Monday, July 27, 2015

Erdogan Helps Isis.


More. Driven by sympathy for nut-case Sunni fundamentalism and fear of Kurdish autonomy, Turkey has always been a keen ally of Isis. Throughout Isis's existence, Turkey has kept its borders with Iraq and Syria wide open for the free passage of degenerates and supplies to Isis held territory.

The Kurds of Syria and Iraq have been the only effective boots on the ground opponents of Isis. Heroic Kurdish fighting, as at Kobani, with the backing of Western airpower has resulted in the capture by the Kurds of a long swathe of erstwhile Isisdom along the Iraq/Syria border with Turkey. This has alarmed Ankara as it has resulted in a considerable increase in the territory of Free Kurdistan from its cradle in North East Iraq and throttled Turkey's commerce and beloved intercourse with Isis.

Inspired by the Isis suicide bomb attack on Kurdish volunteer relief workers in Sunuc, just over the border from ravaged Kobani in Syria, and a few subsequent violent protests by Turkish Kurds over Turkey's evident involvement, the not-so-bright Turkish P.M. Erdogan had an idea!

Go through the motion of dropping on Isis a few bombs that will not hit their purported targets and let the US use one Turkish airport. Then, you get on with the real business which is to seriously bomb the Kurds everywhere from the Iranian border to Kobani and points further west. This "master" plan, which may well have been given the green light by the equally dumb Pentagon, is now well underway. Apart from doing in any Kurdish autonomous entity in Iraq/Syria, this plan is a means, he believes, of securing a satisfactory outcome to an autumn rerun of recent parliamentary elections. In June, the People's Democratic Party ( HDP ), a left, tolerant and egalitarian grouping, won 13% of the vote depriving Erdogan of the majority that would have allowed him to change Turkey's Ataturk constitution for a total Islamic mess. Since setting fire to his country, Erdogan has arrested, en masse, HDP supporters and Kurdish activists in the hope that the violence he has generated will allow him to win his majority in the upcoming election as Mr Law and Order.

Erdogan' cynical plans may well get him what he wants in the short term but his throwing petrol and fire at the Kurds and moderate Turks will probably result in a civil war that kills many and sees him finally, and mercifully, packing his bags with a one way ticket to either Saudi Arabia or the USA.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Supporting the Greeks.


Although, I suppose you shouldnt generalise about races, I have to say I have a soft spot for the Greeks. From their deep past they gave us all a lot; arts , science and philosophy. I also remember them forever fighting fascists against imposible odds ; Persians, Turks and Germans. For the present, whenever I´ve been to their beautiful country, I´ve pretty well always found them to be friendly and straight dealing. Whilst its true that all pervading corruption and the incompetance of their leaders has got them into a dark place, the harshness of conditions imposed on them has not helped. These conditions didnt improve matters they simply drove down the whole of society. I just hope that when they leave the euro they dont also crash out of the EU. For me, there is no Europe without Greece. I ardently hope they quickly find their way to the good future they deserve.