The World Never Really Faced Kobani

Special for the Armenian Weekly

Some stories are here to stay, and I suspect the story of the 3,000 fighters defending Kobani will be retold for generations to come. Shamefully, the world’s indifference will also be remembered, as will Turkey’s complicity.

Three-thousand Kurdish men and women—members of the Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party’s armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG)—are fighting a bloody battle against 10,000 Islamic State fighters bent on establishing a caliphate that expands from Syria to Iraq, and possibly beyond. Neither the Kurdish YPG fighters’ manpower nor weaponry is a match to those of the Islamist militants. In fact, the Kurds are slowly running out of ammunition and options. Reinforcements are unable to reach them from the tightly controlled Turkish border. On the other hand, truckloads of crude oil are reportedly making their way to the black markets of Turkey to fund the jihadi efforts. Reports of ISIS fighters transiting through Turkey’s borders aren’t infrequent either.

The story of the 3,000 fighters defending Kobani will be retold for generations to come.
The story of the 3,000 fighters defending Kobani will be retold for generations to come.

“The world has turned its back on Kobani,” lamented one resident, named Mahmoud, to The Guardian. But has the world ever really faced Kobani?

Around 160,000 residents have reportedly evacuated Kobani and its surrounding area, and have crossed the border into Turkey. The town is said to be almost entirely empty of civilians—though the line between civilian and fighter are blurred in this life and death fight for survival, so perhaps we should say the town is almost entirely empty of unarmed civilians. Those who have crossed the border now have front row seats to the destruction of their town.

The coalition of the willing—the cartoonish band of unwilling parties under the leadership of the United States—has failed to take any meaningful action. Team U.S.A. includes Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, France, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and others.

Oh, and Turkey—in name so far.

Some critics are left scratching their heads over the involvement of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey because of their alleged moral, financial, and logistical support of ISIS. Others have criticized the continued efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime, pointing out that such efforts will only strengthen ISIS and other terrorist groups who will thrive in the vacuum created by a further weakened or ousted Assad.

Turkey, on the other hand, begs to disagree. In fact, Assad’s removal from power is Erdogan’s top priority.

Turkey is refusing to budge in the face of the Kobani offensive, despite the fact that the town is a rock’s throw away from the Turkish border. What’s more, Turkish security forces are even preventing Syrian and local Kurds from crossing the border into Syria to rush to the aid of their compatriots in Kobani. According to reports security forces are using teargas and water cannon to hold back crowds that have flocked to the border. On Oct. 6, over 1,000 residents of the town of Suruc reportedly tried to march to Kobani to join the Kurdish fighters, but were stopped by Turkish security forces.

Any justification given—none that I even care to regurgitate—reveal the simple fact that sinister calculations trump the safety of an entire town. The bottom line is that in no shape, way, or form will Turkey aid in the reinforcement—or in this case, survival—of a Kurdish autonomous enclave close to the PKK on its borders. This policy has been confirmed by recent statements made by Erdogan likening the threat of ISIS to a threat from the existence of such an enclave. Simply put, there is nothing more worrisome to Turkey’s ruling elite than Kurdish self-determination.

But haven’t we seen this before? All across the world, and throughout history, politics outweighing human lives—some would even call that “good diplomacy.”

A handful of haphazard U.S. airstrikes later, ISIS is still advancing into Kobani. Reports claim IS fighters are confidently strolling through streets, without much care or caution, giving rise to rumors that the fighters might be using hard drugs. A couple of black ISIS flags are already waving above buildings.

The fate of the Kurds has once again turned out to be nothing more than a bargaining chip, and Erdogan is the first to demonstrate that.

Kobani is about to fall, he said on Oct. 7. A matter of fact statement—too matter of fact, coming from the president of a country whose largest minority are the Kurds. Erdogan then coolly listed his conditions for involvement: the establishment of no-fly zones over parts of northern Syria (a condition that pundits fear will only pave the way to increased anti-Kurdish activity by Turkey); deployment of ground troops; and training and arming the moderate opposition in Syria. In essence, Erdogan’s priority is ousting President Assad—to be replaced by an Islamist and Turkey-friendly opposition, they would hope.

So much for the great peace process with the Kurds.

But tensions are rising on the Turkish front as well, with demonstrations and riots taking place across the country in nearly 30 cities and towns against Turkey’s policy vis-à-vis Kobani and the ISIS threat. Some protests have ended in deaths. Kurds have also held protests across European cities, as well as in front of the White House.

Kobani will mark a turning point in the emerging Middle East. It will predetermine the course of Turkish-Kurdish relations, the fate of Syria, and the future of ISIS in the region. It will also reveal Turkey’s weight in regional and international politics. All while Kobani is engulfed in flames.

So I’ll come back to you, Mr. Mahmoud. You said “The world has turned its back on Kobani.”

Unfortunately, the world never really faced Kobani, Mr. Mahmoud. Despite your numbers, you have never really commanded much empathy in the international arena. Your enemies have been too powerful, too valuable.

The world knows how to talk a good talk—democracy, human rights, and the right to self-determination. But frankly, your life is expendable, Mr. Mahmoud. Think of Zilan. Think of Dersim. Think of Halabja. And I’ll think of Der Zor.

But you know all this too well, Mr. Mahmoud.

Nanore Barsoumian

Nanore Barsoumian

Nanore Barsoumian was the editor of the Armenian Weekly from 2014 to 2016. She served as assistant editor of the Armenian Weekly from 2010 to 2014. Her writings focus on human rights, politics, poverty, and environmental and gender issues. She has reported from Armenia, Nagorno-Karabagh, Javakhk and Turkey. She earned her B.A. degree in Political Science and English and her M.A. in Conflict Resolution from the University of Massachusetts (Boston).
Nanore Barsoumian

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53 Comments

  1. I don’t understand your argument. The “cartoonish coalition” allowed Kobani to resist for more than three weeks, which allowed the civilian population of the city to evacuate. This despite your arguments that Kobani has been forsaken due to strategic considerations. Why, in God’s name, should American, Dutch, French, or Turkish soldiers DIE for a city that is NOT American, Dutch, French, or Turkish? When did the coalition ever claim that it was ready to sacrifice the lives of its citizens for things like democracy and human rights? Since the beginning of the military campaign, we’ve been told over and over again that western interference in this conflict is based solely on western interests.

    Secondly, there isn’t a single intelligent person in the world who thinks that the west intervenes in other countries in order to propagate democracy or human rights. It’s such a transparent lie that it’s being slowly abandoned even by the political leadership. As an America, I would NEVER want American soldiers to die for the freedom or human rights of other nations – those other nations are responsible for their own battles. The moment the west DOES intervene, the same people who beg it to intervene start complaining about the VOLUME and INTENSITY of the intervention.

