Regional geopolitics

[Azad]

Re: Regional geopolitics

The objective on Syria’s future was supposed to be planned by U.S., Israel, turkey and it turned out to be Russia, Iran, turkey.
The Shekels are so pissed that they are going beyond Iran and are on Russian attacks. Russia is now the new “Nazi”

Assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov was not terrorism, but retribution for Vladimir Putin’s war crimes

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/don-cry-russia-slain-envoy-putin-lackey-article-1.2917281

Gersh Kuntzman: "I am a Jew. But starting today, in the eyes of the Trump Administration, I want to be seen as a Muslim."

https://www.facebook.com/NYDailyNews/posts/10153941992297541

American journalists who 'danced' on Russian Ambassador’s grave have no shame

https://www.rt.com/op-edge/371161-ambassador-us-journalists-karlov-media/

The whole world has to be rearranged, destroyed to please Shekel-land Welfare state

[Haykakan]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Middle East21:46 21.12.2016(updated 22:13 21.12.2016) Get short URL2116590On Tuesday, senior Russian, Iranian and Turkish officials met in Moscow to discuss the situation in Syria. Speaking to Sputnik, Iranian experts explained the significance of the meeting, and why it could be the first step toward ending the Middle Eastern country's long war.Tuesday's meeting featured talks by the foreign and defense ministers of the three countries. At the meeting's conclusion, the three foreign ministers issued a joint statement about the necessity of reviving the peace process between the Syrian government and the opposition, with the aim of ending the crisis.

The eight-point document confirmed the parties' intentions to respect Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and its status as a multiethnic, multi-religious, democratic and secular state. The ministers also stressed the importance of expanding the ceasefire regime, applicable to any opposition forces that are not members of jihadist terrorist organizations, including Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) and Nusra. Speaking to Sputnik Persian about the geopolitical implications stemming from the meeting, Jahangir Karami, an expert on international affairs and Russian-Iranian relations, said that the joint statement could be the first step in a "constructive process to resolve the Syrian crisis." © AFP 2016/ Natalia KOLESNIKOVAAnkara 'Will Cut Support for Syrian Opposition, Seek Compromise With Russia'The professor emphasized that the fact that three key parties to conflict, Russia, Iran and Turkey, have managed to come together is highly significant. "After all, if we look at the strategy to resolving the crisis put forward in the past by the European countries, the United States and some Arab states, we can see that these efforts were totally ineffective and unsuccessful. The 'fruits' of that strategy were obvious; the crisis was not averted, but only worsened." "Moreover, many of the aforementioned countries had no military forces which could in practice actually achieve the desired results on the Syrian front," Karami added. In this regard, according to the professor, the signing of the joint statement in Moscow on Tuesday is an indication that there is a 'critical mass' of relevant powers that can take concrete steps to put an end to the crisis. At the same time, pointing to the significance of Russian-Iranian military cooperation in Syria, Karami said that it was this cooperation that has allowed for the success of Tuesday's trilateral meeting. In particular, he said, the two countries' efforts to assist the Syrian army in its liberation of the city of Aleppo was crucial. "And Turkey, having lost any hope of overthrowing the legitimate government of Syria by supporting the terrorists, has revised its policy, and been forced to negotiate and sign the tripartite declaration," he added. For his part, Dr. Mohammad Ali Mohtadi, a senior researcher at the Iranian Research Institute for Strategic Studies of the Middle East, was more guarded in his assessment of Tuesday's meeting. He stressed that this document is an important diplomatic step, but that its implementation will depend on Ankara fulfilling its obligations under the joint statement. © AFP 2016/ KARAM AL-MASRIRussia, Iran, Turkey Successfully Evacuate Civilians From Aleppo in 5 Days - ZarifFurthermore, pointing to the fact that the Russian Ambassador to Turkey had been murdered just a day before the ministers' meeting, Mohtadi suggested that this "terrible act of terrorism served as occasion for Turkey to abandon" its anti-Syrian, anti-Russian propaganda, "and to change its strategy of political dialogue." "If Turkey provides maximum assistance [to Russia] in the investigation of this murder, it will become clear to us that Ankara is serious about its new policy and commitment to the obligations signed in the trilateral document in Moscow," Mohtadi said. "Personally, I still have my doubts on this matter against the Turkish side. There have been precedents when they have not met their commitments." "In any case," the expert noted, "the agreement between Russia, Iran and Turkey on the Syrian issue shows that Turkey has undertaken efforts to properly delineate terrorists from the so-called opposition. A clear path to negotiations can be seen to reach a political agreement…without the involvement of terrorists and other extremists." Ultimately, Mohtadi stressed that this new geopolitical configuration of the three countries can play an important role in weakening the influence of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the main Arab state actors that are opposed to a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis. © AP Photo/ APKarlov Murdered in Bid to Foil Russia-Turkey-Iran Progress on Syria - AKP Party"Already today it is noticeable how much the influence of Saudi Arabia and Qatar on events in Syria has weakened," the expert said. "After all, their interference in Syria's internal affairs had been facilitated via Turkey. By signing the agreement with Moscow and Tehran, Ankara made clear that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should not count on its further complicity." Finally, Mohtadi noted that although Riyadh and Doha have made no indications that they have any intention of abandoning their designs for Syria, "here another important factor – the newly elected US President Trump, could significantly obstruct their efforts to reach their goals. [Trump's] policy on Saudi Arabia and Syria is clear," the analyst stressed. The President-elect has repeatedly said of the Syrian conflict that the US's main priority must be to fight terrorism.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2...ce-commentary/

