steps forward. However, in urban warfare, those who know the city are at an advantage; and in the current urban war, the YPG has turned Kobane into the Bermuda Triangle for ISIS. Another factor that has changed the course of the battle has been the intensifying coalition airstrikes. In the last few days, the strikes have been very effective. Strikes have ISIS's heavy weapons, but because their supply lines have not been effectively targeted, as of yet, they are able to bring in reinforcements. According to some YPG commanders, if the coalition had conducted the airstrikes at this intensity from the beginning, ISIS could not have reached Kobane. This means, that the coalition is conducting a controlled and gradual campaign. The coordinates for the coalition airstrikes are being supplied from Kobane. However, it must be said that not every coordinate given is being targeted. This is being read as part of the coalition's desire to be 'the saviour'. ISIS, on the other hand, is trying to spread itself across the city in order to decrease the effectivity of the airstrikes. If the sides on the ground mix in with each other than airstrikes will be more difficult to carry out. YPG is surprising everyone by saying that it is not going to let ISIS live in Kobane. They say "Kobane is not Mosul". We are talking about thousands of people willing to sacrifice their lives in order to live on their land. This is why ISIS taking Kobane, is as impossible as the Sun not rising tomorrow. The international aspect The Kobane resistance has opened the door to important gains for the Kurds in the press, the international community and in diplomacy. Those that had never even heard of Kurdistan before, now know of Kobane. This resistance has introduced the Kurdistan Freedom Movement and the Women's Liberation Movement to the world. It has also opened important diplomatic doors for Kurdish representatives. Many important meetings were held with important forces in the world. These gains will consolidate the position of the Kurds in the region. Intra-Kurdish relations The Kobane resistance has consolidated Kurdish unity much the same way as the Halabja and Sinjar massacres did. It has led to a massive spiritual and political synergy. On this platform, first a KCK delegation went to meet with the parties of South Kurdistan, then the Southern parties gathered among each other and then the parties of Rojava joined them. All Kurdish political figures were forced to adopt a line of national unity; because it was finally understood that those that did not adopt this line would be damned by the Kurdish people. Relations with Turkey While the ISIS attacks were ongoing, Turkey invited Salih Muslim to Turkey. However, this invite never went any further than being a delaying tactic. The Turkish state made promises like "we will support you in every way, if need be we will also strike ISIS, just relax" probably in order to weaken the desire of the resistance in Kobane. The Kurds were aware of this, although they did not close the door on the Turks they did however take their own precautions. Currently, the Turkish state is not in good condition in the international arena. Even more striking was the fact that Turkey's animosity towards the Kurds and how it dictated state policies was now out in the open. Turkey's stance forced the Kurds to reanalyse the situation. This reanalysis is not only a political action, but one that occurred in the hearts and minds of all the Kurds. "How are Turkish-Kurdish relations going to be? Why all this animosity?" are only some of the questions being frequently asked. Maybe Turkey needs to be thinking about these questions before the Kurds do. No doubt one place where the answer to these questions will be clarified is the island of Imrali, where meetings are continuing with the Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Ocalan. Turkey's policy towards and handling of the Kobane situation will determine the future of the meetings and dialogue in Imrali Island. I n conclusion, we are in the middle of a war. In wars, the balances can tilt from time to time. However, in a short time, ISIS will be gradually cleared from the neighbourhoods of Kobane, and the villages surrounding Kobane. As a result of this process, we can say that ISIS will also be cleared from the villages of Tel Abyad to the east, Sirrin to the south and Jarablus and Azzaz to the west. This charge will not only determine the future of the region, but will shape the destiny of all Kurds and Kurdistan. Those who support this struggle for humanity will be victorious; those who positioned themselves on the wrong side of history supposedly being 'impartial' will drown with the dark forces. History will write this, and we will witness this history http://kurdishquestion.com/kurdistan/west-kurdistan/the-results-of-the-kobane-war-so-far/298-the-results-of-the-kobane-war-so-far.html
  12. (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes attacked Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in southeast Turkey on Sunday in the first significant air operation against the militants since the launch of a peace process two years ago, Hurriyet news website said on Tuesday. The air strikes caused "major damage" to the PKK, Hurriyet said. They were launched after three days of PKK attacks on a military outpost in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border, it added. There was no immediate comment from the military on the reported air strikes, which Hurriyet said was carried out with the knowledge of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The incident came amid Kurdish anger in southeast Turkey at Ankara's failure to intervene along its border with Syria where Islamic State militants have besieged the mainly Kurdish town of Kobani for the last month. "F-16 and F-4 warplanes which took off from (bases in the southeastern provinces of) Diyarbakir and Malatya rained down bombs on PKK targets after they attacked a military outpost in the Daglica region," Hurriyet said. It said the PKK had attacked the outpost for three days with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. The general staff said in a statement it had "opened fired immediately in retaliation in the strongest terms" after PKK attacks in the area. Ankara launched a peace process with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in 2012 to end an insurgency which has killed more than 40,000 people in 30 years. (Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Dominic Evans) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/14/us-turkey-kurds-warplanes-idUSKCN0I30IE20141014 And NOW it begins..... While breaking the truce was all but expected.... This is so not good.... For the Turkish government to bomb Kurds.... on top of what is happening in Kobani..... omg.... ..
