MESOPOTAMIA – KURDISTAN INDENPENDENT DAILY NEWSSAMPLER
Mezopotamian Development Society (Registered) GERMANY – FRANKFURT
THE MOST REQUESTED DAILY & ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWSSERVICE ON KURDISTAN FOR THE HIGHLY INVOLVED PEOPLE – email : mesop@online.de – Watch our website : www.mesop.de
MESOP TODAYS QUESTION & ANSWERS (ASSAD IS THE PROBLEM – NOT THE SOLUTION)
Why do civilians leave #Syria? – Assad Gov. occupied their towns: 43% – Assad Gov. destroyed their home: 32%
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/09/28/in-two-charts-this-is-what-refugees-say-about-why-they-are-leaving-syria-now/ …
MESOP : ALL AROUND SOUTH KURDISH PARTIES
Members from four of the region’s major political parties have threatened to dissolve five-party talks on the… http://fb.me/2tVIodNhU
MESOP : CAMERON’S AN FOR THOUGH MILITARY OPERATIONS
Tom Baket the special envoy of British PM for Security Affairs visiting Kurdistan… http://fb.me/1pGa50hSx
MESOP : ISOLATION OF ISIS
Syria civil war: Isis could soon lose access to the outside world as Kurds target key river crossing… http://fb.me/4SkTl0Oph
MESOP : POOR OBAMA
‘RPG magnet’: US gives Kurdish allies vehicles with no side armor… http://fb.me/4cj1wuLY7
MESOP : FOREIGN POLICY ARTICLE
What are the long-term implications of allowing the Russians & the Iranians to pick up the pieces in Iraq and Syria? http://atfp.co/1MY18yM
MESOP : THE OPTIMISTIC JOSHUA
Joshua Landis @joshua_landis 2h2 hours ago
Russia, Syria &The Assad End Game @OnPointRadio @joshua_landis @Julie_C_Smith @farnazfassihi) http://wbur.fm/1VjbPAB
MESOP : STATISTIC / GRAPHIC ABOUT REASONS & MOTIVES
Why Syrian Fighters are leaving the Syrian Battlefield http://wpo.st/yvFd0 – Watch it http://www.mesop.de/?p=65426
MESOP : FUTURISM ON RUSSIA’S RULE IN MIDDLE EAST
Interfax this morning be like – Watch graphic – http://www.mesop.de/?p=65443
MESOP : FULL GREEN LIGHT FOR CZAR VLAD
Important: #Russia’s Federation Council has voted unanimously to approve use of military force in #Syria. Airpower & air-defence building.
MESOP LATEST : Discussions in Baghdad about involving 700 Arab volunteer fighters in operations for Hawija, that were previously… http://fb.me/G759UkdF
Yesterday IS was getting nervous by Peshmerga-bombardments: “Prayers for your brothers in Kirkuk. There is a… http://fb.me/4Okj4mm5e
Peshmergas advance West of Kirkuk: With the help of US-coalition airstrikes, the large scale operation began… http://fb.me/4bCPpiU7g
MESOP : PUK STATEMENT
PUK’s CTG statement in Sorani: Peshmerga CTG operations for the liberation of villages in Kirkuk (west of South… http://fb.me/3rRPBN2hp
MESOP Upcoming Events : CENTRE FOR TURKISH STUDIES – LONDON
- Westminster Debate ‘Turkey’s War in the South: Operations against ISIS and the PKK’, 19 Oct 2015, House of Commons
- Westminster Debate ‘Kurdish Issue: Is Peace Still on the Table?, 27 Oct 2015, House of Commons
- CEFTUS 4th Anniversary Gala and Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot Community Achievement Awards, 28 Oct 2015, London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
- Westminster Debate ‘Cyprus, the EU and the Eastern Mediterranean’ on 9 December 2015, House of Commons
Watch more: http://ceftus.org/
MESOP TODAYS CRITICAL COMMENTARY BY BURAK BEKDIL
Why Do Muslims Flock to the ‘Evil West’?
by Burak Bekdil – Hurriyet – September 17, 2015 – “The tragedy of the Palestinians,” Jordan’s (late) King Abdullah wrote in his memoirs, “was that most of their leaders had paralyzed them with false and unsubstantiated promises that they were not alone; that 80 million Arabs and 400 million Muslims would instantly and miraculously come to their rescue.” Decades later, Syrians fleeing the civil war in their homeland make up the backbone of the world’s refugee tragedy.Officially, Muslim Turkey is home to the largest number of Syrian refugees (1.9 million). Lebanon hosts 1.2 million Syrians; Jordan, more than 600,000; and Egypt, over 100,000. That makes nearly four million predominantly Muslim Syrians. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65409
MESOP TODAYS OPINION BY CHARLES LISTER – “NO” to Assad !
