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Don’t Romanticize the Kurds: A wake-up call about extensive Kurdish human rights violations
Frontpage Mag ^ | 10/16/2019 | Andrew Bostom

Posted on 10/16/2019 8:38:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Uninformed savants across the political spectrum have pilloried President Trump for his eminently rational decision to draw down the U.S. troop commitment (initially, only 25, as it turns out!) to the Syrian morass (whose “dynamic” has remained largely unchanged since the late 1940s).

Most of the ire directed at Mr. Trump has to do with hand-wringing over our “Kurdish allies,” even after the President warned Turkey not to engage in its habitual behaviors — since Ataturk created his ethno-racst state — towards the Kurds. Regardless, here are a few salient points one should bear in mind about the Kurds which the hand-wringers conveniently ignore in their hagiographies:Kurdish predatory mass killings of Christians and Yazidis are well-characterized and went on for centuries. Grinding persecution continues to this day, as can be gleaned from detailed reports by both Assyrian and Yazidi organizations (hereherehere)

[*] Kurdish “region(s)” were ethnically cleansed of Jews by the late 19th/early 20th centuries in a series a pogroms, compounded by constant grinding persecution including enslavement of Jewish families handed over between generations of Kurds as “family property”. (p. 658p. 108)

[*] The Kurds of Turkey, brutally oppressed (here) by Ataturk’s ugly ethno-racist Turkish supremacist state (here), since the 1920s, ongoing, evolved their own brutal (here) Marxist terror organization, the PKK, to combat this oppression. Those Marxist PKK elements are the fighting backbone of the Syrian Kurds whom the U.S. is now claimed to be “abandoning”.

[*] Kurds of Iraqi “Kurdistan” have enshrined the Sharia (“This Constitution confirms and respects the Islamic identity of the majority of the people of Iraqi Kurdistan. It considers the principles of Islamic Sharia as one of the main sources of legislation… It is not allowed to enact a law inconsistent with the provisions of the fundamentals of Islam,” Articles 6 & 7and even apply it to Kurdish conscientious objectors to Islam who escape their Kurdish Muslim paradise and flee to the West. (herehere)

[*] 50% of Kurdistan’s women undergo FGM, sanctioned by the Sharia.

Johny Messo is head of the World Council of Arameans. In 2014 Messo issued this statement when Israel’s Minister of Interior, H.E. Gideon Sa‘ar, signed a document that recognizes “Aramean” as a distinct national identity in Israel’s population registry: 

We greatly commend Israel for being the first state in the world to recognize our people in keeping with international law. This fantastic news has had a major impact on the global Aramean population. It encourages us to continue our legal struggle for recognition by our home countries of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon”  

Messo, was quoted from this story published today (10/10/19) from about the depredations and duplicity of the Kurdish Marxist brigades operating within Northern Syria:

“The PYD/YPG is threatening Syriacs and still forcibly detaining some children to join them,” Johny Messo, head of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), told Anadolu Agency on Thursday. Telling how the terrorist PYD/YPG fought other terrorist groups only to pursue its own territorial aims, he explained: “The aim of the PYD/YPG in its struggle against Daesh was to seize their territories and integrate them as part of the autonomous Kurdish region envisaged by them.” The U.S. had enlisted the PYD/YPG to fight Daesh, while Turkey objected that using one terror group to fight another makes no sense. Messo said the PYD/YPG and Daesh are both terror groups, differing only in aims, and sometimes even working together. “For example, the BBC showed that the PYD/YPG signed an agreement with Daesh. And, according to our own sources, the PYD/YPG took former Daesh members with them,” he added. Messo said it is the PYD/YPG — the Syrian branch of the [MARXIST] terrorist PKK….



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: humanrights; kurds; syria; turkey
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1 posted on 10/16/2019 8:38:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

the kurds of saddam are not the kurds of today


2 posted on 10/16/2019 8:41:48 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: SeekAndFind

I think the Kurds have been very good allies and my guess is that behind the scenes we are doing much to aid them. But what is absolutely stunning to me is all the talking heads, all the corrupt MSM and activists who have been caterwauling for decades (since Bush) about “ENDLES WARS!” are now somehow, suddenly for war!... just as long as it can be used as a bludgeon against Trump.


3 posted on 10/16/2019 8:42:53 AM PDT by Obadiah
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To: SeekAndFind

The only thing I want to say is that we do not need to demonize the Kurds simply because President Trump rightfully doesn’t want to get our military forces involved in Mideast conflicts.


4 posted on 10/16/2019 8:44:22 AM PDT by House Atreides (Boycott the NFL 100% — PERMANENTLY)
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To: SeekAndFind

This “human right violations” by the Kurds is ridiculous.

Kurds were a great help to us in Iraq, I think, against Saddam

But still, we are helping them, as much as we can, but can only do what is reasonable.

Just recently, I think the Turkish minister came to an agreement with them, and wanted to negotiate with us.

I am sure Pres. Trump and his people know a lot more about the situation, than what we see in the media.


