granted, that was more pronounced in Africa, but this is the MENA thread
― sleeve, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 20:05 (four years ago) link
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/03/middleeast/yemen-war-crimes-un-panel-intl/index.html
UN panel says UK, France, US & Iran may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen
― ogmor, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 21:34 (four years ago) link
every sizeable ex-colonial "nation" has no organically developed national identity and has many large groups of "citizens" who are disaffected, disenfranchised and held down
Pretty much the experience of Western Europe, for 2 to 6 centuries prior to national unification. We shouldn't be surprised if humans in the developing world behave much like humans in developing Europe. Nations require a lot of suppression of competing feudal and tribal interests.
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Tuesday, 3 September 2019 22:41 (four years ago) link
XP sleeve: Personally, I wouldn't have managed independence as the Europeans did. I would have defined the smallest feasible voting districts with respect to natural geographic borders, called for elections to transition governments, and then partition based on the electoral results, so each ethnic/religious/political minority that had any local majorities would have its own state. The Balkan model. There would be a natural Fulani nation stretching from Mali to Sudan. The Pakistan/India border would be a mess, but so were the demographics.
This is totally relevant to the current situation in MENA, particularly in Iraq, Syria and Palestine. The post-colonial nations don't reflect underlying demographics, and they've suffered as a result.
Above, I'm just saying the success of post-colonial states in independence has had a lot to do with how well colonial nations provided infrastructure and transfered models of governance. I don't think its a coincidence that some of the modern nations with the poorest outcomes had the misfortune of being ruled by competing European powers in succession, or by fascist Italy.
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Tuesday, 3 September 2019 22:58 (four years ago) link
Pretty much the experience of Western Europe, for 2 to 6 centuries prior to national unification.
True up to a point, but in Europe national entities evolved and amalgamated purely based upon local European interests, through shifting alliances, local conquests, assimilation and integration, or violent rejection and expulsion. It was an organic, self-generating process. Europe did this to itself.
The ex-colonial nations had their present borders imposed purely by external western interests and those western interests still exert pressure upon them to maintain those borders and to conform their policies to western needs and desires. Thus, we are heavily implicated in the brutality and violent repressions exercised there.
― A is for (Aimless), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 00:59 (four years ago) link
This is extraordinary even by the US’ standards:
Having failed at piracy, the US resorts to outright blackmail—deliver us Iran’s oil and receive several million dollars or be sanctioned yourself.Sounds very similar to the Oval Office invitation I received a few weeks back.It is becoming a pattern.#BTeamGangsters pic.twitter.com/B1oQTLghWZ— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 4, 2019
Having failed in the attempt to get the EU to apply sanctions they’re not party to wrt Iranian oil tankers, captains are apparently being offered bribes to pilot ships into jurisdictions that will.
― ShariVari, Wednesday, 4 September 2019 16:50 (four years ago) link
^ Those tactics would only be justified between nations actively at war. Basically, they are acts of war.
― A is for (Aimless), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 17:07 (four years ago) link
70% of Iranian oil goes to China, Japan, India, S.Korea, and Turkey. I wonder which nation(s) on the Hormuz/S. China route are so beholden to US/Saudi Arabia they'd play along. Maybe Indonesia?
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 20:48 (four years ago) link
Worth keeping an eye on Abqaiq, largest oil processing plant in the world, responsible for 6.8 Mbpd of production, and attacked in 2008 by Al Qaeda.
Multiple fires (now under control), reports of gunfire. If I wanted to undermine the Saudi state (from within or without), this facility would be my target.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP3OTW9K-y0
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Saturday, 14 September 2019 05:23 (four years ago) link
Houthi drone use is interesting. Low tech having decent enough results.
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Saturday, 14 September 2019 08:27 (four years ago) link
Worrying prospects obviously in many respects, while SA deserve everything sent at them imo
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Saturday, 14 September 2019 08:28 (four years ago) link
BBC
The Houthi spokesman, Yahya Sarea, told al-Masirah TV, which is owned by the Houthi movement and is based in Beirut, that further attacks could be expected in the future.He said Saturday's attack was one of the biggest operations the Houthi forces had undertaken inside Saudi Arabia and was carried out in "co-operation with the honourable people inside the kingdom".
