The official presentations of peace have become surreal.
Most understand that with the repression of democracy, especially through the jailing of journalists and the shuttering of publications, Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has all but denounced democracy for a turn “east” toward dictatorship.
America’s President Trump has agreed to the program but with one difference, i.e., claiming credit for peace in the region. He has nonetheless praised the Turkish leader, essentially hollowing out the meaning of “NATO” and the related Western ideals, principles, and values that were to be defended before the “Phantoms of the Soviet”, i.e., the forces of feudalism and associated criminals, political criminals, and tyrants.
Turkish news channels ran a countdown clock at the top of their screens to let the country know when the ceasefire in northern Syria would end. Military and political commentators tried to outdo each other’s prognostications about what would come out of the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in the city of Sochi. In the end, the presidents spent six hours discussing their path forward in northern Syria.
https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-erdogan-wins-big-as-clock-ticks-for-syria-kurds/a-50955172 – 10/23/2019.
Yesterday
BackChannels expects the powerful mainstream media (Fake News!) to take note of the discrepancies illustrated here by juxtaposition.
It appears some wealthy — way “up there” in wealth born of thuggery — have in some states displaced democratic processes, evolving liberalism, rule of law and become powers unto themselves acting in their own feudal and wholly narcissistic and malign interests.
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BackChannels 
Trump has not “agreed” to any program. Saying so gives no clarity. Trump has left, saying, “Good luck and good riddance.” That is all he has done. And that is bad enough.
Now try this on for clarity: WHO HAS JURISDICTION? Trump just got told by the Iraqi PM that we can “pass through, but not encamp without permission.“ FULL STOP! Erdogan can still invade. Iran can roam, rampage and resupply. Putin can be the King of Syria. Assad can do his best to look important. But the West plays by humanitarian rules, which is exactly bringing a ping pong paddle to the World Series. Or possibly being the clown in the rodeo.
More clarity: JUST WHO THE FUCK ARE THESE KURDS WE ALL SO SUDDENLY LOVE? They are insane warriors. Yeah, yeah, yeah, FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM!!!!! Movie characters for Rambo. And stupid. Incredibly stupid. Lovably, heroically STUPID! Again and again and again and again. „Betrayal“ is branded on them, like numbers were once branded on others. But they rip off the skin and pick up the gun. And now they gather to kill the Turk under the banner of Assad on the chessboard of Putin. And Putin will re-establish the jurisdiction of Assad. And the Kurds may or may not get some crumbs. But they were never „entitled“ to the land they still control. If they can kill enough enemies, they can negotiate a „Treaty.“ Otherwise, they—and the Turk—are trespassing on Putin‘s—er, Assad‘s—land. Have a nice day.
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BackChannels strongly disagrees with the characterization of the Kurdish Community overwhelmingly bandit or trespassing. For the briefest recap, here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia:
— There are various hypotheses as to predecessor populations of the Kurds, such as the Carduchoi of Classical Antiquity. The earliest known Kurdish dynasties under Islamic rule (10th to 12th centuries) are the Hasanwayhids, the Marwanids, the Rawadids, the Shaddadids, followed by the Ayyubid dynasty founded by Saladin. —
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Kurds
Maimonides served Saladin. Saladin’s capture of Jerusalem from Christian domination made possible the return of Jews to that long fought over capital.
The American commitment to freedom and natural opposition to dictators and tyrants would serve the Kurdish community with the elimination of Saddam Hussein as the power controlling Iraq. Today’s USA has unfortunately drifted far toward the authoritarianism and fascism (and mendacity) it once fought.
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