    Thirdly, you argue that the Turks are using the Kurds as pawns. Please explain – what are the Kurds doing? When the Kurds, who have been fighting Turkey for 30 years, beg Turkey to intervene and save Kurds in Syria, the Kurds are being more cynical than any nation or group I have come across. They are literally saying to the Turks – we want to carve our own country out of yours, but until then, will you please help us?

    Ridiculous. The premise of your article is that the west and Turkey are not intervening enough. Yet AT THE SAME EXACT TIME, you’re arguing that their intervention is not legitimate, because it is based on the west’s own interests. Since countries only intervene in world politics when their own interests are at stake, ultimately what you’re arguing for is complete inaction.

    • Agreed 100%. Kurds want Turkish help when it suits them but then tell us they want an independent Kurdistan in eastern Turkey. Can’t have it both ways. If you mark Turkey as your enemy, youll be treated in that manner by Turkey. Why do we HAVE to fight FOR the Kurds who fight against us? Because its the right thing to do? When has anyone done something outside of their national interests because it was the right thing to do? Why does Turkey have to conform to these moral standards? We’re just “barbaric savages” remember?

    • The Kurds are not asking the Turks for help, they are demanding not to be prevented any longer from helping themselves. There’s a big difference.

      Additionally, the author is not arguing for inaction– that was you. She is arguing in favor of appropriate action based on ethical considerations rather than cynical inaction or geopolitical opportunism. The same thing people argued for 100 years ago. But 100 years ago, governments followed your line of reasoning instead. You know what resulted.

    • “SB” must be joking: The coalition “allowed Kobani to resist” by letting the population evacuate? Since when is evacuation resistance? The population evacuated in terror at the rapid advance of ISIS that the “coalition” did nothing to slow down until it was too late.They messed around bombing empty fields and buildings in other parts of Syria while Kobani emptied out. Only then did they take notice and give ISIS a few pin pricks as humanitarian gestures. In the final analysis, Kobani’s people are totally expendable to the entire ‘coalition’, including Turkey (if it’s in). The difference is that “SB” thinks that is fine and the way things should be. Barsoumian’s eloquent piece speaks volumes for the rest of us, . .

  2. It is very well-known that the US and Israel back the Kurds everywhere because they see the Kurds as a base for US and Israeli power against Arab nations and Iran.

    Therefore, maybe we Armenians need to think about this, and what it means for us and our lands in eastern “Turkey”.

    • Today called Kobani; tomorrow may be called Chobani… As an Armenian survivor wherever I may be, what do I care!!! They deserve each other, as both equally collaborated and achieved my Genocide. Let me just concentrate on my survival, to best serve my revenge to both. One of them outsmarted the other a century ago, and got away with a bigger piece of the pie called Turkish Republic: Does that make the other any more innocent????

  3. The Armenian Weekly poignanty describes a genocide that is moments from happening NOW in KOBANI ” The world knows how to talk a good talk—democracy, human rights, and the right to self-determination. But frankly, your life is expendable, Mr. Mahmoud. Think of Zilan. Think of Dersim. Think of Halabja. And I’ll think of Der Zor.” Well said, and as a Hellene, I’ll think of Cyprus 1974, Smyrna 1922, Pontus, 1919, Thrace 1914 :

  4. The issue is that the U.S. acknowledges that ISIS can not be defeated without boots on the ground. One of, if not the, most effective force of boots on the ground is the Kurdish fighters. Yet, the U.S. is unwilling to arm the Kurds effectively because Turkey blocks such s move. With effective weapons, the Kurds would have no problems engaging ISIS. Thus, what we have is the U.S. going against its own interests because Turkey “fears” arming the Kurds effectively. Instead, we (the U.S.) is left with the only options of airstrikes and arming anti-Asad Syrians – neither of which is sufficient to combat ISIS. This is why even within the power centers of the U.S. you find dissatisfaction with Turkey’s response. There will come a time, and Turkey should recognize this, that the price will be too great and the U.S. will go its own way without Turkey or in spite of Turkish interests.

  5. I believe that the West does have significant self interest in battling against ISIS, notwithstanding some of the comments above. Is it really so difficult to believe that a strong “caliphate” that so easily murders all “heretics”, infidels, and anyone at all who might oppose them might be inclined at some point to launch some significant offensives against the West in western countries? I think not.

    Moreover, as to specifically the United States, I believe that the US bears significant responsibility for destabilizing the area by waging war against Sadaam Hussein under the false pretense of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, when the reality was that Iraq was merely a technologically primitive third world country. Not only did the US thereby “let the genie out of the bottle” in what had been a relatively peaceful country, but they left behind significant weapons resources that ISIS is now using to carry out their murderous military campaign.

    And when that murderous military campaign is accompanied by Koran-sanctioned sexual slavery of “captive” young women, girls, and boys, we in the West may have even a greater moral imperative to put an end to behavior that is absolutely contrary to what we deem to be minimally acceptable human behavior.

    Suggested actions that might have been taken include the arming of the resistance in Kobani with substantial weapons resources, allowing willing Kurds to cross the Turkish border to join their brothers and sisters in defending that city, and a stepped-up bombing and overall air campaign by admittedly thus far “cartoonish coalition” participants. But, to the extent none of the above has yet been implemented, it may be too late.

    Let the world witness the massacre and be ashamed. And maybe that’s what it’s all about. Maybe the powers that be recognize that they can only get public support for a more significant response to ISIS if Kobani is scarificed and we will then all be able to witness the horrible atrocities that will ensue.

  6. Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Pontics, Greeks… were “infidels” to the commonness of Turks and Kurds: Their cleansing were “blessed”, and looting their possessions were “halal”, a century ago!!! Now that their racial oddity has taken over that religious commonness, and a Kurdish Race is an exclusive and imminent danger to the Turkish Republic, I rather mind my own business of existence than choose between the two butchers of my survival !!!!

    • Why should I choose between two accomplices, who equally butchered me to annihilation, and vied to establish their respective republics on my ancestral lands, enriched with property looted from me? If one outsmarted the other, achieved its Republic, and denied the other of a “promised” prize, why should I entrench with the loser ??? Don’t be more papal than the Pope , guys! We call on others not to play politics; we should refrain from playing politics ourselves !

    • I totally agree with you Daniel … Both turks and kurds are murderers. When were the kurds good and when were the turks good ? The US and Israeli propaganda and the idiocy of arabs gave the kurds the support and the control over Assyrian lands in northern Iraq and the media does not stop promoting them blindly not because they do not know what the kurds are but because those are the orders.

  7. Those Turks who argue about this issue should think twice by acknowledging their own past and horrible deeds. Turkey’s hands are the BLOODYEST!

  8. What is being overlooked in many of these comments is the basic hypocrisy of Turkey’s position. Erdogan whines to the world that Kobani is about to fall, yet won’t let the people ready and willing to protect it cross the Turkish border to defend it. Meanwhile, he does allow (and enable) ISIS fighters to cross the border, the very people who have created this situation.

