Also, why are the IDF rescuing and treating wounded Al Nusra terrorists? lol
ISIS in Iraq and Syria
- Thread starter Suli
- Start date
I agree; with Ahrar al sham pulling out, the whole meeting becomes pointless.
Weird attitudes to rocket launchers in the Middle East.
December 10, 2015
AL SHAYEB: WHAT'S WRONG WITH HAVING ROCKET LAUNCHER INSTRUCTIONS?'
MAIDA VALE
A former Bahraini MP said it was normal to have the technical specifications for a rocket launcher while giving evidence for a terror suspect today.
Abdul Raoof Al Shayeb, 51, has been a leading human rights activist in his homeland since the age of 14 and has met with Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn in the Houses of Parliament
Police raided his home in Maida Vale last April and found a 16GB SD card containing photographs of him dressed in military fatigues along with details for using a sniper rifle and other heavy weaponry.
Former Bahraini MP Jalal Fairooz said Al Shayeb would have been 'boycotted' had he promoted violence to achieve his aims. - See more at: http://courtnewsuk.co.uk/#sthash.ayzvLpe2.dpuf
December 10, 2015
AL SHAYEB: WHAT'S WRONG WITH HAVING ROCKET LAUNCHER INSTRUCTIONS?'
MAIDA VALE
A former Bahraini MP said it was normal to have the technical specifications for a rocket launcher while giving evidence for a terror suspect today.
Abdul Raoof Al Shayeb, 51, has been a leading human rights activist in his homeland since the age of 14 and has met with Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn in the Houses of Parliament
Police raided his home in Maida Vale last April and found a 16GB SD card containing photographs of him dressed in military fatigues along with details for using a sniper rifle and other heavy weaponry.
Former Bahraini MP Jalal Fairooz said Al Shayeb would have been 'boycotted' had he promoted violence to achieve his aims. - See more at: http://courtnewsuk.co.uk/#sthash.ayzvLpe2.dpuf
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2015/12/9039/tribal-blood-ties-syrias-civil-war-qa/
An article about the role of tribes in the conflict.
An article about the role of tribes in the conflict.
Can you show me your link? I've seen them rescuing and treating IS guys, but not al Nusra.
Sure thing akhi, bear in mind a lot of it is tenuous information and not all are Al-Nusra, some are other rebel groups:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Re...da-fighters-wounded-in-Syria-civil-war-393862
https://news.vice.com/article/new-e...is-helping-syrian-rebels-in-the-golan-heights
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rian-warzone-risking-lives-sworn-enemies.html
I really, really apologise for linking the Daily Heil, but the video they posted was interesting.
@Kaos - thanks bud. Looks like Israel view Iran/Hezbollah as the greater enemy. So many blurred lines in the region atm.
About time:
Iraq may cancel security deal with US, invite Russia to fight Isis as Turkey deploys troops near Mosul
A still taken from a video shared on the social media reportedlyshows Turkish tanks being deployed to Mosul's Bashiqa region on 5 DecemberTwitterSince the deployment of Turkish soldiers and battle tanks in Iraq near the Islamic State (Isis)-held city of Mosul, reports are doing the rounds that the Iraqi government may consider cancelling its security deal with the US and instead invite Russia to fight Isis.
According to an Iraqi lawmaker, the parliament's Security and Defence Committee has called for a review of Baghdad's security agreement with the US."
The government and parliament needs to review the agreement signed with the United States on security because the United States does not seriously care about its fulfilment," committee member Hamid al-Mutlaq, a senior Sunni lawmaker, told Sputnik.
The call for review in part reflects the longstanding distrust among the Iraqis. According to Zerohedge, "the Americans are still seen as occupiers, and Washington's unwillingness inability to effectively counter [Isis] has created a culture of suspicion in which most Iraqis believe the US is in cahoots with the militants for what WaPo described as 'a variety of pernicious reasons that have to do with asserting US control over Iraq, the wider Middle East and, perhaps, its oil'.
"Iraq has another reason for being miffed as the US, despite being a close ally, has decided to take a neutral stand on the issue of Turkey sending its army inside the Iraqi territory. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has now filed a formal complaint with the UN Security Council over the continued presence of the Turkish army. Meanwhile, Turkey has said it will not bow to Iraq's demand.
At least 150 soldiers and 20-25 tanks were deployed by Turkey in Bashiqa region of Mosul on 5 December.Russia in the meantime has come out in support of Iraq and has openly pledged its support. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by RIA news agency as saying on Friday that Iraq is an "extremely important partner" of Russia in the fight against terrorism.Back in October, Baghdad had said Russia may carry out air strikes against Isis from its airbase in Al Taqaddum.