The West is walking into the abyss on Syria / BROOKINGS
Editors’ Note: The vast majority of Syrians now fleeing their country are seeking to escape the brutality of the Bashar Assad regime, not ISIS or al-Qaida. Charles Lister argues that Assad is not and should never be seen as a better alternative to ISIS. This post was originally published by the BBC. – Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65420
MESOP : PUTIN TAKES A BANKRUPT COMPANY / Putin can’t save Assad, it’s far too late for that
Hassan Hassan – THE NATIONAL – 28, 2015 – In August 2012, Bashar Al Assad mocked the string of defections from the Syrian army as “a self-cleansing process” that would strengthen the country. Almost exactly three years later, Mr Al Assad gave a speech in which he made a striking confession that the army was seriously lacking troops.“There is a lack of manpower,” he said in a speech in July. “Everything is available for the army, but there is a shortage in manpower. That does not mean we can talk about collapse. We will resist.” Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65422
MESOP : KREMLIN ‘REALITY’ – And anyone who defies Russia or its allies is either a “terrorist” or a “Nazi.”
Putin’s New Axis of Resistance: Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria & Hezbollah
29 Sep 2015 – THE DAILY BEAST – The Russian leader just told the UN that state sponsors of terrorism are the West’s only partners for fighting terrorism. One year ago, on September 5, 2014, a group of Russian agents, armed with smoke grenades, radio jammers, and guns, crossed eight kilometers into NATO territory, subdued a NATO counterintelligence agent and kidnapped him across the border. Eston Kohver (married, father of four) was then tried in Moscow as a spy and, despite inadequate legal representation, he was given 15 years in prison. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65411
MESOP PROGNOSIS : Erdoğan’s Delicate Visit to Brussels
Posted by: MARC PIERINI – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 – Carnegie Endowment – On October 4–6, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will be in Brussels for a long-planned visit to Belgium. The trip occurs in the midst of a major international crisis, as Russia is getting in on the act in Syria and asylum seekers continue to surge toward Europe. The visit also comes at a very troubled time in Turkey, where on November 1 a parliamentary election will be held amid a spiral of violence and a sharp deterioration of the rule of law.This makes for a rather difficult agenda when President Erdoğan meets European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and European Parliament President Martin Schulz in Brussels.Fighting terrorism, especially the insurgent Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), will be a key feature of President Erdoğan’s narrative. Read more: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65405
WEST KURDISTAN (SYRIA)
MESOP actual News Roundup: Tuesday, September 29 – Syrian forces 7km from Islamic State-encircled airbase – Where is Putin ?
Syrian regime forces are within seven kilometers of its last remaining base in the east Aleppo countryside on Tuesday, one which has been tightly encircled by Islamic State forces for nearly two years. Watch more: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65407
MESOP : Will Russia’s move ruin Erdogan’s plan for Syria? / By Kadri Gursel (AL MONITOR)
29 Sep 2015 – Turkey’s July decision to finally open its air bases near Syria and Iraq, including Incirlik, to the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State was a game changer for the region. It meant the coalition’s air raids against IS would become more effective and less costly. Using some imagination, one could foresee the adverse impacts Russia’s move will have on Ankara’s policies on the ground. Ankara is now likely to be forced to end the de facto situation — virtually a no-fly zone — it has enforced casually in border areas since 2012. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65416
MESOP REPORT : Editor’s note: Below is Thomas Joscelyn’s testimony to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation & Trade on the US counterterrorism strategy in Syria.
US counterterrorism efforts in Syria: A winning strategy?