    The only plausible explanation for this illogical stance is that Erdogan wants Kobani to fall and for ISIS to become an immediate threat to Turkey, giving Ankara license to launch a large-scale and indiscriminate military operation in the area, one that will conveniently result in a lot of “collateral damage.” It’s just so hard to tell PKK from ISIS in the fog of war, don’t you think?

  9. 1. We, the USA and its lovely ally’s, especially the Turks, created , armed , allowed, trained ISIS. ALL via Turkey. The idea that this vile just appeared in Syria and Iraq with a 15k man army armed with USA weapons is complete nonsense. Its just gotten out of hand and the three ring circus doesn’t know how to deal with it.

    2. Are we talking about the same Kurds that raped, murdered, burned, stabbed, stole the Armenian population along with the Turks because we were “infidels” and they were to be rewarded with the Armenian loot al promised by the worse vile Turks who then just turned on the Kurds? No thanks. No sympathy here. Yes they “apologized” for their role in the AG but that came after they became Turkish victims themselves..

    However, if there is a way to exploit their demise, as tragic as it is, and rightfully put the blame on the genocidal Turks for accurate PR then yes, Im for it.

  10. ISIS-Lover EVIL Erdogan prevents desperate Kurds from crossing over to help save their Kurd brothers and sisters. God will punish him.

    It wasn’t that long ago that Turkish Muslims perpetrated a barbaric genocide of millions of Armenians as well as other Christian innocents.

    Why is war monger Turkey, a member of NATO? Turkey invaded peaceful Christian Cyprus. END TURKEY’S ILLEGAL OCCUPATION of CHRISTIAN CYPRUS!

    It’s time the Free World’s people took to the streets with banners, shouting
    FREE, FREE CYPRUS!

    We need to take to the streets now with banners shouting, ARM THE KURDS!

    Please, Merciful God, help the Kurds, Christians and Yazidis!

    • First of all, Tayyip the liar is too soft on Kurdish seperatists. Second of all, Tayyip is more pro-Saudi Culture then pro-Turkey. Third of all, the PKK has no right to fight in Syria, because, they are also a terrorist group like ISIS. So it would be better to get the Free Syrian Army or US troops to defend Kobani, instead of a terrorist group (PKK) fighting another terror group (ISIS). Better for PKK and ISIS to kill each other for world peace.

  11. I’m outraged. The UK Daily Mail reported that Kurd leaders begged American and European leaders for arms to fight against satanic ISIS savages and defend their people. Our evil leaders REFUSED.

    The Kurds are the only ones helping Christians. No one else helps Christians. The brave Kurds are our brothers and sisters who are being slaughtered by the same ISIS monsters who threaten to carry out atrocities against non-muslims in Western countries. ISIS have many enthusiastic supporters in our Western countries.

    Rest in eternal peace with the angels, brave Kurd warriors. When you courageously fought and died, you also fought and died for our people who are also under threat from ISIS barbarians. You will never be forgotten.

    Bible, Romans 12:19 VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, says the LORD.

    • Western leaders are not helping Christians. Christians have fled to Kurd-controlled areas for refuge.

      Christians are massively discriminated against and intensely HATED by Western leaders. Christian refugees are REFUSED entry into our countries because they believe in Jesus and don’t worship the muslim DEATH god!!! Refusing entry of Christians desperate to escape severe muslim persecution has been going on for many years. Our leaders prefer muslims.

      http://www.cbn.com
      Christian Syrian Refugees Denied Visas to West

      Christian Syrian refugees have found temporary shelter in Jordan, but their immigration requests have been rejected by Western countries.

      Some of them have spoken to the Associated Press, but want to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

      One Syrian refugee said, “Everyone sold whatever they owned in Syria in order to get here, so that we could apply for visas at an embassy. We were all surprised to be rejected on the basis that there was no reason for us to go to Europe. Their reasons were all false – nothing correct in them.”

      Another man said that western countries “were supposed to support us, and they were supposed to facilitate our immigration process as Christians, and I’m very sad that they haven’t.” …
      http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/December/Christian-Syrian-Refugees-Denied-Visas-to-West/

  12. Sunni Turks love seeing ISIS decimate the Kurds, and Sunni Arabs love seeing ISIS massacre Shia. And they all love seeing Christians and Yezidi get it. ISIS will start destabilizing the happy onlookers.

    Erdogan has been so obsessed with killing Alewites that. Ow he has 500 miles of border with ISIS killers.

    We. Need to fear Turks and Az giving them consent to attack Armenia and Armenians.

  13. To hell with Turkey. The Kurds want Eastern Turkey as their country. It is not their country, it is Armenia, and always will be Armenia no mater what. They can have some but not all. It is too our advantage to help them fight ISIS, think of the world with Isis I the middle east in control. God help us all.

  14. RVDV,
    ‘SB’ posted their ‘logic’ and you agreed with the statements in quite a hurry. However, it would be good if you guys looked at the situation from a different, more realistic perspective, rather than a two dimensional one. Given no other points to work with, if the Kurds wanted to carve out a chunk of Turkey, then asked Turkey for help, indeed it would seem hypocritical.

    But from a different angle, who was it that created the conditions which the Kurds found themselves in, in the first place? I hope you are not suggesting that Turkey is a neutral, innocent bystander in all of this, because then your entire arguments would be void.

    Given endless funding from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the fact is, the pseudo-revolution of Syria would never have taken off had it not been for Turkey’s conscious, deliberate and unwavering support for IS terrorists, which have arrived and invaded Syria through Turkey, and with the full knowledge and aid of the Turkish government. We don’t need to discuss whether this is true, because this is a fact and ‘there isn’t a single intelligent person in the world who thinks that’ this is not true. Turkey’s involvement and might I add the responsibility of the creation of Alqaeda-Alnusra-ISIS-ISIL-IS or whatever else you want to call them, is clear as daylight.

    Now given these facts, is your position still the same?

    Besides the fact that Turkey is single-handedly responsible for the terrorist cells in Iraq and Syria, the Kurds could also argue that Turkey being a NATO member, and given the US’s request to act against IS, and the fact that Turkey is not, gives the Kurds a similar argument as you are making. Turkey wants the benefits of NATO but does not want to fulfill its own obligations or do the work involved, especially in the face of a Kurdish humanitarian disaster. No doubt, given the US government’s amateur politicians, Turkey is getting away with it all.

    Turkey opened the borders to terrorists, and played stupid by suggesting that it has no clue about it, but now all of a sudden, the borders are secure when Kurds are in trouble? A blind man could see through that phony charade. Turkey does not even deserve the privilege of even having a secure border with Syria for supporting and sending Alqaeda affiliated terrorists to Syria, and supplying them with all the weaponry they need, and violating its neighbor’s sovereignty and causing untold destruction.

    Then there is the supposed Turkish-Kurdish peace negotiations. Does your argument now also mean that peace can be thrown out the door, and the PKK is free to conduct its attacks on Turkey again?