5 posted on 10/16/2019 8:44:43 AM PDT by Innovative (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/maria-bartiromo-walks-back-scoop-on-release-date-for-fisa-re)
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To: Obadiah

Bttt your post


6 posted on 10/16/2019 8:50:37 AM PDT by Guenevere
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To: SeekAndFind

This article is thin agit prop

And I’m not a big Kurd fan btw anyhow


7 posted on 10/16/2019 8:54:04 AM PDT by wardaddy (I applaud Jim Robinson for his comments on the Southern Monuments decision ...thank you)
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To: wardaddy

RE: This article is thin agit prop

Can you elaborate some more for us please?


8 posted on 10/16/2019 8:55:00 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

The Kurds will be the reason the Turks and the Syrians rassle with Russia helping the Syrians. It’s a brawl worth watching without our participation.


9 posted on 10/16/2019 8:56:14 AM PDT by AppyPappy (How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?)
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To: SeekAndFind

If the real question was about the military and political behaviors of people, in the past of now, then many existing states could be counted as illegitimate, and ought to not even be a state today.

But that is not the question.

The whole question is around “national self determination” of distinct people with a common heritage in a land.

The Kurds have been such a people in their area of the Middle East since biblical times.

When the Brits defeated the Ottoman Empire, and divided it up, they promised the Kurds (1920) their own independent state. They were by far as much a distinct people as any others in the region, and more so than some. The Brits reneged on that promise. They appointed cronies to thrones they created in Syria and Iraq. That placed Kurds in the newly demarcated Syria and Iraq under rule by Britain’s appointed Arab cronies. That meant Britain could not very well lecture to either Turkey or Iran about their Kurds. The Brits moved on. The Kurds never have.


10 posted on 10/16/2019 9:06:45 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: House Atreides

I agree with you. But there is a difference between demonizing and learning more about them. I was embarrassingly unaware of the various Kurdish factions, what they represent, who their allies have been, and other things about them that I am just now reading about.

I still think that President Trump was unusually precipitous in the way that he handled his sudden decision to disengage from the Kurds, but now I can understand the logic that led to his making that decision to begin with.


11 posted on 10/16/2019 9:14:14 AM PDT by Piranha (Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have - Saul Alinsky)
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To: Obadiah

Well, you corrupt anti-constitutionalist toady...a lot of people on this very forum have been demanding we get out of wars not declared and funded by congress. No more limited wars with rules of engagement which give the foes we fight safe havens to which they may retreat and reorganize.

Donald Trump ran on a platform of ending that senseless waist which puts our troops in a no win situation...generally all for nothing.

If the Kurds can’t conquer land to establish their own country, then they aren’t going to be able to retain it either. That puts us there forever in a war that the people did not agree to by the process enshrined in our constitution.

Absolutely there is corruption, but you have thoroughly proven your inability to see where it lies.

Go over there and establish your Kurdistan yourself.


12 posted on 10/16/2019 9:17:14 AM PDT by MrEdd (Caveat Emptors)
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To: SeekAndFind

Some here are so rabid in what is getting to be mindless support that they cannot let go of this, even after Trump himself had to threaten Turkey

Kurds are watching 1000s of prisoners, a number of whom have escaped since the Turkish attack

I think it may be blind devotion or an inability to accept that a wrong move was made by Trump

Trump is doing a GREAT job.

But he ####ed up on this.

If we’re withdrawing from everywhere, then how does the fact that he said they were just moved to another area jibe with that?

or sending 2000 troops to our great friend and killer of 3000 Americans, Saudi Arabia?


13 posted on 10/16/2019 9:36:11 AM PDT by dp0622 (Bad, bad company Till the day I die.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Well the deal is done now. The SDF and Assad’s SAA signed an agreement for the Kurd’s Rojava to rejoin Syria, wall to wall. Turkey’s “safe zone” ain’t safe no more.

The Syrian Kurds will be semi-autonomous, similar to Iraqi Kurds.

The SDF will become a regional force, similar to our National Guard.

We never gave the SDF artillery or armor, they can’t fight Turkey without.

Now Assad and the Russians are taking over the fight. We just turned over a fire base outside Kobani to the Russians.

The Russians are flying combat air patrols. Assad’s armor is moving all over. The SDF has agreed to support the fighting in the Afrin area.

We will keep operational bases in SE Syria to interdict ISIS and Iranina smuggling to Hizb’allah.


14 posted on 10/16/2019 10:16:38 AM PDT by gandalftb
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To: SeekAndFind

Some good information here. As long as what we are not doing is up playing the brutality of the PKK and downplaying the brutality of the Turks. In my estimation the PKK is no worse and no better than the Turks themselves.


15 posted on 10/16/2019 10:57:15 AM PDT by Sam Gamgee
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To: dp0622

Indeed, and if he is serious why not draw down from Afghanistan. This article smells like a cover article for Trump’s mistake.


16 posted on 10/16/2019 10:58:48 AM PDT by Sam Gamgee
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To: MrEdd

Uhm... what?


17 posted on 10/16/2019 11:17:07 AM PDT by Obadiah
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m not supporting any state ending in “ISTAN”.


18 posted on 10/16/2019 12:00:39 PM PDT by Mr. Blond
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To: Mr. Blond

RE: I’m not supporting any state ending in “ISTAN”.

OK, how about naming it Kurdisnia? LOL.


19 posted on 10/16/2019 12:31:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

I would go with Kurdish Republic, that would fool everyone into thinking it would be a pluralist, ecumenical middle eastern democracy.


20 posted on 10/16/2019 12:36:06 PM PDT by Mr. Blond
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