  13. Skeet....I can pass that on to General Boykin if you'd like..... Course he might ask me what you MOS of AFSC is.... not sure if he's a credentials guy..... and thanks for the compliment... but this is from Army General W "Jerry " Boykin and just came out and I am sharing it with ya'll here.... And btw, I really came in here to announce that Anonymous just announced re: Kobani: The flag of YPG is flying right now on the hill of the village of Tell Shair ( Coordinates: 36°54'8"N 38°18'7"E) 11:14 EDT 13 Oct 2014.... and apparently re-took a couple of klicks west...
  14. 10 Oct 2014 I have hesitated to write this posting because I have been trying to find an alternative to what I will propose here. The situation with ISIS is very serious now as I am sure that everyone is aware. The Obama administration is totally inept and not serious about reducing the threat to America and American interests. These airstrikes are not effective because they have not been well directed at real targets in most cases and they have not been in large numbers. So what do we need to do now? I hate to recommend this but I have considered the alternatives and I find none acceptable. We need to do 5 things right now: 1. Put forth a significant intel effort against ISIS. This includes flying drones throughout the ISIS area of operations as well as a big Human Intel and Signals Intel effort. The idea is to find ISIS targets and kill them including the leaders and the command and control nodes. 2. Put as many Special Operations teams on the ground as the US Special Operations Command calls for. They should operate with the Kurdish Peshmerga and any Sunni tribal entities who can reasonably be assessed as true anti-ISIS entities. They should be equipped with SOFLAMS (Laser Designators) for controlling air strikes. 3. Deploy ground forces of at least one full US Army Armor or Mechanized division with supporting assets to go into the urban areas and to ferret out ISIS an kill them with anti-tank systems and attack helicopters. Yep, I know this is controversial and I don't like it either but we have to destroy ISIS and reduce them as a threat. The US division must go in order to convince and persuade other nations to do the same. Even the NATO nations have to see that they either stop these pigs in Iraq and Syria or they will fight them on their home turf in Europe. The same applies to America. Now we cannot deny that they are coming across the US southern border since members of congress are now acknowledging the same thing. 4. Arm the Kurds directly and not through the Iraqi government. Anything going through the Iraq government never gets to the Kurds. Fly plane loads of arms and equipment into the city of Irbil and off load it there where the Kurds will get it themselves. 5. Cancel all foreign aid and foreign military sales of US arms and equipment to any nation that will not fight with us. Start with Turkey. Turkey is not a reliable ally and Erdogan is an Islamist himself. He has no intention of ever doing anything to stop ISIS. He wants Bashar al-Asaad's head and has no interest in destroying ISIS because they are his strongest allies in the fight against al-Asaad. NO MORE US $ for nations that will not stand with us in the fight against ISIS. And yeah i sent this to McCain... hopefully as a vet he's got the stuff to make this happen... Feel free to send to any Senator you think appropriate.... its out there now.....