    Whatever you try to argue, Turkey is responsible for the disaster in Syria, and thus also all the refugees that have been created, and all for what? So that it could make a couple of dollars by having some pipelines go through Syria and Turkey and swindle a couple of Syrian territories perhaps. To top it all off, per a NY times article today, the vile neocons of the west are starting to “collect documented evidence of the crimes of the Syrian government”. Yes, in the minds of criminals, their victim is always the guilty one.

  15. REVENGE a-la-Turca?
    Turkey would probably be happy to see Kobani fall. The town has emerged as a symbol of Kurdish resistance. It hosted Ocalan when he used to live in Syria under the patronage of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.

  16. People, people!
    Aren’t we forgetting what is really important?
    While we are sitting here and having this lovely (yet racist and inhumane) conversation, women and children are on the edge of massacre. Does it matter if the victims are Turks, Kurds, Armenian, and so on…? What has happened to human kind? Are we this far into loosing our core values, our empathy, sympathy??? What is this cold monster we have become?

    How about we all put our efforts into saving a child’s life?
    A life is a life, regardless of its race or background. A Kobne child has the same right of survival, to live, to simply exist, just as much as a chile from Chicago. We are no God to choose who dies or who lives. But sadly, a middle eastern kid’s life is pretty much depended on the natural resources his country has to offer. How do I know this? Well lets just say I am the only survivor of a family of 7. Oil, politics, and racism has taken all was dear to me.

    We are NO God, everyone deserves to live.

    • Suffering is universal. Nobody deserves it, and everybody deserves salvage. Yet, don’t be aloof of what happened, to better assess what’s happening. A century ago, Turks and Kurds found a common ground, and acting in synergy, cleansed ALL who preached a different god. Ancestral civilizations paid the price of annihilation to that, and today’s “humane” world you preach still needs to rise over political gains, and recognize that infamy of history. They ended up with an Asia Minor, where exclusive Turanism does not tolerate any other racial entity a/k/a Kurdistan ( as all others got wiped out by their “magic”); Kurds assert to survive as a race, irrespective of being religious cousins to Turks; and here revives the ideology of ISIS, which was ALWAYS there, is a building block to all, yet DOES NOT recognize any racial barriers or boundaries ( thus, in essence, a global resurgence of Islam, enemy to all others…). And me, whose whole ancestry was lost to the combination of this savage trio… will be tagged “inhumane” for NOT SAVING a life !!!! Animosity is not in my heart; hate is not something I preach; I’m not a barbaric savage to go and kill; yet please leave me with the suffering in my heart, watch through my ancestors’ eyes, and witness and re-live the moments of how my ancestors were wiped out in broad daylight, when British submarines could not mount up the peaks of Mt. Ararat to save my ancestors from the plight of Turks and Kurds !!! To this “humane” world we live in: It deeply hurts me, when the killing of a dozen or two children, a hundred or two innocents you easily call a genocide, while you STILL wonder what to call the annihilation of a whole race religion heritage culture history !!!! Yes, yes, no innocent soul needs to suffer, and I suffer with all those sufferings of any race or religion. Yet, you of the “free” world, you the “humane” of the world, ENOUGH of your calls for “humanity” that is nothing but BIGOTRY !!!!

    • {“ (yet racist and inhumane) conversation,..”}

      Can you please tell us which posts you consider as ‘racist and inhumane’ ?
      There are many comments in this thread.
      Would help to know which ones you are referring to.

    • Avery, I can think of a few this person may be referring to…such as the many above cheerleading the demise of entire ethnic/religious groups. There’s a lot of extremely binary thinking in this conversation that’s really inapplicable to the real world. I would be interested to know how many of these apparent experts on Kurds have actually ever met a Kurdish person.

  17. Is it possible? Can it be done? How is it done? How can a whole neighborhood; a whole village; a whole town; a whole historic people of Armenia be wiped out? It’s a lie, it’s a lie; Armenians never lived there; never wrote their history there; there never was an ancestral land called Armenia!!!!! It was Urartu, and just changed its name to Turkey !!!! Go read on the walls of Ani (Aneh), watch from the peaks of Ararat ( Aghreh)…. There is NO WAY a whole race and religion be wiped out of their ancestry!!! And that by noble Turkic hands? By Kurdish collaboration in sharing the loot??? Yes, my friends. It is not NO WAY, it is YES WAY, and it is called Armenian Genocide, Assyrian Genocide, Chaldean Genocide, Pontic Genocide, to be continued with Coptic Genocide, Maronite Genocide, Druze Genocide, Shi’a Genocide, Alevi Genocide, Kurdish Genocide… And witness how it happened when there was no aerial intervention, free-lance journalists, doctors without borders, cyber-technology, mass media, radio or TV… Yes my friends: If it can happen today, just imagine how it happened a century ago !!!!

  18. I asked my dad how did he end up with the Rahhal tribe at age 6 summer 1915? How was he taken from Hasanbeyli in Amanos mountains, the first-borne of an Armenian Christian family, and “survived” for 18 years as a Sunni in the welcoming Rahhal family? What was about his mom’s cheeks, the fate of whom along with his only brother he never knew ( ’cause an Osmanli officer had ordered “you go this way, and you go that way”); what was about her cheeks that made him run away from his adoptive lovely Sunni family to the Aleppo Armenian Prelacy in search of finding those? That why at the age of 74, in 1983, he used to cry seeing a grand-daughter of his, whose cheeks he said reminded of her mom???? It was so that I can witness the today, and better understand that yesterday. That even after a century, it is still an insult to have “Armenian” roots for the Sultan Erdogan !!!!! When a Caliph “world leader” Erdogan can feel that way… is it too much for a layman like me to simply watch and witness how these barbaric savages can slaughter each other too??? Can’t I even sip a droplet of “Yeni Raki” on this occasion, in memory of those who did the impossible ” that I may have life, and have it more abundantly?????”.

  19. An excellent and moving article . Arsen Nazarian has translated to Fari (Persian)and i have seen the persian tranlation in Rahekargar website that echos Kobani resistance thourghly http://www.rahekargar.net or http://rahekargar.net/browsf.php?cId=1074&Id=291&pgn= I appreciate indeed Nanore article and her mastery about our region. Her standpoint is welcomed by many democrat and left activists of Iran. I thank also Arsen for his excellent tranlation. Arsen is one of famous Armenian-Iranian left and demorcat activists.

  20. As an American, it’s really hard to tell the difference between IS from some of the other Sunni-dominated nations. Seems like a huge civil war that is a product of religion, arbitrary post world war borders and idiotic Western interventions to ensure the steady flow of oil.

    Stay safe over there.

  21. You are rihgt charles we are living in very hard and catastrophic situation.To declare war under the guise of relegion, nation or one idealogy is worst of all that ends up to genocide.In Kobani is one of the most democratic experience of our region at the stake.So all the recationries are united to dont let it to survive because it could be source of inspiration for other progressive movments of our region.

