War in Syria

US-Led Coalition Has Given Free Hand To ISIS: Analyst James Petras (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/10/07/381372/us-has-given-free-hand-t...

"The US and its allies have given a free hand to the ISIL Takfiri terrorists to carry out attacks in Syria, says a commentator..."

[url=http://thedisorderofthings.com/2014/10/07/4-things-to-learn-from-kobane/... Things the Left Should Learn from Kobane[/url]

3. Listen to Kurdish Voices

The Western left often suffers from a debilitating and orientalist tendency to overstate the agency of the US and relegate communities and societies affected by intervention to passive actors, not worthy of considered analysis. Indeed, it is striking the number of anti-imperialist commentaries that rely less on the experiences and dynamics of Kurdish communities and more on rehashed critiques of the logic of Great Power predation. On the one hand, this can cause the left to duplicate caricatures of ‘ugly sectarianism’ and ‘Islamic fundamentalism’ in ways that don’t seem too far off the arguments of Cameron and Obama (for some useful correctives see here and here).

On the other hand, it offers little consideration of the voices of Kurdish communities under attack since their intentions and actions simply don’t matter to opposing ‘imperialism at home’. The resultant politics can often be deleterious. We might wonder, for example, what the people of Kobanê would make of calls for ‘peaceful alternatives’ to war. This is especially important, since in Western Kurdistan (Northern Syria) Kurds are defending what is arguably the best hope for left politics in the region. Even the most cursory glance at the constitutional make-up and political achievements of Kurdish cantons would put most Western organisations to shame. Yet this week, while hunger strikes and solidarity demonstrations from Kurdish people were taking place in the UK and beyond, anti-war groups organised an entirely separate and potentially conflicting protest. The sooner the Western left abandons its penchant for reducing class to geopolitics, the sooner it can offer authentic solidarity to groups and communities that deserve and need it.

[url=http://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/interview-with-ypj-commande... With YPJ Commander In Kobanê: Kobanê Will Not Fall[/url]

-Fighters from other peoples have come and joined the resistance in Kobanê. How do you evaluate this?

The other oppressed people of the region should know this well: Kobanê is not only a symbol of the liberation and freedom of Kurdistan, but a symbol of the freedom of all the peoples of the region. All peoples have taken their place in this resistance. We have lost 10 of our Arab friends in this resistance. One of our Turkish comrades from the MLKP was martyred in the resistance on Miştenur. All peoples have taken a place in this resistance and are examples of an historical resistance. All the peoples of the region are uniting around Kobanê against ISIS and the policies of destruction of the dirty powers who they represent. The Kobanê resistance is the resistance of the people, it is not only the resistance of the Kurdish people.

 

-Do you consider the airstrikes against ISIS in Kobanê by the coalition forces to be enough?

We can say that the coalition forces were late in deciding to strike ISIS. They took these decisions very late. They were not very active strikes with results. However over the last two days we can say that the airstrikes by coalitions forces have affected the gang’s attacks. The fighting is now inside the city and thus coordination with us needs to increase. If the coalition forces really want to finish ISIS and are sincere on this subject almost all of ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria are around Kobanê. Then they should continuously and more effectively attack ISIS gangs around Kobanê and in places close to Kobanê in complete coordination with us. If ISIS is broken in Kobanê they will be finished everywhere. We can say that the strikes over the past two days have been positive. The coalition also needs to give us support with weapons and ammunition. Because we have been surrounded on all sides and we have no heavy weapons. We have not allowed ISIS to pass until now using our kalashnikovs. Let no one get the wrong idea, even under existing circumstances we will fight with ISIS for years but the coalition needs to support us with weapons.

 

“The Kobanê Resistance Is the Resistance Of Women”

-What would you like to say in conclusion?