  15. Gymrat.... luv ya, meant it... and I'm going to have to go with Army General W Boykin: I have hesitated to write this posting because I have been trying to find an alternative to what I will propose here. The situation with ISIS is very serious now as I am sure that everyone is aware. The Obama administration is totally inept and not serious about reducing the threat to America and American interests. These airstrikes are not effective because they have not been well directed at real targets in most cases and they have not been in large numbers. So what do we need to do now? I hate to recommend this but I have considered the alternatives and I find none acceptable. We need to do 5 things right now: 1. Put forth a significant intel effort against ISIS. This includes flying drones throughout the ISIS area of operations as well as a big Human Intel and Signals Intel effort. The idea is to find ISIS targets and kill them including the leaders and the command and control nodes. 2. Put as many Special Operations teams on the ground as the US Special Operations Command calls for. They should operate with the Kurdish Peshmerga and any Sunni tribal entities who can reasonably be assessed as true anti-ISIS entities. They should be equipped with SOFLAMS (Laser Designators) for controlling air strikes. 3. Deploy ground forces of at least one full US Army Armor or Mechanized division with supporting assets to go into the urban areas and to ferret out ISIS an kill them with anti-tank systems and attack helicopters. Yep, I know this is controversial and I don't like it either but we have to destroy ISIS and reduce them as a threat. The US division must go in order to convince and persuade other nations to do the same. Even the NATO nations have to see that they either stop these pigs in Iraq and Syria or they will fight them on their home turf in Europe. The same applies to America. Now we cannot deny that they are coming across the US southern border since members of congress are now acknowledging the same thing. 4. Arm the Kurds directly and not through the Iraqi government. Anything going through the Iraq government never gets to the Kurds. Fly plane loads of arms and equipment into the city of Irbil and off load it there where the Kurds will get it themselves. 5. Cancel all foreign aid and foreign military sales of US arms and equipment to any nation that will not fight with us. Start with Turkey. Turkey is not a reliable ally and Erdogan is an Islamist himself. He has no intention of ever doing anything to stop ISIS. He wants Bashar al-Asaad's head and has no interest in destroying ISIS because they are his strongest allies in the fight against al-Asaad. NO MORE US $ for nations that will not stand with us in the fight against ISIS.
  16. Scroll past this and don't read if you are sensitive...... And I am posting it nonetheless, by way of saying these are real people with faces and youth and parents, and hopes and dreams... they are real people. Some of them are Muslim, some Christian, some Jewish... in Syria they live together.....and all of them feel about ISIS, jihadists, butchers as we do.... And they are surrendering their lives for that belief... they are willing to die to stop that evil... Muslims, Christians and Jews.... together, standing till death, to stop the evil of ISIS... . . Letter from YPJ fighter to her mum: We're here to defend peaceful Kobanê 11 October 14:17 2014 KOBANÊ (DİHA) - A Kurdish YPJ (Women's Protection Units) fighter in Kobanê wrote a letter to her mother. The letter by YPJ guerrilla is as follows: "I am fine mum. Yesterday we celebrated my 19th birthday. My friend Azad sang a beautiful song about mothers. I remembered you and cried. Azad has a beautiful voice, he cried too when he was singing. He also miss his mother whom he has not seen for a year. Yesterday we helped a wounded friend. He got wounded by 2 bullets. He didn’t know much about the second wound when he was pointing to the first bullet in his chest. He was bleeding from his flank too, we bandaged his wound and I gave him my blood. 'A few miles only stand between us and them' We are in the east side of Kobanê, mother…A few miles only stand between us and them. We see their black flags, we listen to their radios, sometimes we don’t understand what they say when they speak foreign languages but we can tell they are scared. We are in a group of nine fighters. The youngest, Resho from Afrîn. He fought in Tal Abyad then joined us. Alan is from Qamishlo, from their best neighborhood, he fought in Sêrêkaniye then joined us. He has a few scars on his body. He tells us it is for Avin. The oldest is Dersim, he is from the Qandil Mountain, and his wife was martyred in Amed and left him with 2 kids. 'We are here to defend a peaceful city' We are in a house on the outskirts of Kobanê. We don’t know much about its owners. There are photos of an old man and one of a young man with a black ribbon, seems like he is a martyr… There is a photo of Qazi Mohamad, Mulla Mustafa Barzanî, Apo, and an old Ottoman map mentioning the name of Kurdistan. We have not got coffee for a while, we found out that life is beautiful even without coffee. Honestly, I’ve never had a coffee as good as yours mom. We are here to defend a peaceful city. We never took part in killing anyone, instead we hosted many wounded and refugees from our Syrian brothers. We are defending a Muslim city that has tens of mosques. We are defending it from the barbaric forces. 'I will visit you once this dirty war that was forced on us is over' Mother, I will visit you once this dirty war that was forced on us is over. I will be there with my friend Dersim who will go to Amed to meet his kids. We all miss home and want to go back to it, but this war does not know what missing means. Maybe, I won’t come back mother. Then, be sure that I dreamed of seeing you for so long but I was not lucky. I know that you will visit Kobanê one day and look for the house that witnessed my last days…It is on the east side of Kobanê. Part of it damaged, it has a green door which has many holes from sniper shots and you will see 3 windows, one on the east side, you will see my name written there in red ink…Behind that window mother I waited counting my last moments watching the sun light as it penetrated my room from the bullet holes in that window. Behind that window, Azad sang his last song about his mother, he had a beautiful voice when he was saying 'mum I miss you' Mum, I miss you."
