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The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

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Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely not. Especially support for PKK diminished recently after they sabotaged peace process. During the talks Kurds in southeast of Turkey has seen what it would be like of truce. Unfortunately PKK saw an opportunity in Syria and upped the bargain and started playing hard again. After they killed 2 police officers (in their homes) state went after them like no before. Evidence, yes. Even Turkish government give…

Captured weapons is not evidence of direct supply. ISIS uses all kinds of american and russian weapons, but it doesn't mean it is supported by those countries.

PKK and YPG are two names for one organization operating in bordering countries. Captured PKK terrorists tell that they were fighting for YPG. You should seek and read these stories for yourself. But if you only read media holding exclusive rights for credibility of course it's difficult to find such stories. Especially when you know a Western language only it's difficult for you to get a balanced information.

Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The PKK is a far more complex issue. Their mission is self-determination for Kurdish people. After WWI, the Allied powers split the region where the Kurds reside, their hoped-for Kurdistan, between Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. They have faced oppression and worse (e.g., Iraq murdered Kurdish civilians with chemical weapons in the 1980s) from these governments for generations. In Iraq: In the contest with Saddam Hussein,…

In that case, can we then draw the conclusion that US is giving PKK all these weapons for a purpose beyond fighting ISIS?

Cui bono? Seems like it would just push Turkey into the hands of Russia and Iran.

Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#203
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Russia has been targeting civilian population centers (with both conventional and chemical weapons)" citation needed

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/10/27/499578650/... "This year, UNICEF "said it has verified at least 38 attacks on schools around Syria, whether in government-held areas or rebel-controlled territory. Before Wednesday's attack, 32 children were killed in 2016 in attacks on schools," as the group's regional chief of communication, Juliette Touma, told The Associated Press. "A total of 60 attacks were reco…

The reporting about Aleppo was a bit ridiculous (Aleppo must have more hospitals than any other city) compared to how our Media reports about Mossul and Raqqa. Go look up the numbers of how many civilians were killed by the anti-IS Coalition forces (btw it dramatically increased since Trump is in power). Only because the media is not reporting it in the same extent as in case of Aleppo doesn't mean it doesn't happen. War sucks. Plain and simple.

Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you mind posting links from reputable sources (i.e. not blatant Turkish government propaganda)?

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-blast/kurdish-milit... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/10/bomb-outside-i... http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/explosions-reported-tu...

All three news stories describe the same event -- Dec 2016 stadium attack by TAK, which is not PKK. TAK broke out of PKK as a new separate group because of PKK's willingness to compromise with Turkey.

So again, can you substantiate your claim that modern PKK is a terrorist organization?

Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#205
post #177
post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even with a perfect screening process for the initial deliveries it's really easy for weapons to end up in unintended hands just as positions/territory are taken and lost by the various sides.

> really easy meaning more than 50% of weapons?

If the chosen groups are crushed or loses a lot of territory yeah pretty easily.

Re: The Pentagon Is Spending Up To $2.2B on Soviet-Style Arms for Syrian Rebels

#206
post #205
post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> really easy meaning more than 50% of weapons?

If the chosen groups are crushed or loses a lot of territory yeah pretty easily.

at that point, they should have stopped sending anything (or probably much earlier)
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