I would like to touch upon the resistance of women that is taking place in Kobanê. A great resistance is taking place in Kobanê. We can say that the Kobanê resistance is in particular a women’s resistance. We can see most recently in the person of Arin Mirkan the sacrificial leadership that women have shown in the Kobanê resistance. This resistance also shows us to what extent there has emerged a free Kurdish woman. The resistance will grow because of Arin Mirkan and the leadership of women and these sacrificial attacks will continue. I want to say this to the people of Kurdistan and to all of humanity. This resistance is a resistance of all peoples and deep down the resistance of humanity against the dirty, inhumane gang of ISIS. Kobanê is the resistance of humanity. We want all of humanity to support this resistance. We are honoring the memory of our martyrs who have been killed in the serhildans in the North, and we offer our condolences to their families and their people.

As ISIS Slaughters Kurds in Kobani, the US Bombs Syrian Grain Silos  -  by Ajamu Baraka

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/10/as-isis-moves-to-slaughter-kurds-...

"The US is conducting a curious humanitarian war against ISIS in Syria..."

The US Versus ISIS  -  by Gary Leupp

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/10/the-u-s-versus-isis/

"...Those not feeling dread SHOULD feel it...How about an anti-imperialist revolution in this country instead?"

US Airstrikes On #Syria Are Not About ISIS (and vid)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZbTqeYM1To#t=128

"Syrians reject violation of sovereignty..."

ISIL, Convenient Pretext To Epand War on Syria: Activist Eric Draitser (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/10/12/381974/isil-useful-tool-to-expa...

"I think the ISIL is a very useful tool not only for the US but also for Turkey. It allows them to expand their war against Assad, their war on Syria which they had failed to do for three and a half years,

it justifies a military intervention in a situation which up until this point had been unjustifiable through the international community and forums - such as the UN,' the activist noted.

The remarks came as the ISIL Takfiri terrorists have resorted to further reinforcements in an effort to break the resistance of Kurdish fighters defending the northern Syrian city of Kobani for nearly a month..."

ISIL Takes Half of Syrian Town of Kobani (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/10/13/382113/half-of-syria-kobani-in-...

"The ISIL Takfiri terrorists have taken half of the Syrian town of Ain-al-Arab, known as Kobani to Kurds, as urban warfare rages..."

'We Kurds have no friends' - old Kurdish saying

Kobane Refugees Recount Ordeal: Exclusive (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/10/15/382281/kobane-refugees-recount-...

"The terrorists stormed the city. They are not like human beings. They are like monsters."

As are their accursed great-gaming western progenitors...

CrossTalk: Strategic Blunder (and vid)

http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/196044-strategic-blunderislamic-state/

"Strategic blunder or a policy of endless possibilities? Take your pick. However, there is no denying Washington and its coalition of the reluctant are incapable of stopping the spread of the Islamic State. How many boots on the ground will it take to change this?

CrossTalking with Sami Ramadani, Ray Locker and Benjamin Reynolds

Kobane: The Nightmare of Reality (and vid)

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40019.htm

George Galloway interviews Kurdish activist Memed Aksoy *must watch!*

ISIL, Kurds Continue Fierce Fighting in Syria's Kobani (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/10/25/383625/fierce-clashes-resume-in...

"Reports coming out of the town on Saturday said ISIL had made a new attempt to capture Kobani..."

Direct Democracy - The Kobani Riddle  -  by Pepe Escobar

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-241014.html

"The brave women of Kobani - where Syrian Kurds are desperately fighting ISIS/ISIL/Daesh - are about to be betrayed by the 'international community.'

These women warriors, apart from Caliph Ibrahim's goons are also fighting treacherous agendas by the US, Turkey and the administration of Iraqi Kurdistan. So what's the real deal on Kobani?

Kobani - an agricultural region - happens to be at the epicenter of a non-violent experiment in democracy. Here, for instance, it is argued that 'even if only a single aspect of true socialism were able to survive there, millions of disoriented people would be drawn to Kobani.."