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Turkish Army offensive takes disastrous turn in east Aleppo as slain soldiers litter battlefield
By Leith Fadel - 22/12/2016

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkish-army-offensive-takes-disastrous-turn-east-aleppo-slain-soldiers-litter-battlefield/

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:20 P.M.) - The Turkish Army, alongside their rebel allies, launched a large-scale offensive in eastern Aleppo on Wednesday, targeting the western flank of Al-Bab City, which is under the control of the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham" (ISIS).

Initially, the offensive would get off to a great start in western Al-Bab, as the Turkish Army and their allies imposed full control over Jabal Aqeel after a short battle with ISIS.

Not long after capturing Jabal Aqeel, the Turkish forces attempted to push further west of the aforementioned mountaintop; however, this would prove to be a fatal mistake, as the Islamic State militants managed to repel this attack and launch their own counter-assault.

Using VBIEDs (vehicle borne improvised explosive device), ISIS suicide bombers would devastate the Turkish Army defenses, killing dozens of soldiers and forcing the remaining military personnel to abandon their positions and equipment.



According to the terrorist group's official media wing, ISIS killed more than 70 Turkish soldiers, while also capturing two Leopard tanks and a bulldozer near the Al-Farouq Hospital.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

http://razm.info/93946

«Իսլամական պետությունը» թուրքական զինուժից տանկեր է գրավել․ տեսանյութ

Posted on Դեկտեմբեր 23, 2016 by Տարոն Հովհաննիսյան

«Իսլամական պետություն» ահաբեկչական խմբավորումը տեսանյութ է հրապարակել, որտեղ ցուցադրվում են թուրքական զինուժից Սիրիայի Ալ-Բաբ քաղաքի մոտ ընթացող մարտերում գրավված 2 միավոր Leopard 2A4 տանկ և մեկ միավոր ACV-15 հետևակի մարտական մեքենա։



ԻՊ-ն թուրքական տանկերը վերցրել է Ալ-Բաբ քաղաքի մոտ տեղակայված հոսպիտալի հատվածում՝ թուրքական զինուժի դեմ հակագրոհի ժամանակ։ Նույն հոսպիտալի մոտ դեկտեմբերի 21-ին ԻՊ-ն թուրքական տանկ, զրահամեքենաներ էր պայթեցրել։ Թուրքական կողմը հայտնել է 16 կորստի մասին՝ միայն դեկտեմբերի 21-ի մարտերի հետևանքով։ Վիրավորների թիվը անցնում էր 30-ը։

Նշենք, որ մինչ այս ԻՊ-ն հայտնել էր մի քանի անգամ թուրքական զինուժի տանկ ոչնչացնելու մասին։ Սակայն ռազմավարի մասին հայտարարություններ չէին եղել։