  22. I’m glad to see the true face of many Armenians here. I will take that with me in the future, when I deal with your nation. Same goes for Assyrians. Kurds have stretched out their hands for you countless of times, long time ago recognizing, condemning and apologizing for the massacres commited by SOME Kurds allying with the Turks. Most Kurds were neutral, didn’t go and hunt Armenian kids and women, nor men. However, I would argue, if you look at a crime, you’re also guilty. Many Kurds, helped these victims too, why don’t you ever mention this? Dersim for instance was punihshed with massacres after they helped Christians flee the army of slaughter. Let me make this clear to everyone, 1. Kurds even according to Armenian, Assyrian and Sumerian sources have lived (at least our namesakes) in South East Anatolia for at least 5,000 years, 2. Just like Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks were used by Russia, Britiain and France, the Kurds were used on the other side by Ottomans. Don’t pretend as if you were totally innocent, Kurds were massacred by Armenians and Christian soldiers too. Kurds were a tool of Ottoman, just like you guys were tools of Russia and Co. Claiming anything else would be lies. Even though I have to acknowledge, in general most of the killing and misery was done by Turks and their puppet Kurds. Maybe it was because they had the upper hand? I’m sure if your camp had the upper hand, you’d do the same. It was a fight of survival, it was either Kurds, or you guys, because one side ws being used to sement Islam there, and the other to sement Christianity. Just because Armenians and Assyrians have been the dominant forces doesn’t mean others didn’t live there, 3. If an Armenian or Assyrian person or group of people had been subject to this, I’d support them from the middle of my heart. It amazes me to see how coldhearted and careless you guys are, when you know hundreds of thousands have lost their homes, and living in the worst conditions, many have and will die. It just amazes me, thanks for showing your true colors though. From this day I will be very carefull to trust any Armenian or Assyrian. However, I know there are many of you who think of us as friends and want progress, salute to all of you and those of you are always welcome. It’s okay to be critic, but do it in a respectful and honest way. Kurds have at least tried to build bridges with you, the Turks still debate if such a thing ever took place. Two different dimensions. I can assure Armenians and Assyrians, by being our enemy, you’re weaking us all, and strengtening the true enemy, Turkey. Well done!

    And Turks, you will pay the price for all your crimes one beautiful day. Kurds are too strong, physically, mentally and sexually (:P) for you to be able to defeat us. We make 3 times more kids than you do, soon we’ll outnumber you even in Western Turkey. LOL =] Anywya, in the larget picture we’re all fools, if we weren’t we’d act like true neighbors, help each other and work with each other in every aspect possible. Others have had their wars and conflicts too, like in Scandinavia and Britian and America for instance, but they have become humans again and started to work together and now look at them, one part is the worlds mightiest economy and military (USA and Britain), the other is doing very well economically (Scandinavia). They didn’t get to there by continuing to war and hate each other, they got there because they had peace at home and started helping each other out. If our region had done this, we’d become a global power to deal with within a short period of time. Union of Kurds, Turks, Armenians, Assyrians, possibly even Arabs, that would truly be a power to deal with. Howveer, we’re too stupid, ignorant and foolish to reach there. No, we’d probably exterminate each other, before that ever happens. The part were one can forgive and move on, is lacking in our brains I suspect. May God give it back to us. I can honestly say, my people is one of the few who can think like that (forgive and move on). Tomorrow if Turkey really wanted peace, my people would have forgiven and moved on. I’m not even being biased, I’m totally honest. Kurds are like this, I don’t know if it’s because of all the misery or what, but right now my people is one fo the few in this region that can forgive and move on if given the chance.

    May we all get enlightened and forgive each other, move on, get some progres s for once instead of just mo ving back all the time.

  23. Dear Gopal Simbel Resho I confirm %100 that we victims of Ottoman empire and other empires should forgive each others and unite for a common fight for a true democratic and just future for our region free of meddling and interventions of great powers,the rival games,use and misuse of us.For the moment it is the duty of every true human being to defnend the kobani against IS barbarism!

    • Karen, very encouraging to read your comment. Thank you very much. Please pray for and support Kobane. Turkey is blocking everything for the Kurds who are making a last stand there and fascilitating everything for the IS savages, including selling their oil for them, so they can keep on funding their bloody war machine. NATO and Co are on it as well, because their main goal is to see Assad go just like Gaddafi did a few years back. We don’t need Turkeys help, we don’t even need them to stop supporting the IS savages, the only thing we need is for them not to hinder our own people to come to rescue. Just a few days ago, 1 thousand men from Suruc were going to cross into Kobane to join the defence of the city, however none were allowed to cross over by the Turks. I think they found a way to bypass the TUrkish blockade, but still it gets very hard. The Turks have rejected to allow Kurdish Peshmerga forces use their roads to get to Kobanes rescue. If Turks had just not hindered our peeople to help Kobane (they can even keep on helping thier ISIS lovers) there would arrive thousands of Kurds every day to Kobane, ISIS would have been overran by Kurds, we’re too many and too willing to sacrifice for our people and land, for ISIS to ever be able to take even a village from us, unless it happnes like it has, with Turkey doing everything in its power to sabotage for us and help the ISIS savages.

      Again thanks for your support for Kobane. It’s much needed and deeply appreciated. May God bless you and yours.

  24. Gopal Simbel Resho,

    You’re actually trying to say that the Armenians, Assyrians, and other Christians of the former Ottoman Empire committed massacres against the Kurds? And exactly how did they manage to do that? Christians weren’t even allowed to own guns in the former Ottoman Empire. On the other hand, the Ottoman Empire’s Muslims were allowed to own as many guns as they wished. As a result, for over six hundred years of Muslim Ottoman Turk rule, the Muslims (Turks and Kurds) terrorized and brutalized the defenseless Christian inhabitants of Anatolia, which led to the Hamidian Massacres (200,000-300,000 Armenians slaughtered), Adana Massacre (30,000 Armenians slaughtered), Armenian Genocide (1.5 million Armenians slaughtered), Greek Genocide (almost one million Greeks slaughtered), and Assyrian Genocide (250,000 Assyrians slaughtered).

    It’s true that the Kurds were used by the Ottoman Turk government in joining forces with the Turks to commit these barbaric, horrifying acts; however, the Kurds were nevertheless quite eager to rob and seize the possessions of those Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian victims they slaughtered.

    Exactly what sort of “fight of survival” are you talking about? For your own education, the Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians didn’t even have a chance to fight for their survival. Those three genocides arrived at their front doors without the slightest clue of what was awaiting them. On top of that, they had no guns to defend themselves with.