  17. Yes they did! oh rah! I found a USA Today article dated 12 Oct that confirms this... And they are still running out of ammo, water and food. Its amazing watching the world respond to this.... Its also very creepy, to say the least, that the eyes of the world are turned toward the US... Its our coalition... (and I think the planes that went with the US on the recent Kobani run were UAE and forgot the other).....I'm guessing that the strategy folk are reassessing as we speak, and were completely unprepared for this international response of inaction......Wonder if they have any Apache's close by...... .BTW, they are also finding lots of drugs, speed to be specific, on the bodies of the ISIS dead... .So now we've got histrionic, psychotic whack jobs with American heavy weapons... . Also I can't figure out how to post a map of Turkey (wrong extension and have to download a different app) but it shows where are the protests are... and the Kurdistan parliment approved the protests of the Turkish Kurds.... If Kobani falls, I think its starting to occur to the administration that Turkey will erupt into major clashes of violence... Already 30 some dead including several kids in these protests....
  18. Yeah Skeet, thanks I read that and tried to find a reference date.... The message from the General Commander was sent out as what she believed would be her last... They are running out of ammo, water and food.... Coalition is finally doing some meaningful airstrikes in the city, it appears...... There is also evidence that chemical warfare is being used against Kurds... I'm not going to post the pictures of elderly and Kobani soldiers who died from those wounds... This picture was just sent out.... these people can't leave Kobani... BTW Skeet, I meant to get back to you... you know I'm an F-15E Wizzo..... love the A-10 but I'm an Eagle gal all the way.... and I knew you were kidding about not telling us... I know you know when the SHTF gender doesn't have a filppin thing to do with it, its about heart, skill and stones..ew rah
  19. The red arrow is General Commander Nalin Afrin. She is still alive. I'm very sad to say that some of the soldiers I posted in previous threads have been KIA.... Brief update at this point 21:36 PDT 12 Oct The twitter campaign is trending 4th across the entire World. It has been for at least 7 hours. That's how many people have eyes on this and are actively contacting their world leaders, Centcom, White House and on and on.... The World is watching the US response, and the Turkish refusal as NATO partners.... . Because O said we were going in with Air Strikes, this is presumed to have speeded up the ISIS march on Kobani, in hopes of overcoming them before those strikes started. Because it was actually stated by the White House (contrary to the clean up attempted now), it was stated that Kobani was not initially a mission target, ISIS moving on them in open fields was an opportunity missed. There doesn't appear to be any notable anger against the US people at this point that the US gave their word we were going into Syria to stop ISIS and "follow them into hell".....and have abandoned the people actually going after ISIS,leaving them to be slaughtered for doing so....Personally speaking, I honestly believe that the US people (though much fewer than the world) but the US people on the Twitter campaigns are giving a very important message to the rest of the world, that this massacre is not the will of the American people.... ...
  20. Turkey just agreed to let us use air bases in Turkey... one of them (that really suked... but its a base).... one of them is about 100 miles from the border.. .I know JTacs, and CCTs that would go in right now to call it....I don't know that Centcom would okay that piece.... lets pray they get some planes and laser stuff in the air asap.... .