He said Saturday's attack was one of the biggest operations the Houthi forces had undertaken inside Saudi Arabia and was carried out in "co-operation with the honourable people inside the kingdom".
Houthi collaborating with the Sh'ia of Qatif. Driving cargo trucks with Qasef-1 (or better) drones to within 150 km (and probably a lot less) of Abqaiq.
Saudi Arabia is going to finish demolishing Al-Awamiyah with artillery. And if you thought it was a police state before...
I'll be keeping my tanks topped off.
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Saturday, 14 September 2019 17:43 (four years ago) link
Who didn't think Saudi Arabia was a police state?
― Frederik B, Saturday, 14 September 2019 19:50 (four years ago) link
He is not implying that anyone didn't think that.
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Saturday, 14 September 2019 19:52 (four years ago) link
No streetview on Buqaiq/Abqaiq, but the video appears to come from the rooftop of the Hardee's on the west side of King Abdulaziz Rd from the compound. It's remarkable looking at satelite maps how easy it would be to target the critical elements like the ones around 25°55'54.8 N 49°40'43.3 E.
― hedonic treadmill class action (Sanpaku), Saturday, 14 September 2019 20:44 (four years ago) link
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-attack-drones/u-s-drone-strike-kills-30-pine-nut-farm-workers-in-afghanistan-idUSKBN1W40NW?
business as usual
― (•̪●) (carne asada), Thursday, 19 September 2019 14:17 (four years ago) link
Erdogan has vowed to create a buffer zone inside Syria by pushing back Kurdish militants and settling Syrian refugees in the country’s north. Turkey suspects that the U.S. is backing Kurdish aspirations for self-rule in Syria and is prepared to use military force to prevent what it perceives as an attempt to redraw the region’s map.
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 6 October 2019 05:02 (four years ago) link
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 6 October 2019 05:03 (four years ago) link
oops
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 6 October 2019 15:29 (four years ago) link
The old Kurdish proverb comes to mind again: 'No friends but the mountains'. This time it's Trump's turn to fuck up the Kurds once again. Never mind they did the dirty work in defeating IS. This is giving nothing less than giving complete carte blanche to one of the worst dictators around, Erdogan, to kill thousands of Kurds. Appalling.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 7 October 2019 10:18 (four years ago) link
:(
I don't know what to say, it's just tragic.
― pomenitul, Monday, 7 October 2019 10:19 (four years ago) link
Tragic but predictable.
― Let them eat Pfifferlinge an Schneckensauce (Tom D.), Monday, 7 October 2019 10:26 (four years ago) link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Towers_Istanbul
This must play a factor sadly
― curmudgeon, Monday, 7 October 2019 10:53 (four years ago) link
disgusting
― The Ravishing of ROFL Stein (Hadrian VIII), Monday, 7 October 2019 14:22 (four years ago) link
nothing to worry about folks bigly brain is on it
As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2019
― (•̪●) (carne asada), Monday, 7 October 2019 15:42 (four years ago) link
man FUUUUUUCK this guy
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 7 October 2019 16:25 (four years ago) link
Yeah, that. Already dreaded the fucking monstrous Trump tweets popping up (not blaming you Carne tbh). It's a license to kill people and family and friends of mine and of people I know. Sick to the stomach.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 7 October 2019 17:23 (four years ago) link
When you lose heaven’s mandated...
Pat Robertson is "appalled" by Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria: "The President of the United States is in great danger of losing the mandate of Heaven if he permits this to happen." pic.twitter.com/YGeNYpbGrF— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) October 7, 2019
― (•̪●) (carne asada), Monday, 7 October 2019 17:37 (four years ago) link
these absolute fucking hobgoblins
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 7 October 2019 17:47 (four years ago) link
It is hard to imagine the kind of will and toughness that keeps the Kurds intact in the face of so many enemies and so many betrayals. Or the kind of psychological damage it does to maintain that will and toughness.