ISIS: The Useful Enemy: Kobani Kurds Expose the Hypocrisy of the Coalition Against ISIS  -  by Ismael Zadeh

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/31/isis-the-useful-enemy/

"There are many ways to show the fact that, in subtle ways, ISIS benefactors control its operations and direct its activities in accordance with their geopolitical interests..."

Geopolitics of the War Against Syria and Against the Daesh  -  by Thierry Meyssan

http://www.voltairenet.org/article185727.html

"In his new and original analysis, Thierry Meyssan exposes the geopolitical reasons for the failure of the war against Syria and the real objectives of the so-called war against Daesh.

'We are witnessing the third crisis in the camp of the aggressors since the beginning of the war against Syria...."

Free Syrian Army Commander Says Canada Should Train Resistance Fighters

http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/11/03/training-key-to-defeating-is...

"Alawak, who was a senior intelligence officer in the Syrian air force before opposing the Assad regime, says the air campaign will be 'almost useless' in the grand scheme of things and that the main effort should be put towards forming armies of liberation.

'If Canada wants to continue in a useless thing, then it's up to them,' said Alawak..."

Actually, as Alawak well knows it's not up to them at all but their American overlords.

Watch for a renewed go at an Assad regime change operation which includes the ever ready Canucklheads, and no doubt hooked up with and again funding evil cuthroats like the FSA, aka 'moderate rebels'...

FSA At Play

http://rt.com/news/syria-aleppo-post-video-476/

Kobane: The Object of All Lies

http://www.voltairenet.org/article185816.html

"On 1 November 2014,, Western and Gulf TV channels showed a convoy of 155 Peshmerga (pro-Israeli) - that is to say, the police force of the Kurdish regional government of Iraq - rolling through Turkey to the applause of Turkish Kurds. Said media claimed the convoy had reached Kobane (Syria).

That was not the case.

The Peshmerga are currently stationed in a refugee camp in Surc (Turkey). Only a 10 man delegation entered the city of Kobane, then went back to Turkey.

Similarly, the Turkish media announced that 700 soldiers of the Free Syrian Army (pro-French and anti-Syrian) - instead of the anticipated 1300 - had reached Kobane, but this information was not confirmed by the Syrian Kurds and it is unlikely that the FSA is still that strong.

For its part, the Syrian government denounced the plan of the Iraqi Peshmerga to enter Kobane as a violation of its national sovereignty. On site, the US-led, anti-Daesh coalition forces are carrying out some low intensity bombings, as usual without any visible results. At the same time, some fifty miles away, the Syrian Arab Army is trying to pierce the frontline through massive bombings (an average of 150 per day).

The number of Daesh jihadists on the ground is unknown. All we know is that the US air force dropped weapons to them 'by mistake'. At least 2,000 PYG (Syrian Kurdish) fighters currently defend the Syrian city of Kobane. The majority are former members of the Turkish PKK who fled their country to escape from repression and obtained Syrian citizenship at the beginning of the war.

In Paris, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the doggedness of the anti-Daesh coalition to save Kobane, where, according to him, no civilians are left, but only 'terrorists' of the PYG. His host, French President Francois Hollande, came up with the idea of bombing Aleppo, which is not occupied by Daesh; The city itself is controlled by the government in Damascus..."

The Caliph Fit To Join Opec  -  by Pepe Escobar

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-311014.html

"The Caliph is for all practical purposes now an oil major worthy of membership of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries/OPEC. His takfiri/mercenary goons - in theory - have for some time been extracting, refining, shipping and/or smuggling and clinching juicy deals involving vast quantities of oil, reaping profits of roughly US $2 million a day.

And oh, the irony - Top customers for the Caliph's cheap oil happen to be 'Sultan' Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Earthly paradise, aka Turkey - a NATO organization ally - and that King 'Playstation' Abdullah II ibn al Hussein's domain impersonating a country, aka Jordan.

Meanwhile, the awesome, immensely sophisticated military apparatus/intel agency acronym first deployed by 'free' US/NATO somehow is unable to register/intercept this racket.