BY THOMAS JOSCELYN | September 29, 2015 | – Chairman Poe, Ranking Member Keating, and other members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today to speak about America’s counterterrorism efforts in Syria.The war in Syria is exceedingly complex, with multiple actors fighting one another on the ground and foreign powers supporting their preferred proxies. Iran and Hezbollah are backing Bashar al Assad’s regime, which is also now receiving increased assistance from Russia. The Islamic State (often referred to by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL) retains control over a significant amount of Syrian territory. Despite some setbacks at the hands of the U.S.-led air coalition and Kurdish ground forces earlier this year in northern Syria, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s organization has not suffered anything close to a knockout blow thus far. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65431
MESOP : PUTIN’S RESTRICTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL
Putin Hints Russia Will Clip Israel’s Wings Over Syrian Skies / By Amos Harel (Haaretz)
Over 10 different attacks in Syria have been attributed to Israel over the past two and a half years – but Russia’s presence in Syria could soon change that. Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Barack Obama, during their one-on-one meeting in New York early Tuesday, that he was concerned about the Israeli attacks in Syria. He was apparently not referring to the Israeli missiles in the Golan Heights, fired earlier in the week at two artillery positions of the Syrian army in the wake of stray fire into Israeli territory from battles between the rebels and the Syrian army. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65435
SOUTH KURDISTAN (IRAQ)
MESOP REPORT : The Future of Kurdistan’s Oil Sector / CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT
By HADI FATHALLAH – The Kurdish Regional Government is facing immense financial challenges, but its worsening reputation in doing business is severely damaging to the future of the country’s energy industry. Tuesday, September 29, 2015. – The future of the fledgling oil and gas sector in the Kurdish Region Government (KRG) is in jeopardy as it struggles with payment delays and ongoing international oil and gas companies’ arbitration cases against it. The KRG is risking losing its reputation for being more business friendly than its neighbors. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65414
NORTH KURDISTAN (TURKEY)
MESOP : AN ANNIVERSARY OF AN PKK UMBRELLA BODY – KNK Celebrates 15th Anniversary
Rebwar Rashed: Established in 1999, the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) has filled its years with democratic struggle and cultural, political and diplomatic activities. On 25th-27th September 2015 it held a General Meeting, its 15th conference, to elect co-presidents, prepare new plans: www.mesop.de
MESOP : He hears more on Kandil (PKK) than the angels on God
Demirtas denies HDP represents PKK / Tactical Pre-Elections statements / Demirtas in Germany
Turkey pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-chair Selahattin Demirtas said his party does not represent the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), adding that such accusations are simply slander from ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) party to blame the HDP for the PKK’s activities. Read all: http://www.mesop.de/?p=65448
THE GERMAN KURDISH CHAPTER
MESOP : INCLUSION = EXCLUSION / ARME WEICHEN ARMEN – DAHER PREDIGEN DIE BESERGESTELLTEN MIT ALLEN MEDIALEN MITTELN UNBEDINGTE TOLERANZ
Sozial-Wohnungs- Mieterin soll nach 23 Jahren Flüchtlingen Platz machen
Die Gemeinde Eschbach in Baden-Württemberg hat einer Mieterin gekündigt. Sie soll nach 23 Jahren aus der gemeindeeigenen Wohnung, weil Platz für Flüchtlinge gebraucht wird. Die Frau klagt. http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article147001172/Mieterin-soll-nach-23-Jahren-Fluechtlingen-Platz-machen.html
MESOP : Grüne und Flüchtlinge – Fraktionschefin im EU-Parlament für Kontrolle an Europas Außengrenzen
29.09.2015 16:38 Uhr – Von Albrecht Meier und Cordula Eubel – Die Flüchtlingskrise geht auch an den Grünen nicht spurlos vorbei.
……. Weit besser natürlich die Position des Karl Kopp (pro asyl) : „WEG MIT ALLEN GRENZEN“ (PLAKAT) in Europa & der Welt – aber zugleich heftig strikte Begrenzungen (Zoll + Territorien) gegen das Freihandelsabkommen reklamierend und beiläufig jede Menge Separatismus in aller Welt verstehend. Idiotischer geht’s nicht.
Verwunderlich aber nicht: Durchweg äußern vor allem Mittelständler heute Ansichten und wählen schon im Laufe eines Tages Praktiken, die derart widersprüchlich zueinander stehen, daß man zu anderen Zeiten im klinischen Sinne von schwerwiegenden kognitiven Dissonanzen gesprochen hätten. Im Klima solcher Paradoxien haben manche allerdings auch hintergründig fundierte Strategien im Kopf – Marcel M. aus Frankfurt (ein hard core Antideutscher) : “Deutschland muss durch die Flüchtlinge kollabieren …. dann kommt vielleicht sogar Gegenwehr gegen den Islamismus auf, und das entlastet Israel. Dann wird man einsehen, daß auch an Ort und Stelle bekämpft werden muss, was man nun als Problem selber spürt”.
Es geht gar nicht um „die Menschen“, nicht um das Asylrecht, das durch permanente Ausweitung der Asylgründe in Schwierigkeiten gebracht wird, sondern viel eher um gemeingefährliche politische Projektionen. Vulgo: Purer fetter voller malader Wahnsinn !