03-11-2018, 10:53 PM
*** 12-Mar-18 World View -- Socialists and feminists to act as 'human shields' protecting Kurds from Turkey in Afrin Syria
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Socialists and feminists to act as 'human shields' protecting Kurds from Turkey in Afrin
****
![[Image: g180311b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180311b.jpg)
Turkish and FSA fighters near Afrin, Syria (Agencia Efe)
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20, expecting to
take control of Afrin from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG)
within a few days. The operation was executed by Arab militias in the
Free Syrian Army (FSA), backed by Turkish armed forces. The operation
has taken much longer than expected, leading to speculation that
Turkey's army has been made substantially weaker because of all the
firings of army officers following the botched coup attempt in June
2016.
However, in the last few days, Turkish forces and the FSA have made
extremely rapid progress. They've captured a number of towns and
villages on the outskirts of Afrin, and have surrounded Afrin itself,
in preparation to enter the Afrin city center shortly.
Turkish officials say that the reason that the operation has taken so
long is that they are trying to minimize civilian casualties. They
contrast themselves to the Syrian army of Bashar al-Assad which is
attacking Eastern Ghouta and freely targeting civilians with barrel
bombs, chlorine gas and Sarin gas.
However, Socialist and feminist groups are calling on members to act
has human shields to prevent Turkish forces from entering Afrin.
According to a joint statement by the Initiative for the Unity and
Solidarity of Peoples (SYPG) and the Free Socialist Women (JAS):
<QUOTE>"We are now on the 51st day of our great resistance
against the attack of the colonialist and fascist Turkish state on
our canton Afrin. As SYPG and JAS, we will launch a new group of
human shields against the invasion of the Cizirê region and the
Firat (Euphrates) region.
Against the invasion of the Turkish state, all of our oppressed
peoples and progressive revolutionary forces should become
millions and go out on the streets, giving strength to our Afrin
resistance. Colonialism, fascism will be defeated - our
resistance from Afrin will prevail. We bow to our fallen in
respect and wish all our resistance fighters
success."<END QUOTE>
Kurdish groups within Turkey itself are also encouraging their members
to go to Afrin in Syria and become human shields.
However, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkish led
forces are just four to five kilometers from Afrin, and that the
objective was not to "occupy" Afrin but to "liberate" it from the YPG
occupiers: "In the Afrin region, the owners of the lands have started
to come back." Daily Sabah (Ankara) and ANF (Kurdish) and Al Jazeera
****
**** US cuts back operations in Incirlik as Turkey-NATO relations sour
****
Turkey's president on Sunday denounced NATO for failing to back
Turkey's fight against the YPG:
<QUOTE>"Hey NATO, with what has been going on in Syria, when
are you going to come and be alongside us?
We are constantly harassed by terror groups on our borders.
Unfortunately, until now, there has not been a positive word or
voice. Is this friendship? Is this NATO unity? Are we not a NATO
member?"<END QUOTE>
The YPG is linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has
been conducting a violent insurgency in Turkey for three decades, and
has performed multiple major terrorist attacks in major Turkish cities
in the last three years. The PKK is considered a terrorist group by
the US and the EU.
So from the point of view of Turkey, the fact that the US has been
arming the YPG to fight the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or
ISIL or Daesh) in Raqqa, and has continued to support the YPG even
though Raqqa has been recaptured from ISIS, is considered a major
betrayal. In fact, the US has reneged on a promise to Turkey to stop
supplying the YPG with heavy weapons.
The head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, said after Turkey launched
Operation Olive Branch:
<QUOTE>"No NATO member country has been exposed to as many
terror attacks as Turkey. Turkey has the right to deal with its
own security concerns. Yet, it should do it in a moderate
way."<END QUOTE>
However, NATO has provided no actual support.