As for the Empire of Chaos 'solution' to intercept the Caliph's oil profits, the only decision so far has been to bomb oil pipelines that belong to the Syrian Arab Republic, that is, ultimately, the Syrian people. In his masterful piece, William Engdahl goes no-holds barred on the supposed Saudi-US cheap oil/bomb Bashar al Assad/ undermine Russia deal..."

Expect to see soon the same cheerleaders that call for supporting the West's chocolate oligarch Ukrainian 'democracy', to also urge your support for the 'Fee Syrian Army' et al and regime change in Syria..

Once a Terrorist Always a Terrorist? PKK vs ISIL  - by Rosalyn Fuller

http://rt.com/op-edge/202567-kobani-terrorist-isil-pkk

"It was overlooked that ISIL recieved quite a lot of money from donors in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, who were able to avoid the UN's anti-terrorism finance measures with ease.

It was almost as if no one were really trying to enforce these rules in regards to ISIL or other jihadist groups engaged against Syrian leader Bashar al Assad's forces.

Then, for as yet unclear reasons, ISIL went rogue..."

Russia Party Urges International Military Aid For Syria

http://rt.com/politics/202751-russia-syria-international-aid/

"A leftist Russian party has prepared a parliamentary motion calling for immediate military, technical and humanitarian aid to the governments of Syria and Iraq in their fight against Islamic terrorists.

'This situation must be addressed as an obligation of all UN members to prevent a crime against humanity, the document reads.

World Ominously Close to Nuclear War - Chomsky to RT (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/202995-chomsky-rt-nuclear-war/

Also on Syria and ME situation

Bipartisan Collaboration in Congress on Imperialist Aggression Overseas  -  by Patrick Martin, WSWS

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/11/09/385403/us-advisers-to-command-i...

"...The goal of the intervention is not just to destroy ISIS but to overthrow the Syrian government of President Bashar al Assad. Denmark is the latest to enlist in the new US-led campaign, which is being waged in flagrant violation of international law. The country is committing 120 trainers for the purpose.

Britain, France, Germany, Australia, CANADA and the Netherlands have all agreed to send warplanes, ground support personnel for the airwar, military trainers, or some combination of all three..."

Obama's Syria Strategy Review Focuses on ISIS, Assad Govt - Report

http://rt.com/usa/205015-obama-usa-syria-isis-assad/

"The long-running Syria problem is now compounded by the reality that to genuinely defeat ISIL, we need not only a defeat in Iraq, but a defeat in Syria...we may not have time for Iraq first..."

The Price of Oil and the Future of Syria

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-10114.html

"Saudi Arabia is boosting oil supplies to advance long term geopolitical interests at the expense of short-term economic ones. Ryadh wants to increase its power in the Middle East by forcing a settlement to the Syrian war over the objections of Iran and Russia, both of which support the Assad government, both of which rely on oil revenue.

Ryadh is damaging the Iranian and Russian economies to get them to accept an unpalatable settlement."

The Endgame of the US 'Islamic State' Strategy  -  by Nicola Nasser

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/11/12/the-endgame-of-the-us-islamic-sta...

"Dismantling what the former US President George W Bush once described as the Syria-Iran component of the 'axis of evil', or interrupting in Iraq the geographical contiguity of what King Abdullah II of Jordan once described as the 'Shiite crescent', was and remains the strategic goal of the US-Israeli allies in the Middle East unless they succeed first in 'changing the regime' in either Damascus or Tehran.

The US, Israel and their regional allies have been on the record that the final target of their 'regime change' campaign in the Middle East was to dismantle the Syria-Iran alliance.

With the obvious failure of Plan A to dismantle the self-proclaimed anti-Israel and anti-US Syrian-Iranian 'Resistance Axis' by a forcible 'regime change' in Damascus, a US-led regional alliance has turned recently to its Plan B to interrupt in Iraq the geographical contiguity of that axis.

