You're such a pest... :D

If you haven't as of yet I'd suggest this as an interesting read and insight into the long and illustrious history of the west in the region.

Trump’s Big Move On Turkey May Gain U.S. Goals
 

Trump’s Big Move On Turkey May Gain U.S. Goals

https://www.nysun.com/foreign/trump-...s-goals/90872/

An interesting article - worth a slow read.

"The controversy over President Trump’s pullout on the Turkish–Syrian border will settle down quickly. It is another useful debunking of ancient shibboleths and decrepit truisms, like the long-impregnable encrustation of false wisdom that moving the U.S embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would unleash hell upon the whole Middle East...."

That indeed is a damned good piece; thank you for sharing that. Definitely not for the 15-sec attention span of a pundit's comment. Timeline was well-woven [seen as history lesson type stuff].

Thanks, will attempt to share with the screamers. :rolleyes:

Me too! :D

Pete appreciate the reference as well, a comprehensive perspective. Over the years I’ve had conversations with Kurds on several occasions an always ended with me scratching my head, seemed like hearing cats... realized there are a lot of dynamics at work.

The brake-up of the ottoman empire after WW I was a disaster. Apparently, Erdogan agrees and wants to recreate the old days, with his self as the Emperor,, of a Nuclear Caliph??

This does not bode well for anyone involved.

:mad:

Pete, that Conrad Black story is the same one I must have read back in the 80’s except it’s been updated. Yep, that’s my understanding of the Kurd issue and the other regional players. Not much has changed except we keep getting in bed with them expecting a different outcome.

I don’t care for Turkey’s control of that strategic landmass and would not trust Erdogan to be a straight player, but what is to be done is beyond my pay grade.

If peace is the absence of war, that region has seen only shimmering glimpses since before the first two men settled there - one was Muslim the other Christian...

Edit: Anecdotal of course. I have always supported liberty and the idea of a Kurdish State ... one would think they disliked Erdogan but I didn’t always get that. Now Syria seems to be looking for an alliance? Certainly it was tragic what happened to them in Iraq.
Apologize, that was no edit

Thanks. Placed order for book.

Yep. They are both sunni muslims and hate Assad. As far as the escaping jihadi "prisoners" are concerned, the Kurds, who have now allied with Assad, should just turn them over to him. He'll know what to do with them.