Iraq may cancel security deal with US, invite Russia to fight Isis as Turkey deploys troops near Mosul
A still taken from a video shared on the social media reportedlyshows Turkish tanks being deployed to Mosul's Bashiqa region on 5 DecemberTwitterSince the deployment of Turkish soldiers and battle tanks in Iraq near the Islamic State (Isis)-held city of Mosul, reports are doing the rounds that the Iraqi government may consider cancelling its security deal with the US and instead invite Russia to fight Isis.
According to an Iraqi lawmaker, the parliament's Security and Defence Committee has called for a review of Baghdad's security agreement with the US."
The government and parliament needs to review the agreement signed with the United States on security because the United States does not seriously care about its fulfilment," committee member Hamid al-Mutlaq, a senior Sunni lawmaker, told Sputnik.
The call for review in part reflects the longstanding distrust among the Iraqis. According to Zerohedge, "the Americans are still seen as occupiers, and Washington's unwillingness inability to effectively counter [Isis] has created a culture of suspicion in which most Iraqis believe the US is in cahoots with the militants for what WaPo described as 'a variety of pernicious reasons that have to do with asserting US control over Iraq, the wider Middle East and, perhaps, its oil'.
"Iraq has another reason for being miffed as the US, despite being a close ally, has decided to take a neutral stand on the issue of Turkey sending its army inside the Iraqi territory. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has now filed a formal complaint with the UN Security Council over the continued presence of the Turkish army. Meanwhile, Turkey has said it will not bow to Iraq's demand.
At least 150 soldiers and 20-25 tanks were deployed by Turkey in Bashiqa region of Mosul on 5 December.Russia in the meantime has come out in support of Iraq and has openly pledged its support. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by RIA news agency as saying on Friday that Iraq is an "extremely important partner" of Russia in the fight against terrorism.Back in October, Baghdad had said Russia may carry out air strikes against Isis from its airbase in Al Taqaddum.
Last edited:
No, your blatant hypocrisy is very relevant to the issue here.
First of all your Obama (unlike what you thought the right decision would be) is actually supporting Erdogan's blatant violations of the international law, and all of his illegal crazy adventures.
Second, Russia in Syria and the US in Iraq (so far) both have the permission of the central government to be there, making the presence of their forces in both countries legal according the international law. Turkey has no business in Iraq or in Syria.
And third, you're taking the hypocrisy scale to a record new high here considering your position about the conflict in Ukraine, unless you think it's ok for Russia to invade Eastern Ukraine too if they had an agreement with the local authorities there.
You're ignoring the big white elephant in the room, which i previously alluded to. We are now mired in a regional war where international norms have been tossed out the window. Syria is a failed state and Iraq is fractured along sectarian lines in a regional conflict, thus those two "governments" don't get to dictate who gets to come in or out of their alleged territorial land. Sovereignty doesn't exist anymore for either state, and as such, can't be used as a legal device to criticize who is operating within them.
That's the most arrogant, contrived piece of bollocks I've heard in a long time. Foreign nations don't get to dictate which countries or governments are sovereign, that is why we have international law. And international law clearly puts Turkey in violation of Iraq's sovereignty. There's no two ways about it, you can't throw your toys out of the pram when Russia invades Eastern Ukraine and then act like Iraq and Syria having its sovereignty trampled is no big deal. Either you believe in the principles of international law and sovereignty or you don't, you can't cherry pick which countries you uphold these principles for.
You may think its arrogant but it also happens to be true. Remember, we don't live in a world democracy, we live in an anarchic world system where powerful states get to call the shots in terms of their own interests. That is why the US as the world's only hyperpower (military, economic, technological) sets the agenda and other states like Russia are attempting to balance. Once you come to grips with this, you will see why calling out arrogance or hypocrisy in terms of foreign policy is futile. Its all about power in the end.
In which case you might as well do away with international law altogether and just let the most powerful nation on earth decide which of its friends get favourable perks at the expense of others. Thankfully it doesn't work that way.
Not entirely, international law is merely an attempt at creating global norms. But it doesn't work if the world's most powerful states who comprise the security council themselves have different norms and interests. Once Russia and China go Democratic (and trust me, it will happen sooner or later), international law will actually mean something.
Ironically enough it is the US and her allies that are the biggest violators of international law, so the actions of Russians and China are immaterial at best.
Except the violations of international law we're talking about here are committed by the US allies, not Russia's or China's.
Also, why do you care about Russia and China, didn't you say:
So what's preventing them from setting the agenda, and distributing democracy? Oh wait, you're already doing that.
Yeah those Russians are a real pain in the a**. Why don't they collapse already so we can turn Syria into another Afghanistan!
Also, when you said Russia and China turn democratic, you mean ala Iraq? ...
Yeah, I can definitely see why the US (and Erdogan and Saudi Arabia...) would love that.
By the way, when you're allied with Saudi Arabia, it's hard to keep a straight face when you talk about "democracy".