  21. Next Article re: Kurdistan.... (and meanwhile the UN has asked Kurdistan to return to Baghdad.....WOT ?!? its like all the world leaders just went completely insane) The Kurdistan Region Prime Minister has spoken about the situation in Kobani and pointing out that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will continue to do its best to support Kobani. In a press conference on Sunday after an Erbil meeting between Barzani and the Chief of the Executive Body of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Political Bureau, Mala Bakhtiar. Barzani said that although the Kurdistan Region has a 200 kilometer border with Syrian Kurdistan, it is currently impossible to send forces to Kobani. “Our efforts to help Kobani continue and the shelling of Islamic State (IS) positions in and around Kobani take place with our (KRG) cooperation. We are in contact with the PYG commanders in the city,” said Barzani. He continued, “Our door [Kurdistan Region] is open for our brothers and sisters who have fled from Kobani to Turkey and then onward to the Kurdistan Region.” The press conference was held after a meeting of the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Sulaymaniyah. Bakhtiar said that the meeting was important and in the interests of both parties. “The PUK and KDP have agreed to continue the strategic agreement between them. It had been suggested that the agreement be amended, but the emergence of IS insurgents in Iraq and areas close to the Kurdistan Region has closed this topic,” said Bakhtiar. “Talks between the parties have continued, both formally and informally. The current situation has led us to review our relationship,” added Bakhtiar. Barzani pointed out that now there is a new situation in Baghdad, with Kurdistan Region trying to quietly resolve the major disputes including the budget, Kirkuk and Peshmerga forces. He said that Kurds want to give the new Iraqi PM Haidar Abadi a chance to solve the issues between Erbil and Baghdad. Barzani acknowledged that the KRG had not started selling oil before the former PM of Iraq cut the budget to the Kurdistan Region. He believes that now Iraq has a new PM, KRG delegates will visit Baghdad soon and address the remaining issues between Erbil and Baghdad. He said that although help has been sent to Kobani, Kurdistan cannot send forces to the city. He believes that Kobani is important for the Kurdistan Region and the KRG will do everything in its power to help Kobani. “We have no personal or political relationship with Turkey. Any relationship is between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey,” Barzani said. “Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani is aware of the situation in Kobani and he is doing its best to do what is possible for Syrian Kurdistan, “ Barzani added. He reported that on Monday there will be a meeting between the KDP, PUK, Gorran, Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) to work on giving a ministry post to both the KIG and KIU in Baghdad, so that the parties will not complain about the spread of Kurdish posts in Baghdad. And Barzani's request to the US to for help: Iraqi Kurdistan president Massuad Barzani has asked the United States to open an air route for the besieged Kurdish city of Kobani, enabling Kurdish fighters to receive military assistance. A source from the Kurdistan Presidency Council has told BasNews that Barzani has called on Washington to take weapons and military assistance to Kobani in northern Syria via warplanes. On Friday, the Kurdistan Region president had a telephone conversation with US vice president Joe Biden in which they discussed the recent developments in the region and US airstrikes in northern Iraq and Syria against Islamic State militants. During the call, Biden promised Barzani that Washington would continue to offer military support for Kurds and its Peshmerga forces in its fight against the extremist group. The BasNews source revealed that during the Biden call, Barzani recommended that the US open an “air corridor” for Kobani and the Kurdish fighters who have fought against sustained IS attacks for the last three weeks, with little outside assistance. On Friday Barzani ordered Kurdish authorities to open the main border gate between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey known as the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, so that Kobani refugees from Turkey can enter the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to officials at the border gate, since Friday about 5,000 refugees have entered the region. 20:03 PDT The Kobani Kurds just put out the message that if help is not soon, they will not last..They are out of bullets... .
  22. Barzani (in addition to the UN etc) even asked Turkey if troops could go through to get to Kobani... and the answer is no.... Its in northern Syria right on the Turkish border... Turkey is allowing ISIS in and out... but has closed the only escape for the remaining people in Kobani.... Turkey remains meters away with tanks in position and continues to watch.... . Guess it wasn't an official no.... they are just ignoring the request Iraqi Kurdistan President Massuad Barzani has officially requested access to Kobani via Turkey from the Turkish government. He wants Peshmerga forces to help defend the beseiged Syrian Kurdish city from Islamic State (IS) advances, an anonymous source close to the president has told BasNews. BasNews has learned that Barzani asked Turkish officials to let Peshmerga through so they can join the undermanned Kurdish forces in Syria, known as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which have been fighting the IS insurgents in Kobani over the last month. Since the start of the IS attacks on Kobani thousands of Kurdish Syrians have fled the city and headed to Turkey. On Tuesday, according to BasNews sources, a number of Kurdish Syrian parties met with Barzani in Erbil. During the meeting, Barzani told them of his official request to the government in Ankara, expressing his desire that the Peshmerga travel to Kobani to protect the city and its people from the Jihadi group. The meeting also included representatives of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Syrian Kurdistan’s Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM). So far there is no word from Turkey as to whether they have agree to or even received Barzani’s request
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.