    How extremely silly it is that you’re trying to imply that Anatolia’s Christians were attempting to establish Christianity over Islam within the Ottoman Empire. Exactly how was that possible when they had very few guns and were outnumbered 75 to 25 percent by the Muslims? On the contrary, it was the Muslim Turks assisted by the Muslim Kurds, who barbarically forced Islam upon Anatolia by wiping out its entire Christian population of Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians. This explains the reason why ninety-nine percent of Turkey’s population today happens to be Muslim.

    Are you trying to say the Kurds were subjected to massacres by the Turks because they helped Christians flee from Dersim? Which Christians are you talking about? There were no Christians in Dersim in 1937. Eastern Anatolia’s Christian population had already been fully wiped out fifteen years before the Dersim massacre.

    “Kurds have lived in South East Anatolia for at least 5,000 years.” Actually, if you insert the word “Armenians” instead of “Kurds,” and “eastern Anatolia” instead of “southeast Anatolia,” it’ll be a correct statement. Here, let me show you: Armenians lived in eastern Anatolia for at least 5,000 years. Now it’s correct. In regard to the Kurds, their existence in Anatolia dates back to two thousand years ago in the bottom corner of the southeastern part of that region. Hey, that’s still a thousand years before the arrival of the Turks on Anatolian soil.

    • Yerevan, I can argue with you for ever, but not if you’re going to play the same old “wall” as usual. You have to meet me at the middle if you want to be taken seriously. So everything Kurds say are lies, while you are always telling the indisputable truth?

      So you’re telling me, Sumerians lied when they wrote about “land of Karda” situated somewhere south of Lake Van around 3,000 BC? You’re telling me Sumerians never wrote this, even though they did? Somehow you an Armenian have broader knowledge about my peoples history than myself, or those many Kurds who are far more into it than me and you? Sure. Also yes I mean it, Kurds were stuck in the middle of a much larger war between Ottomans and the West, I can agree that most of the killing was done by Turks and their Kurdish allies, but some massacres were carried out on Kurds as well, by Armenians. Anyway, we’re trying to reach a hand out to you guys, by recognizing, apologizing etc, however we won’t lie for your convenience and say “sure we ALL Kurds were part of it and should bear the responsibility”, because frankly that was never the case. Some Kurds were traitors to the broader Kurdish nation at the time, they exist today as “village” guards in turkey, some 100,000 armed traitors fighting the Kurdish Freedom Movement with their Turkish masters. Many Kurds were totally neutral, many even helped Christians, either by hiding them, adopting them or facilitating their escape. Is it so hard to digest the fact that the overall Kurdish position was never meant to harm or massacre their Chrisitan neighbors? Many of these savages who shamelessly slaughtered civilian and defenseless Anatolian Christians were released from jail, only if they promised to join this disgraceful campaign of slaughter. I can understand you would argue if we had been totally biased and said “no we just defended ourselves blabla”, or if we denied the massacres and genocides ever happened like the Turks do. Howeveer I can’t udnerstand why you don’t meet us in the middle, when we’ve tried to our best ability to strech out a hand, to build bridges, to seal old wounds etc. In that manner, people like you, who keep throwing fuel on the fire of hatred, are almost as bad as those who massacred those defenseless Christians. And are you seriously trying to tell me Dersim weren’t punished for helping Christians? You see, this is extremely degrading and insulting, when you come with such false deceivving statements. This is what I mean, by we Kurds won’t accept such behavior form Armenians and Assyrians like you. Respect, tolerance and openness goes two ways, not only one. Nothing is impossible, if we want, we can make up for all past issues, and live with each other again peacefully as we did for thousands of years before the arrival of Turks from Central Asian Steppes of Mongolia. At least in relative peace.

      Again I hope we can start a fresh brotherly relation again, with both Armenians and Assyrians. If one day the Turkification of Anatolia may actually be reversed, we’ll become neighbors with the Greeks once again, how great wouldn’t that be? =]

      For it was maybe the Greeks who lost most from the Turks, they lost ancient Jewels like Constantinople (Istanbul), Smyrna (Izmir), Sparta (isparta) and so on.

      I just hope justice prevails and I’m sure Kurds would at least after all the suffering we’ve been through ourselves sicne then, be more than willing to give all the stolen/seized properties of Christians back to them. I’m sure Christians will be fair and let Kurds keep some of it, as they know it’s now the fault of the present day Kurds what some of their treacherous ancestors did. Remember we still have this segment of traitors, around 100,000 and their families, working against their own people, even killing our Freedom Fighters. If they can/could kill their own, what do you expect them to do with others? Please convey the truth to your kids etc, do not give them the impression all Kurds were supporters of the Christian Genocides, not for our sake, but for the sake of truth.

    • Exactly which “wall” am I playing? The Great Wall of China? Hey Gopal, if you wish to be taken seriously then you’ve got to make a strong effort to quit with these senseless, ridiculous claims of yours.

      “So you’re telling me, Sumerians lied when they wrote about land of Karda situated somewhere south of Lake Van around 3000 BC.” It seems like you’ve been spending quite a bit of time over on Wikipedia. Actually, in that particular Wikipedia article about the history of the Kurds, it never says that the Sumerians wrote such a thing. What it says is that according to a British historian, the name “land of Karda” was found in 3rd millennium BC records. However, he never showed any proof of this. As a matter of fact, in that very same article, it also states that the origin of the name, Kurd, is unknown. Anyway, I have an educational article for you on the Kurds, which shows them going back to two thousand years ago:
      http://www.infoplease.com/spot/kurds3.html

      Why are you persistently trying to make up silly lies about the Armenians committing massacres against the Kurds? The massacre of Kurds in Dersim in 1937, was not committed by Armenians. It was committed by the Turks. And, the massacres of Kurds in northern Iraq in the 1980’s, was not committed by Armenians. It was committed by the Iraqis. Actually, it’s quite obvious why you’re so desperate to establish that the Armenians committed massacres against the Kurds. The answer is that you feel greatly disturbed by the Kurds’ involvement in assisting the Turks to commit genocide against the Armenians. As a result, by creating a false, ridiculous story about Armenians committing massacres against the Kurds, you’re attempting to lower the level of the Kurds’ guilt in its participation in exterminating the Armenian population of Anatolia. As a matter of fact, you’re so disturbed by all this, that you’re again continuing with your ridiculous story about the Kurds saving Christians in Dersim, and then getting massacred for it. Who are you trying to fool with all this ridiculous nonsense? Once again, the entire Christian population of eastern Anatolia where Dersim is located, was fully wiped out fifteen years prior to the Dersim massacre.

      In regard to the Armenian Genocide, it’s true that the Kurds recognize this. However, as a whole, they still haven’t fully acknowledged their own participation in this particular genocide. This is not what I would define as “sealing old wounds.”

      In regard to who lost the most things from the Turks, it’s certainly true that the Greeks lost a lot of things; so did the Assyrians; however, the group who lost the most things were the Armenians. They lost the most people; they had the most churches destroyed; and they had the most properties, wealth, and lands stolen from them.