― A is for (Aimless), Monday, 7 October 2019 17:52 (four years ago) link
I recognize that this is one of the few areas where there's a positive to troop prescence but this is surely something that should happen under the UN not the US (illegal anyway, not that that means anything)
I know, the UN is dead and long buried.
― anvil, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 09:13 (four years ago) link
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/10/07/just-hours-after-trump-bends-erdogan-reports-indicate-turkeys-bombing-kurdish-forces
― (•̪●) (carne asada), Tuesday, 8 October 2019 11:39 (four years ago) link
Turkish troops launch offensive into northern Syria
― Le Bateau Ivre, Wednesday, 9 October 2019 13:25 (four years ago) link
surprised this is the only place where discussion is taking place, although, like many people, i'm not sure what to say.
has Assad given any sort of statement?
― It is my great honor to post on this messageboard! (Karl Malone), Wednesday, 9 October 2019 16:12 (four years ago) link
i don't think assad is too bothered about developments and it seems like erdogan has talked to putin about his plans etc. turkey allies with syrian national army opposition elements, which obviously isn't that chill for assad, but will also possibly push ypg into allying with the regime (they've nowhere else to turn).
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 9 October 2019 16:33 (four years ago) link
Turkey is NATO, which obviously isn't that chill for putin. assad's spokesperson said Syria will defend its territorial integrity and demands the withdrawal of all foreign troops, which seems like a SOP kind of response for any nation.
― A is for (Aimless), Wednesday, 9 October 2019 16:42 (four years ago) link
erdogan and putin have a pretty good relationship and for a NATO country turkey is the most favorably oriented towards russia (even buying weapons from them).
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 9 October 2019 16:44 (four years ago) link
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/09/politics/syria-turkey-invasion-intl-hnk/index.html
― brownie, Wednesday, 9 October 2019 16:58 (four years ago) link
An SDF commander has confirmed to me that the Ain Issa camp has fallen and all the detainees (a population of thousands that includes ISIS supporters, ISIS relatives and civilians) have fled. “An unbelievable mess,” the commander said. Latest message: pic.twitter.com/yDehTSKkux— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 13, 2019
― Inherent Contempt (Sanpaku), Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:03 (four years ago) link
Assad appears to have struck a deal to send Syrian Army troops to support the YPG/SDF against the FSA / Turkish-backed factions, with Russia providing air cover.
― ShariVari, Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:11 (four years ago) link
Self Administration of NE Syria announces an agreement with Syrian Government to protect Syrian borders with SDF against Turkey. It will also help liberating all areas from Turkey including Afrin pic.twitter.com/aatRDChDJN— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) October 13, 2019
― ShariVari, Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:14 (four years ago) link
In a single phone call, Trump essentially forced SDF to switch sides, eventually permitting a contiguous Iran-Iraq-Syria-Lebanon Shi'a crescent, the prevention of which was a principal reason for US intervention in Rojava. They cannot be happy with this outcome in Jerusalem and Riyadh.
― Inherent Contempt (Sanpaku), Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:20 (four years ago) link
https://www.timesofisrael.com/kurdish-politician-among-9-civilians-killed-by-turkey-backed-rebels-monitor/
― Never changed username before (cardamon), Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:23 (four years ago) link
Netanyahu and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman willingly yoked themselves to this idiot, thinking they could pull him wherever they wanted.
― A is for (Aimless), Sunday, 13 October 2019 19:25 (four years ago) link
It’s worked in part for them though
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 13 October 2019 20:09 (four years ago) link
This is fucking terrible isn't it.
― Never changed username before (cardamon), Tuesday, 15 October 2019 14:13 (four years ago) link
― Inherent Contempt (Sanpaku), Sunday, October 13, 2019 12:20 PM (two days ago)
there is a "shia crescent" with or without northeastern syria being controlled by sdf. look at a map
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 15 October 2019 18:12 (four years ago) link
turkey invading syria is kind of a problem for iran because they are allied with assad but also enjoy pretty good relations with turkey and can't really afford to alienate them.
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 15 October 2019 18:45 (four years ago) link
I thought Kurds were Sunnis? Can u explain the Shia crescent thing to me, I'm catching up slowly
― Never changed username before (cardamon), Wednesday, 16 October 2019 19:05 (four years ago) link