Նշենք, որ դեկտեմբերի 22-ին ԻՊ-ն տեսանյութ էր հրապարակել, որտեղ երևում էր ինչպես են իսլամական զինյալները ողջակիզում Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ երկու զինծառայողի։ Այդ զինծառայողներին ևս գերեվարել էին Ալ-Բաբի մոտ։ Ավելացնենք, որ միայն դեկտեմբերի 21-ի բախումների հետևանքով թուրքական կողմը հայտնել է 16 սպանված զինծառայողի մասին։

Հիշեցնենք, որ օգոստոսի 24-ից թուրքական զինուժը ներխուժել է Սիրիայի ցամաքային տարածք՝ հայտարարելով ԻՊ դեմ ռազմական գործողություններ իրականացնելու և իր սահմանը իսլամիստ գրոհայիններից «մաքրելու» մասին:

Սակայն գործողությունների ընթացքը ցույց են տալիս, որ Թուրքիան կյանքի է կոչում Սիրիայում «անվտանգության գոտի» ստեղծելու նպատակները, ինչի հիմքում Սիրիայի տարածքում քրդերի հսկողության տակ գտնվող երկու տարածքների միավորումը բացառելն է:

Այդ ճանապարհին կարևոր հանգույց է Ալ-Բաբը, որը ներկայում «Իսլամական պետության» վերահսկողության տակ է։ Այդ իսկ պատճառով Թուրքիայի համար անչափ կարևոր է գրավել հենց այդ քաղաքը։ Այն նաև Հալեպին է բավականին մոտ տեղակայված, ու կարևոր ռազմավարական նշանակություն ունի Սիրիայի հյուսիսում։

ԻՊ-ն ռազմավար է վերցրել Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ Leopard 2 տանկ
ԻՊ-ն ռազմավար է վերցրել Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ Leopard 2 տանկ
ԻՊ-ն ռազմավար է վերցրել Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ ACV-15 հետևակի մարտական մեքենա
ԻՊ-ն ռազմավար է վերցրել Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ ACV-15 հետևակի մարտական մեքենաԻՊ-ն ռազմավար է վերցրել Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ ACV-15 հետևակի մարտական մեքենա
ԻՊ-ի ձեռքն անցաշ թուրքական զնիուժի հանդերձանք
ԻՊ-ի ձեռքն անցաշ թուրքական զնիուժի հանդերձանք
ԻՊ-ի ձեռքն անցաշ թուրքական զնիուժի հանդերձանք
ԻՊ-ի ձեռքն անցաշ թուրքական զնիուժի հանդերձանք
Ալ-Բաբի հոսպիտալի տարածքը՝ ԻՊ հարձակումից հետո
Ալ-Բաբի հոսպիտալի տարածքը՝ ԻՊ հարձակումից հետո
ԻՊ-ն թուրքական տանկ է խոցել
ԻՊ-ն թուրքական տանկ է խոցել
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[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

«Իսլամական պետությունը» հրապարակել է 2 թուրք զինծառայողի ողջակիզման տեսանյութ
Դեկտեմբեր 23, 2016
by Տարոն Հովհաննիսյան

http://razm.info/93933

Դեկտեմբերի 22-ի երեկոյան «Իսլամական պետություն» ահաբեկչական խմբավորումը տարածել է տեսանյութ, որտեղ ԻՊ գրոհայինները ողջակիզում են Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ և ժանդարմերիայի հետախուզական ծառայության երկու զինծառայողների։ Էթիկայի կանոններց ելնելով՝ տեսանյութը չենք հրապարակում։

Մինչև զինծառայողներին մահապատժի ենթարկելը՝ ԻՊ գրոհայինը թուրքերենով կոչ է անում թուրք զինծառայողներին լքել «Իսլամական պետության տարածքը» (իրականում այդ տարածքները պատկանում են Սիրիային)։ Նա նշում է, որ «Թուրքիան դավաճանել է մուսուլմաններին, ԱՄՆ-ի առաջ բացել է Ինջիրլիք ավիաբազան, զորքերով ներխուժել է «Իսլամական պետության տարածք»»։

Այնուհետև զոհերն են «կոչ անում Էրդողանին և թուրքական զինուժին լքել» այդ տարածքները։ Երկուսն էլ ներկայանում են, նշում իրենց անունները և ծառայության վայրը։