      Exactly how am I throwing fuel on the fire of hatred? Exactly where have I exhibited hatred towards the Kurds? The only thing I’m doing is stating the facts about what has taken place in the past. But then again, whenever one states the facts about the barbaric, sickening details that the Christians of Anatolia (Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians) were subjected to for over six hundred years of Muslim Ottoman Turkish rule, the Turks and even some of the Kurds proceed to respond by saying that he or she is “throwing fuel on the fire of hatred.”

    • Gopal,

      I never said that “everything Kurds say are lies.” Just because you’ve been telling numerous lies on here, does not in any way signify that all of the Kurds tell lies. On the contrary, I’m sure there are many Kurds who don’t tell lies.

      Is there a reason why you keep repeating the same lie about the Kurds saving Christians in Dersim, and then getting massacred by the Turks because of it? Once again, the entire Christian population of eastern Anatolia where the town of Dersim is located, was fully wiped out fifteen years prior to the Dersim massacre.

      In regard to the Sumerians writing about “the land of Karda situated somewhere south of Lake Van around 3000 BC,” there is no actual proof of such a writing. This was nothing more than a claim made by a British historian.

      In regard to the Armenian Genocide, it’s true that the Kurds recognize this. It’s also true that many Kurds, such as yourself, have acknowledged the Kurds’ participation in assisting the Ottoman Turks to exterminate the Armenians; however, on the reverse side of that, you as well as many other Kurds are still attempting to create the same old excuse that those particular Kurdish murderers had previously been in jail and were released only on the condition of participating in the extermination of Armenians. In other words, what you’re trying to say is that they had no other alternative other than to slaughter Armenians or else remain in jail. This was probably true for some of those Kurdish murderers; on the other hand, there were also many Kurds who weren’t in jail, who volunteered to participate in the extermination of Armenians. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that although the Kurds might acknowledge their participation in the extermination of the Armenians, they still haven’t acknowledged their participation in the extermination of the Greeks and Assyrians.

      It’s rather silly of you to try and suggest that the Greeks lost more things than the Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. The Greeks certainly lost a lot of things; so did the Assyrians. As for the Armenians, they lost even more things: people, wealth, properties, and lands.

      It’s quite amusing how you’re accusing me of “throwing fuel over the fire of hatred.” Why is it that every time an Armenian reminds a Turk or Kurd about the brutal barbarism that was inflicted upon Anatolia’s Armenians as well as other Christians by the Ottoman Turks along with the assistance of the Kurds, they immediately accuse that particular Armenian of being a hater?

  25. Friends, Armenian, Kurd (Gopal Simbel Resho, RVDV), and otherwise, please think before you turn against each other. You are falling into the very trap that Turks, and sad to say, NATO provocateurs hope you fall into.

    If you miss the role of NATO and its operatives 1)in fomenting this war, 2)bolstering ISIL in the first place, and 3)seeking to undermine the Assad regime, then you don’t see the real picture unfolding before your eyes.

    If we allow ourselves to be distracted by historical animosities against Kurds based on the events of the Armenian Genocide, then we are pawns of those whose agenda is in direct conflict with our goal for long-awaited justice.

    Eliminating Assad’s regime, building oil pipelines right thru the region of Kobani, ‘managing’ Kurdish self-rule ambitions, and deflating PKK and YPG—these are the real goals of those who we are foolishly looking to for help for besieged Christians, Kurds, Alevis, Yazidis, etc. Do you seriously expect that humanitarian rights will trump petro-dollar rights? It hasn’t for 100 years or more. What has changed now, that we should expect a different outcome?

    Kurds are not the enemy at this time—despite our tragic history with each other and their acquisition of our lands. God-willing, there will be opportunity in the future for Armenians and Kurds to wrangle with each other over the Armenian historical homeland and to test the sincerity of Kurdish apologies over their role in the Armenian Genocide, but for now they should stand together.

    • I agree with you. Not many (even Kurds) know what is really going on. If NATO really wanted, ISIS would be gone in a week. Let’s work together now, for the sake of all our people, then we can deal with the other stuff later. Remember there are tons of Assyrians and some Armenians fighting alongside Kurd YPG forces against these monsters. For once let us not be used against each other. Heck, my message goes mostly to Kurds, as even they themselves under these harsh and critical conditions we are facing in Bashur and Rojava remain divided and suspicious of each other. May God give us some common sense and strenght to resist IS proxy army of NATO and Turkey. They have been funded by the Saudi, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait (basically the Sunni Arab block), using Turkey as transit point, been designed and guided by NATO. There are even unconfirmed reports that CIA, Mossad, MIT and Mi6 operatives are leading these savages, hence why some of them have gloves and masks on in this extreme heat, to seal their faces and skincolours. May God help us and may all good humans unite against this evilness.

    • I’ve lost count how many times I’ve said this, but I am a Turk. The issues, concerns, and independence movement is not my concern.

      “Eliminating Assad’s regime, building oil pipelines right thru the region of Kobani, ‘managing’ Kurdish self-rule ambitions, and deflating PKK and YPG”

      I support all of this.

    • RVDV, I recall you saying you were a Turk of Kurdish ethnicity. I guess you identify yourself by nationality rather than ethnic group. Sorry for the mistake.

    • Boyajian:

      RVDV can correct me, but I believe you misunderstood what he said.

      He does not identify himself by nationality, which would be Turkish, but has _chosen_ the ethnic group ‘Turk’ as his ethnic identity.
      He was born a Kurd, of parents and grandparents who were Kurds, if memory serves. I.e. no ethnic Turk ancestry*.
      But for a variety of reasons has chose to be identified as a ‘Turk’.
      He is open about his affinity for things Turkish and his affinity for the country of Turkey (…but not the ugly elements within.)

      It was hard for me to wrap my head around the concept also, but he explained it as best he could over many posts.
      I am still not 100% sure I understand fully, but have a fairly good idea why he chose that path.

      Most of us, if not all, want and need to belong.
      We Armenians are lucky in that sense: we have an ancestry that gives us a deep, solid anchor, a natural belonging to something Great.
      There are of course cases of individual rejection of the ‘other’ Armenian, but it is rare and is frowned upon by the overwhelming majority: miscreants are shamed and shouted down.

      Individually Kurds are good people, but they have a history of in-fighting and oppressing, and oftentimes killing, the ‘other’ Kurds.
      If you have been on the receiving end of being excluded, it is very hard to identify with those who rejected and oppressed you.
      That is my understanding of what happened.

      —-
      * although in one of the threads RVDV half jokingly believed he may in fact have some Armenian ancestry due to the city his family is from. (don’t remember the name of the city).