This is the endgame of President Barack Obama's strategy, which he declared last September 10 as ostensibly against the Islamic State (IS).

The IS was conceived and delivered in an American womb..."

Syria: US-Led Strikes Failed to Weaken ISIS

http://syriatimes.sy/index.php/don-t-miss/15517-syria-us-led-strikes-fai...

"Muallem noted that until Ankara is forced to step up security at its borders, the Islamic State cannot actually be defeated. 'If the Security Council and Washington do not force Turkey to control its borders then all of the action will not eliminate the Islamic State, Muallem said, pointing to foreigners who are crossing into Syria from Turkey to join the Jihadist fight.

The Syrian minister added that Turkey has plans for the Syrian territory and said that the Turkish idea to introduce a no-fly zone in northern Syria risks partitioning the country.."

US-Led Strikes Fail to Halt ISIL Advances in Syria: Analyst Mimi al Laham (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/11/29/388048/usled-raids-fail-to-halt...

"A political commentator says the US-led airstrikes against the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group inside Syria have failed to stop the advances by the group, Press TV reports.

'So in fact, not only have US strikes not done anything to prevent the ISIL advancements, it has actually done a lot more to make ISIL stronger,' al Laham said."

Canadian Vets Fighting ISIS Spark Warnings, Concerns

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadian-vets-fighting-isis-spark-warnings-concer...

"For some of the Canadian military veterans who have volunteered to join the Kurdish battle against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, it is also about relieving boredom that has descended since their last battles in Afghanistan. The volunteers will not be paid, so they are not mercenaries. But their decision to join up does present a host of political problems - legal and practical - for Canada..."

Rally Denounces ISIL Attack On Kobani From Turkey (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/11/30/388211/turks-denounce-isil-atta...

"Turkish people have held a demonstration to denounce a recent attack on the Syrian border town of Kobani, reportedly carried out from the Turkish territory.

Leader of the People's Democratic Party Selahattin Demirtash, who was among the protesters, accused Turkish authorities of working in cooperation with the ISIL terrorists.

'...But one thing is clear; some of the military officials, security force and police who were deployed on the border of Suruc and Kobani have been working in cooperation with ISIL for the last 77 days.'

Counter-Terrorism Conference in Syria  -  by Jim W Dean

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/12/01/388246/counterterrorism-confere...

"The first day of the Counter Terrorism and Religious Extremism Conference has just ended midnight, November 30th, as I am proofing this.

The three sessions for today included a wide array of speakers from all segments of Syria, and from some regional countries including Turkey. Its attendees voiced growing concern that Erdogan's support for the war against Syria is going to spread the militancy to Turkey.

Despite its huge and powerful military, it is walking a knife edge by supporting the terror brigades against Assad while pretending to be anti-ISIL. Turkey has been ISIL's main logistics supply line. We have seen the video to prove it.

At the top of the full assault list today was breaking the almost worldwide mass media blackout on what has really happened in Syria regarding the crimes against humanity under the Neo-Americana black flag of regime change, where the end justifies the means. No one reading this is a stranger to that ongoing historical error.

What we have to do now is the grunt work of building people-to-people bridges to increase awareness of the threat that this Western use of terrorism in its foreign policy is in itself a national security threat to all of us at home..."

Millions Being Spent on Bombing Syria While Refugees Starve  -  by Murtaza Hussain

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/12/02/millions-spent-bomb-syria-...

"...But what precisely constitutes this catastrophic funding crisis which has now resulted in the suspension of food aid to displaced Syrians this winter? The miserly sum of $64 M dollars.

To put this into context, the US and its allies are spending millions and perhaps tens of millions of dollars every day on bombing Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq.

The cost of the ammunition use on the first night of bombing the country would have been almost enough to cover food aid to Syrians.

'Do You Fear Facing the Same Fate as Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi?'

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40394.htm

The full Paris Match interview of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, granted in Damascus on November 28, 2014