*cough* Israel *cough*
How many international laws and Geneva conventions have they broken? Probably a lot more than Turkey, Russia, the US etc
How many international laws and Geneva conventions have they broken? Probably a lot more than Turkey, Russia, the US etc
Except the violations of international law we're talking about here are committed by the US allies, not Russia's or China's.
Also, why do you care about Russia and China, didn't you say:
So what's preventing them from setting the agenda, and distributing democracy? Oh wait, you're already doing that.
Yeah those Russians are a real pain in the a**. Why don't they collapse already so we can turn Syria into another Afghanistan!
Also, when you said Russia and China turn democratic, you mean ala Iraq? ...
Yeah, I can definitely see why the US (and Erdogan and Saudi Arabia...) would love that.
By the way, when you're allied with Saudi Arabia, it's hard to keep a straight face when you talk about "democracy".
You still don't get it do you Danny.
The concept of International Law is merely a device for powerful actors to advance their interests. It is not like the law you or I might think is applicable in a democratic nation state, where people, groups, corporations etc who violate the law will be held to account. In order for that to happen at the international level, we would require a democratic world government, which doesn't exist. Until such time, powerful states call the shots.
So you're fine with Russia invading Eastern Ukraine since they're a quasi-superpower and Ukraine can do little about it?
Of course not - Russia are less powerful economically than Europe or the US and are paying a tremendous price for Putin's landtheft. Its citizens are suffering because the system is punishing their economy. The power here is with those who have it and those who act at their own peril.
Fantastic piece from Maajid Nawaz in the Wall Street Journal.....
How to Beat Islamic State
To win against the jihadists, isolate them, undercut their appeal to Muslims and avoid a ‘clash of civilizations’
http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-beat-islamic-state-1449850833?tesla=y
How to Beat Islamic State
To win against the jihadists, isolate them, undercut their appeal to Muslims and avoid a ‘clash of civilizations’
http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-beat-islamic-state-1449850833?tesla=y
Because???
Iraqis, Sunni and Shia alike, protesting over Erdogan's neo-Ottoman project:
Do you realize in a war against them our technology means shit? I like the Russian women but never trusted the males and I know they are crazy and stupid, also Obama is a very weak president which could turn the events on that region really bad, we should tell the Turks to leave the area in first place then destroy any oil field ISIS controls, destroying any trucks coming/entering Turkey and that would starve ISIS. Then the next step would be finding who's financing them and bringing them to the justice (that would be funny because everybody knows where the support is coming from).
Not going to happen, Turkey is a NATO member.
Absolutely spot on.
To this day its bewildering how Turkey is getting a free pass in all this madness. The fact that they're a NATO member shouldn't absolve them in their enabling of Daesh, directly or indirectly.
I only now have realized that all this time you've been bitching about Putin and Russia it was because you care so much about the plight of Russian citizens. What a humanitarian.
Been watching the US state department's press briefing:
In addition to John Kirby having a bit of a mare, interesting how he states the US's position on Turkey's illegal presence in Iraq is pretty much "Yeah we'll just let them talk it out" despite Iraq making it very clear they want them gone. Wonder if the US sees the situation in the Ukraine as Russia and the Ukrainians simply "talking it out".
In addition to John Kirby having a bit of a mare, interesting how he states the US's position on Turkey's illegal presence in Iraq is pretty much "Yeah we'll just let them talk it out" despite Iraq making it very clear they want them gone. Wonder if the US sees the situation in the Ukraine as Russia and the Ukrainians simply "talking it out".
What a moron. He should have just gone with Raoul's "we're the US and we do what we want" instead of throwing a hissy fit and embarrassing himself in the process. #KirbyoutRaoulin.By the way, I loved the "Yemen is here somewhere".
What an appropriate phrase.Because they have had a sectarian government that has not been competent to address the needs and grievances of the minority.
Lol, always finding an excuse not to hold Russia or China to the same standard you hold the west to.
This one up-man-ship between the US posters and the Russian poster is really pathetic.
Let's be honest, Russia and China aren't angels, but they don't even come close to the amount of mayhem caused in the ME when compared to the US.
By the way, I loved the "Yemen is here somewhere".
Yeah the Yemen bit made me laugh, especially how he had to take a minute to actually familiarise himself with his country's stance towards Yemen.
I was responding to Raoul's bizarre claim that international law only matters if and when China/Russia become more democratic, ignoring that its the US and her allies which are the biggest violators. Russia and China could be the most paragon beacons of democracy and the US and its proxy sponsors would still be making a joke out of international law.
Its not rocket science. The international system can't work in a democratic context wherein international law (norms) are enforceable as long as there are authoritarian states who can disrupt the system. Once Russia and China flip from dictatorships to democracy (and they will), then the security council will be completely in sync in terms of norms and international law will actually mean something. Until that point, you have a conflict between democracies and authoritarian dictatorships.