Turkish public opinion has become increasing outraged by NATO's lack
of support, and by the US arming the YPG, which is linked to the PKK
terrorist group. According to one survey of Turkish public opinion,
64.3% of Turks think that the US poses a threat to Turkey, up from
39.2% in 2016.
According to a Turkish official:
<QUOTE>"Turkey's Syrian border is also NATO's southern
border. Within these borders there have been so many assaults from
the other side by the YPG and PKK. While not showing any reaction
to those attacks, NATO members' stance against Turkey, which is
protecting its borders and fights against terrorist groups, is not
in line with the law of alliance."<END QUOTE>
This has led in Turkey to discussions that Turkey should shut down
Incirlik Airbase, which has been used by the US since 1954. Incirlik
has about 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to the 39th Air Base Wing of
the U.S. Air Force. In addition, there are calls to shut down Kürecik
Base, which is home to a NATO radar system that was designed to
intercept rocket attacks.
It's now being reported that the U.S. military has sharply reduced
combat operations at Turkey’s Incirlik air base and is considering
permanent cutbacks there.
In January, the US moved A-10 ground jets from Incirlik base, leaving
only refueling aircraft. The number of military members living at the
base have also been reduced. At the time, the Pentagon explained the
move on the basis of its decision to step up operations in
Afghanistan. According to U.S. officials, the U.S. remains committed
to Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally, and that there
are no immediate plans for a further reduction of forces and aircraft.
Daily Sabah (Ankara, 24-Feb) and Hurriyet (Ankara, 13-Feb) and Daily Sabah (15-Feb) and Ahval News and Bipartisan Policy
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Turkey, Free Syrian Army, FSA,
Operation Olive Branch, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Syria, Afrin, People's Protection Units, YPG,
Unity and Solidarity of Peoples, SYPG, Free Socialist Women, JAS,
NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, Incirlik airbase, Kürecik base
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Socialists and feminists to act as 'human shields' protecting Kurds from Turkey in Afrin
- US cuts back operations in Incirlik as Turkey-NATO relations sour
****
**** Socialists and feminists to act as 'human shields' protecting Kurds from Turkey in Afrin
****
Turkish and FSA fighters near Afrin, Syria (Agencia Efe)
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20, expecting to
take control of Afrin from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG)
within a few days. The operation was executed by Arab militias in the
Free Syrian Army (FSA), backed by Turkish armed forces. The operation
has taken much longer than expected, leading to speculation that
Turkey's army has been made substantially weaker because of all the
firings of army officers following the botched coup attempt in June
2016.
However, in the last few days, Turkish forces and the FSA have made
extremely rapid progress. They've captured a number of towns and
villages on the outskirts of Afrin, and have surrounded Afrin itself,
in preparation to enter the Afrin city center shortly.
Turkish officials say that the reason that the operation has taken so
long is that they are trying to minimize civilian casualties. They
contrast themselves to the Syrian army of Bashar al-Assad which is
attacking Eastern Ghouta and freely targeting civilians with barrel
bombs, chlorine gas and Sarin gas.
However, Socialist and feminist groups are calling on members to act
has human shields to prevent Turkish forces from entering Afrin.
According to a joint statement by the Initiative for the Unity and
Solidarity of Peoples (SYPG) and the Free Socialist Women (JAS):
<QUOTE>"We are now on the 51st day of our great resistance
against the attack of the colonialist and fascist Turkish state on
our canton Afrin. As SYPG and JAS, we will launch a new group of
human shields against the invasion of the Cizirê region and the
Firat (Euphrates) region.
Against the invasion of the Turkish state, all of our oppressed
peoples and progressive revolutionary forces should become
millions and go out on the streets, giving strength to our Afrin
resistance. Colonialism, fascism will be defeated - our
resistance from Afrin will prevail. We bow to our fallen in
respect and wish all our resistance fighters
success."<END QUOTE>
Kurdish groups within Turkey itself are also encouraging their members
to go to Afrin in Syria and become human shields.
However, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkish led
forces are just four to five kilometers from Afrin, and that the
objective was not to "occupy" Afrin but to "liberate" it from the YPG
occupiers: "In the Afrin region, the owners of the lands have started
to come back." Daily Sabah (Ankara) and ANF (Kurdish) and Al Jazeera
****
**** US cuts back operations in Incirlik as Turkey-NATO relations sour
****
Turkey's president on Sunday denounced NATO for failing to back
Turkey's fight against the YPG:
<QUOTE>"Hey NATO, with what has been going on in Syria, when
are you going to come and be alongside us?
We are constantly harassed by terror groups on our borders.
Unfortunately, until now, there has not been a positive word or
voice. Is this friendship? Is this NATO unity? Are we not a NATO
member?"<END QUOTE>
The YPG is linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has
been conducting a violent insurgency in Turkey for three decades, and
has performed multiple major terrorist attacks in major Turkish cities
in the last three years. The PKK is considered a terrorist group by
the US and the EU.
So from the point of view of Turkey, the fact that the US has been
arming the YPG to fight the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or
ISIL or Daesh) in Raqqa, and has continued to support the YPG even
though Raqqa has been recaptured from ISIS, is considered a major
betrayal. In fact, the US has reneged on a promise to Turkey to stop
supplying the YPG with heavy weapons.
The head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, said after Turkey launched
Operation Olive Branch:
<QUOTE>"No NATO member country has been exposed to as many
terror attacks as Turkey. Turkey has the right to deal with its
own security concerns. Yet, it should do it in a moderate
way."<END QUOTE>
However, NATO has provided no actual support.
Turkish public opinion has become increasing outraged by NATO's lack
of support, and by the US arming the YPG, which is linked to the PKK
terrorist group. According to one survey of Turkish public opinion,
64.3% of Turks think that the US poses a threat to Turkey, up from
39.2% in 2016.
According to a Turkish official:
<QUOTE>"Turkey's Syrian border is also NATO's southern
border. Within these borders there have been so many assaults from
the other side by the YPG and PKK. While not showing any reaction
to those attacks, NATO members' stance against Turkey, which is
protecting its borders and fights against terrorist groups, is not
in line with the law of alliance."<END QUOTE>
This has led in Turkey to discussions that Turkey should shut down
Incirlik Airbase, which has been used by the US since 1954. Incirlik
has about 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to the 39th Air Base Wing of
the U.S. Air Force. In addition, there are calls to shut down Kürecik
Base, which is home to a NATO radar system that was designed to
intercept rocket attacks.
It's now being reported that the U.S. military has sharply reduced
combat operations at Turkey’s Incirlik air base and is considering
permanent cutbacks there.
In January, the US moved A-10 ground jets from Incirlik base, leaving
only refueling aircraft. The number of military members living at the
base have also been reduced. At the time, the Pentagon explained the
move on the basis of its decision to step up operations in
Afghanistan. According to U.S. officials, the U.S. remains committed
to Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally, and that there
are no immediate plans for a further reduction of forces and aircraft.
Daily Sabah (Ankara, 24-Feb) and Hurriyet (Ankara, 13-Feb) and Daily Sabah (15-Feb) and Ahval News and Bipartisan Policy
Related Articles
- In major reversal, Turkey will let US use Incirlik to fight ISIS in Syria (24-Jul-2015)
- A new terrorist bombing (by PKK) in Istanbul Turkey kills dozens (11-Dec-2016)
- US-backed Kurds stop fighting ISIS in order to fight Turkey in Afrin (08-Mar-2018)
- Turkey begins its air and ground invasion of Syria's Afrin (21-Jan-2018)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Turkey, Free Syrian Army, FSA,
Operation Olive Branch, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Syria, Afrin, People's Protection Units, YPG,
Unity and Solidarity of Peoples, SYPG, Free Socialist Women, JAS,
NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, Incirlik airbase, Kürecik base
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