    • It’s easier to forgive others for oppressing you than it is forgiving your own people. Now that the Kurds are pushing for independence they say the right things and are more accepting to Alevi Kurds. Too little, far too late. I see Kurds in a similar way to Jews. Victimized for centuries. But let’s not think of Kurds as some peace loving liberal Muslims. They’re appearance, I think, is a matter of circumstance. They are no more civilized than other Muslim groups. Culturally, they are more backwards than Turks. I think had they had a state (power) we’d have a different perception of them. I might be wrong of course. But if you think you can just negotiate with Kurds over eastern Turkey if (big if) they get independence in the east. I wouldn’t trust them.

  26. Viva Kobani the they have kick out IS form Kobani. For the importance of Kobani see following interview:
    Gharib Hassou is representative in Iraqi Kurdistan of the Syria-based Democratic Union Party (Partiya Yekitîya Demokrat, PYD), the main force of Kurdish resistance in Syria. He is interviewed by Stéphane Aubouard in Erbil for the French left-wing newspaper l’Humanité. Translated by Isabelle Métral. (Note: DAESH is also know as “Islamic State” (IS) or ISIS).
    * * *
    Why is the conquest of Kobane so important for DAESH?
    Gharib Hassou: Because the town’s position is strategic. If DAESH succeed in seizing it, it would divide the two other Syrian Kurdish districts of Afrin and Jesire, which would weaken our resistance while enlarging its own borders. But beyond that strategic dimension, there is a symbolic aspect too, for it was in Kobane that we started the revolution in 2012. So DAESH wants to demoralise the Syrian Kurds by getting hold of that important symbol. In the last year they have tried to take hold of it 10 times and each time with our forces alone we succeeded in fighting them back. The problem is that their fire power is now much more important since they have taken tanks and heavy weaponry from the Iraqi army. And add to this the secret forces of some states that actively support the jihadists in their conquest.
    Do you mean Turkey?
    Actively, yes and I do mean Turkey. Joe Biden (the US diplomacy boss) has just confirmed this from a financial point of view. Not only did Ankara support DAESH militarily, but Turkey’s financial contribution is paramount. There are direct agreements between Turkey and DAESH, which functions like a mafia with the money it receives. That money comes notably from the oilfields that jihadists control all along the border. They sell the oil to Turkey (rumour puts the price at US$40 a barrel instead of the current price of $100). Turkey is calling the shots in the region these days, but nevertheless says it might join the [international] coalition [against IS] …
    But Turkey’s parliament has just voted for intervention, if not a military intervention, at least for humanitarian assistance to the town of Kobane …
    I don’t believe a word of it. The Turks have fought the Kurds for thousands of years, so they know who their enemy is. And it is not DAESH. The truth is that Turkey does not want a democratic state to be set up in our region, it wants an Islamist state. [Turkey’s prime minister] Erdogan is an Islamist. So the West should be aware that this war concerns them as much as it does us, Syrian Kurds, and the YPG, and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) who are the only ones to fight on the battlefield.
    We are the only brotherly, humanist, shield against barbarity. We are the only people in the region to be organised democratically. With us it is the people that rule. In each of the three states, there is a male and a female governor. All the communities have a legal right to exist. We did not conquer Kobane by cutting off heads and after raping women!
    So I call on the civilised world to come to our help. If Kobane falls, the symbol of a people’s fraternity will fall. And today we are the only bastion against the creation of the Islamist State. Our fall might result in a domino effect. For the whole of Syria, Turkey and even the confines of Europe, Romania, Bulgaria might fall. And yet the whole world is merely watching us being massacred without stirring as much as a finger.
    Still, the US is dropping bombs near Kobane …
    It is but we are beginning to doubt the objective of these strikes. I just cannot understand how it is that the most powerful army in the world, who can target a single man hiding in the desert, is now unable to hit a single IS tank. Kurdish fighters were even killed last week when a US strike missed its target. These attacks were aimed at pushing DAESH back but they had the opposite effect. There was besides not the slightest contact between Kurdish fighters and the US staff. But our Iraqi Kurdish brothers have been trying to help us, notably by attacking the jihadists around Sinjar where the Yezidi have taken refuge, which enabled to release the DAESH vice around Kobane somewhat, as DAESH was forced to send supply forces into Iraq.
    But unfortunately all this is not enough. Instead of carrying out air strikes that are very costly, we would rather they sent us heavy weaponry. That is the only thing we need to push DAESH back.
    Unfortunately there are agreements between Turkey and Western states that do not really want things to change in the Middle East. We are paying a heavy price for the Lausanne agreements signed by the big powers in 1923 in order to divide up our country.

  27. RVDV,

    In stating ” “Eliminating Assad’s regime, building oil pipelines right thru the region of Kobani, ‘managing’ Kurdish self-rule ambitions, and deflating PKK and YPG”… I support all of this. ”

    So besides supporting the projects of the terrorist funding gulf Arab states and ISIS, you support the elimination of Assad’s regime, and thus condone the genocide of several million natives of the land including Christians, Kurds, Assyrians, Yazidis, Alawites… correct?

    Note: per the conditions established by the parties involved associated with NATO, the wholesale slaughter of the mentioned groups, especially the Alawites is a given once the intended mission is accomplished.

    • Yeah let’s stop the fear mongring because your side might lose with a NATO invasion in Syria. And while your at it, you can stop the lies too, no one said they support ISIS. Syrias been ruled by a minority dictatorship for decades, the fact that Armenians did reasonably ok under this regime is irrelevant to me. The clock is ticking just as it was on the minority Ba’ath Party in Iraq. If the majority of Syrians want Assad out, that’s a given. Assad has been clinging to his seat for years now, he will die in it. Eventually.

    • Well, the way I see it, you are supporting ISIS by default if you are on the neocon boat reciting “Assad must go”. In fact for now, Assad will not go for precisely the reasons I pointed out above, because Genocidal Neocons United failed to come up with a viable alternative after misunderstanding and underestimating Syrians. Assad may be a dictator, but a caliphate of rabid pseudo-islamic cannibals is not an “improvement”… not even for the “moderate” Sunnis.

      I found this video pretty telling about the so-called “civil war” in Syria… the FSA operating in Turkey, not much different than ISIS by principles, feels “betrayed”. These dupes now realize what a mistake they made creating a “revolution” for no good reason, but are too ashamed or too proud to admit it. In Armenian we have a saying, “the thief stole from the thief and God saw it and was amazed”, that’s how I would describe this video.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsnchH73J2o

  28. There is no doubt that Sultan Rajab Tayyip Erdogan tries to annihilate the three kantons of syrian kurdestan because otheweise in negotations with pkk Ojalan could have the upper hand and Sultan do not want that to happen. With Iraqi Kurdestan self goverment and the creation of self rule region in syrian kurdestan, the kurd national question has acquired a new and irreversible dimension. The three kantons of Syrian kurds are not only automony regions but herald of a new social order in our region.The most important part of this new social order is the role of women especially women peshmarge fighting against barbarity of IS. In a region that the women are being slaved and sold by Islamic Caliph this new and liberating wind of change opens another world for us. Let all of us from all walk of nationalities unite to make kobani to win!

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