Ֆեթիհ Շահին, ծնունդով Քոնիայից, 26 տ․, ժանդարմերիայի հետախուզական ծառայություն, ծառայության վայրը՝ Թեքիրդաղ
Սևդար Թաշի, 21 տ․, ծառայում է Քիլիսում, հետևակային ստորաբաժանման շարքային
Վերջում ԻՊ գրոհայինը սպառնում է, որ նման կերպ կվարվեն յուրաքանչյուր թուրք զինծառայողի հետ։

Հիշեցնենք, որ նոյեմբերի 29-ին Սիրիայում ընթացող Թուրքիայի զինուժի՝ «Եփրատի վահան գործողությունների ժամանակ անհետացել էր Թուրքիայի ԶՈւ 2 զինծառայող: ԻՊ-ն հայտնում էր նրանց գերի վերցնելու մասին։

Թուրքական զինուժը և ԻՊ-ն ներկայում մարտեր են վարում Սիրիայի Ալ-Բաբ բնակավայրի մոտ։ Թուրքիան փորձում է այդ քաղաքը գրավել սեպտեմբերից։ Սակայն, հատկապես վերջին օրերին, թուրքական զինուժը մեծ թվով կորուստներ է կրում, այդ թվում՝ զինծառայողների և տեխնիկայի։

Միայն դեկտեմբերի 21-ի բախումների հետևանքով թուրքական կողմը հայտնել է 16 սպանված զինծառայողի մասին։

[Azad]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Իսլամական պետությունը» հրապարակել է 2 թուրք զինծառայողի ողջակիզման տեսանյութ

They are saying turkish dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xyj8zLlNqc

[arakeretzig]

Re: Regional geopolitics

They are saying turkish dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xyj8zLlNqc

Dogs killing dogs.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

An 'Archduke Ferdinand' Moment, Or Merely Latest Event In Middle East Realpolitik?
December 21, 2016
David Patrikarakos

http://www.rferl.org/a/archduke-ferdinand-moment-or-just-more-realpolitik/28189664.html

It could have been a still from a Quentin Tarantino movie: the image of a photogenic young man -- armed and dangerous, and impeccably dressed in a dark suit and white shirt -- surrounded by an audience of TV cameras and smartphones, went viral in minutes.

He shouted in fury while the body of his dead victim lay motionless in the background. His right hand tensed by his side, clutching a gun. His left raised skyward to denote "Tawhid" (the oneness of God), usurping the traditional Muslim symbol for declaring God's unity in prayer, long since subverted by jihadists across the world.

In fact, he got it wrong. He should have raised his right hand, but it had just been used for murder and was otherwise engaged. Even this mistake seemed somehow to encapsulate our posttruth age. It was terrorism of the most contemporary kind, likely not conducted by a well-indoctrinated holy warrior, but by a frustrated, hopeless young man.

Mevlut Mert Altintas, a 22-year-old policeman from Ankara, had just shot dead Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey. His motives in the December 19 killing seemed clear enough as he shouted a series of religious and political slogans, beginning with an Arabic hadith (an ancient text that reportedly recorded some of the teachings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad) from Sahih al-Bukhari that referenced the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwah al-Khandaq) in which Muhammad and a band of followers tactically overcame a numerically superior army.

The assassin then laid out his grievances in Turkish. "Don't forget Aleppo; don't forget Syria. Don't forget Aleppo; don't forget Syria," he raged. "Until our provinces are safe and secure, you will not taste security," he continued, ordering the crowd to "stay back" before completing his diatribe: "Only death will make me leave this place; and whoever has played a role in this brutality will have to give an account for their actions."

The massive bombing campaign Russia carried out against the Syrian city of Aleppo, allowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces to reclaim the city from rebels, was clearly at the heart of the assassination. Russia killed thousands of Syrians in Aleppo; Altintas killed a Russian official in response, shooting him first in the back, for a reported total of nine times.

This has been a year of tumult, unexpected political events, and geopolitical uncertainty -- including Brexit, the U.S. presidential election, the continuing global refugee crisis, massacre in Syria and Yemen, and more Russian aggression in Ukraine. Fears that the world is in a pre-1914 period -- slowly drifting toward war -- are rife. Then, an assassination became the spark that caused World War I. Now many are asking whether the killing of a Russian ambassador could be an "Archduke Ferdinand moment."

