Posted on 10/18/2014 3:23:02 AM PDT by GonzoII
Kurdish forces in the Syrian town of Kobane repulsed a new attempt by ‘Daesh’ fighters to cut off the border with Turkey on Saturday as troops battled the militants in neighbouring Iraq.
A Kurdish official reported five new US-led strikes around Kobane overnight as the coalition kept up its air support for the town's defenders.
But the US military said that while it saw some "encouraging" signs, the strikes might not prevent Kobane's fall and its priority remained the campaign against Daesh in Iraq.
Heavy mortar fire hit the Syrian side of the border crossing with Turkey which is the Kurdish fighters' sole avenue for resupply and the only escape route for remaining civilians, Kurdish official Idris Nassen told AFP.
The militants launched a fierce attack from the east towards the border gate before being pushed back, he added.
Nassen said that Daesh had taken casualties in the fighting, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the militants had sent in reinforcements.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura earlier this month warned that about 12,000 civilians remain in and around Kobane and risk "massacre" if the militants cut off the border.
Kobane district chief Anwar Muslim said Friday that sniper and mortar fire was preventing authorities from evacuating civilians caught up in the battle.
"Their situation is difficult," he added.
An AFP correspondent on the Turkish side reported sporadic exchanges of fire in eastern Kobane later in the morning but said the crossing area was calm.
(Excerpt) Read more at emirates247.com ...
No mention of resupply efforts for the Kurds. They have been begging for light and heavy arms and ammo. Especially anti-tank weapons and heavy machine guns (50 BMG).
And food for the fighters and civilians. Imagine the impact of months of fighting on local food and supplies.
US has not mentioned that.
The air strikes have been more effective since the targeting has been directed by the Kurds. Air strikes alone will not solve this.
Kurds will fight. Kurds have sheltered Christians and other faiths from literal “slaughter” by ISIS Terroristsm, in both Iraq and in Syria.
I really respect the Kurds and have arrived at the point of completely despising the Turks who are doing everything in their power to help ISIS destroy the Kurds.
Agree. Erdogan (er DOG an) is an Islamist. And he HATES the Kurds.
Yes, I know the Kurds are an odd form of Leftist. But they are fully aware of corruption and persecution by big government.
They have prevented huge slaughter of Christians and other faiths in Syria and Iraq. Over a long time, in more than 1 war.
What is not to like about that, considering the part of the world they live in. I probably would like them for neighbors.
Not 'leftists' at all. The Kurds are mostly Secular (separation of state & religion) in their ideology. In that part of the world, that's way to go vis-à-vis Islamism, particularly right-wing Islamism, as Daesh (ISIS) Sunni/Salafist in this case is.
P.S. - The situation is Very different in that region, and we shouldn’t and can’t judge/assess by political parties in the U.S., or Practically by meaning/definition as it is or would be understood in the U.S.
Daesh? Right Wing?
I don’t see that.
And yes, that part of the world is pressed to fit our definitions concerning government and religion.
Totally agree. Not only language barriers, but those of ancient embedded culture.
Tell me why you don’t see Daesh as right wing.
When I used the term Leftist it may have been a poor choice of words.
I have read they are communalists. If there is such a word.
ie they are not capitalist in nature.
In that part of the world who knows what really makes sense.
Daesh is directed from the top by the Islamist leadership.
They are not a nation, but Terrorists. Destroying all but themselves. Thinking any brutality is acceptable because they are invincible and will be rewarded by killing all people who don’t agree with their religion. They think they are fulfilling Islamic prophecy.
Vermin.
Capitalism is an economic stance, not a religious stance, as you know.
In fact Saudis, their satellites, Qatar and other Gulf Sheikhdoms are all 'capitalists' in an economic sense. They run their trade business akin to Corporations.
Actually, Daesh (ISIS) is too. So far, Daesh (ISIS) actually runs its own Ministry of Finance & rules over a couple of million at least, currently in Iraq & Syria combined. In their wheelings and dealings, they are extremely "Capitalist" ie their economy.
Politically, however, their ideology is hardcore Sunni/Salafist Islam; that makes them very much right-wing, in their Islamic political ideology. Nothing else is tolerated at all. No minorities, no Christians, no Jews, no Zoroastrians, no Yezidis, no Ba'hais; nothing else.
Does what I said make sense?
I posted a link to a very informed and detailed article some 2 months ago on FR. I need to look for it. But here is another related one and other links within it about ISIS (Daesh) and its economy — http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/18/business/al-khatteeb-isis-oil-iraq/
Another link, hope it works. If it doesn’t, then google for “Islamic State Economy Runs on Extortion, Oil Piracy in Syria, Iraq” (WSJ) since you need to subscribe — http://online.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-fills-coffers-from-illicit-economy-in-syria-iraq-1409175458
“I have read they are communalists.”
I was speaking about the Kurds, not ISIS.
The Kurds in Iraq are not "Communalists", because they've been given some time to establish a government, and an economy, despite constant pullback from the U.S. to go through Baghdad.
Should other Kurds be given the opportunity, they will do as Kurds in Iraq, so far, have done.
You reminded me of something re “Communalism”. If there ever was a good example for the word “Communalism” you used, I suggest you look into what was the “Kibbutz in Israel” (A collective community in Israel).
Yes, I understand that. And I have read that Israel and the Kurds have very good long term relationships.
I don’t know that much about the history of the Kurds, but from what I have read, they have always had a history of being good soldiers.
They predate Islam but were conquered by Muslims and converted, but they have suffered persecution by their own for a long time.
My suspicion is the ruling Muslims felt the Kurds were a threat to their power and eliminated them. In multiple massacres.
Now they are a mixture of religions and they accept that.
By the way, the Kurds are actually an Iranian ethnic group. Not sure if you knew that. Pesh-merga, for example, is Kurdish pronunciation, in Persian it is pronounced "Peesh-marga". The fact that they are ethnically Iranian, and different to both Arabs and Turks (although sunni like the mentioned two) has always meant they're and will be the odd one out. And, despite at times rivalry between Persians and Kurds (both Iranians), The Kurds have Always allied with Iran when fighting the Turks, and Arabs, throughout history.
Yes, I knew about the Iranian (whatever it was called then) origin.
I cheered the Iranian youth as they tried to overthrow the Mullahs in their election, which was stolen. They did well until the Mullahs hired foreign como people to track them down. Mullahs arrested thousands, killed more than 1/2 of them from what I read. Evil B_tards.
Obama backs ISIS for some reason, but cannot let it out. So he act like he supports, but does so with great reservation.
This is about oil and old rivalries.
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