The answer is an unequivocal "no," at least not in the way that some may conceive it. Far from being a source of increased tension between Turkey and Russia, bringing the two countries closer to war, Karlov's assassination could bring them closer together and have repercussions on the ongoing war against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

Gift To Erdogan

For Turkey, the assassination can be seen as a gift to its increasingly autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who in July crushed an alleged attempted coup against his rule that Ankara claims was orchestrated by the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen is accused of leading what Turkish officials have labeled the Gulenist Terrorist Organization (FETO), and following the botched coup attempt thousands of officials, from the army to the judiciary to even the education system, were arrested or expelled from their posts, accused by the government of being "Gulenists."

Now, in the wake of Karlov's killing, which Gulen has condemned, Ankara has wasted little time laying the blame squarely at the feet of his followers, informing the United States on December 20 that it believed they were responsible.

Erdogan will now have even more of an excuse to purge supposed Gulenists from all branches of government and state apparatuses. A foreign diplomat has been killed: he has a blank check on which to write the names of yet more of those who oppose him. He will only become stronger now.

But his alliance to the United States may become even weaker, a process that has been ongoing for some time but was made worse by the failed coup attempt. Turkey is a NATO ally, but the United States has been slow to act on Ankara's demand that Gulen be extradited immediately to face trial in Turkey over his alleged role in the coup attempt, which the cleric denies.

Green Light For Moscow

As far as Moscow is concerned, the picture, perhaps counterintuitively, could be more advantageous. The killing of a Russian diplomat on Turkish soil is hugely embarrassing to Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin now has significant political leverage over him. The Turkish president is in his debt. The two have had closer relations since the July coup attempt. Instead of that process being interrupted, it will likely gather momentum.

Interestingly, Russian media coverage of the assassination reveals a clear pattern. It is sticking to the Turkish "Gulenist" line, but is taking care to cite it as the Turkish view on events rather than fact.

Moscow is keeping its options open. Soon after the assassination, Putin went on Russian state TV to say that the assassination was "undoubtedly...aimed at disrupting the normalization" of bilateral ties between the two countries. More pertinently, he said it was also aimed at disrupting the "peace process in Syria." And more chillingly, he declared that "there is only one possible response to this -- the strengthening of the fight against terror, and the bandits will feel it themselves."

WATCH: Russian President Vladimir Putin said the killing of his ambassador in Turkey was a "provocation" aimed at spoiling Russia-Turkey relations, and derailing the Syria peace process. He spoke about the incident during a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Kremlin. (Reuters)


His import was clear. As Karlov's killing will allow Erdogan to further his primary domestic goal -- the crushing of all and any opposition to him -- it will allow Putin to further his primary foreign-policy goal in the Middle East: winning the war in Syria. Russia will now be able to pursue its war with even more confidence that Turkey will not try to stop it. There is suspicion that a deal may have been cut between Erdogan and Putin in August that would allow both Russia and Turkey to advance their own agendas in Syria. That deal will now almost definitely remain in place.

The Russian argument will be clear, and simple, and deadly. A terrorist sympathizer shot a Russian diplomat in revenge for the carnage of Aleppo. The terror threat from IS and other jihadist groups that Russia claims it is fighting in Syria has not diminished. The only response must be to strike at IS and its affiliates harder. Aleppo has fallen. The Russians will not stop. Idlib may well be next. Thus will Putin's Russia continue to project its "imperial power" in the world while at the same time ensuring that its puppet Assad remains in nominal control of the country, preserving Moscow's naval facility at Tartus in the process.

To Putin, it does not matter how much of Russia's narrative is true, and much of it is not. What matters is that Moscow's military campaign remains unchallenged, and its narrative is just one way that the Russian government has ensured that a strong opposition to Putin's methods has yet to materialize, at least not at the state level.

Was the killing of Andrei Karlov an assassination that draws the world one step closer to all-out war? No, it was merely a tragedy that Moscow and Ankara could exploit to further their own political and military ends. This is not a step toward a wider war -- except for the Syrians, many more of whom will now be killed in the name of "fighting IS." This is realpolitik, at its dirtiest and most cynical. It is realpolitik, in the style that has come to characterize the Middle East in the post-Arab Spring era -- just with a Russian twist.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL

[Haykakan]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Typical one sided bs from our long time bs poster Vrej1915. As if the western "twist" has been so much better for Syria. Makes me laugh at the utter bs.