ISIS

How did we get to this place?

First, we have to start at the beginning. We have to look at history chronologically. The situation in
the Middle East today definitely existed in large part by the imperialist policies from the West
spanning decades. WWI was a blatant inter-imperialist war between European Powers for the
worlds mineral and economic resources of the Earth (including for political power). The Treaty of
Versailles was about the carving up of the world for the benefit of the system of racism/white
supremacy and it excludes the masses of people of color from truly having independence from overt
colonialism and imperialism. After WWI, the Ottoman Empire was defeated. European imperialist
nations carved up the Ottoman Empire and other areas of the Middle East too. There were secret
treaties like the Sykes-Picot agreement where Britain and France divided the region into separate
states. These states were ruled either by imperialists directly or by puppet Arabic potentates. This
bad policy artificially separated peoples and recognized many nation states while dismissing others
like the Kurds. The Kurds would be subject to national oppression then and now. The British
supported the Balfour Declaration, which set in motion events which caused Israel to be a nation
by 1948 (after World War II and after the evil, murderous Holocaust) while the indigenous
Palestinian people would be dispossessed of their land for decades. After WWII, America became a

dominant power in the world beyond the European powers in the Middle East. Europe and America
had heavily influenced of the oil of Saudi Arabia.

Gamal
Abdel
Nasser was
the
quintessential Arabic nationalist. He
desired to modernize Egypt while not
accepting Western domination of the
region. He once nationalized the Suez
Canal in 1956, which caused England and
France to militarily attack Egypt. Yet,
ironically America and the Soviet Union
forced England and France to end the
conflict. Nasser led two unsuccessful
wars against Israel. Nasser relied on
Soviet aid, but he wanted his own
independence. On May 12, 1964, Soviet
leader Nikita Khrushchev and Egypts
military ruler Gamel Abdel Nasser
marked the completion of the first phase
of the construction of the Aswan High
dam on the Nile. At the ceremony, the
two leaders detonated a dynamite
charge that diverted the river into a new
channel.

Middle Eastern peace is heavily

elusive as history has shown. Anwar
Sadat of Egypt, President Jimmy
Carter, and Israeli Prime Minister
Begin agreed on the Camp David
Accords which allow Egypt and Israel
to recognize each other.

The USA wanted to contain Arabic nationalism in the region and any Russian influence in the region
too during the Cold War (under the guise of the West promoting "anti-communism"). That is why the
U.S. and the West has supported reactionary dictatorships and monarchies (in order to prevent
independent movements and any anti-capitalist movement from taking hold in the Middle East in a
massive level). The dictator Shah Pahlavi came into power in 1954 with US/British backing after

Operation Ajax. America has consistently supported Israel, especially after Israels victory in the
1967 Six Day War. Israel has been used a monitor and watch person of the region. Israel has
committed numerous international war crimes for years and decades. Any nationalist or secular left
wing movements in the region have been checked by the U.S.-backed Islamic fundamentalism of
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. So, America has supported counterrevolution in the region (like being
against national liberation, against the labor movement, and against real democracy).

This man was Ayatollah

Khomeini and he was the
leader of the 1979 Iranian
Revolution which overthrew the
Pahlavi monarchy forever. He
was one of the most influential
th
religious leaders of the 20
century. He was the Supreme
Leader of Iran, he formed a
theocracy, and he passed away
in 1989.

Donald Rumsfeld shook hands with

Saddam Hussein. This occurred in
December 20, 1983. Both men were in
Baghdad. Rumsfeld, during this time,
was a special envoy of then President
Ronald Reagan. Norm Dixon wrote an
article on Counterpunch during June of
2004 about how the Reagan
administration knew that Saddam was
using chemical weapons and turned a
blind eye to it.

The Iranian Revolution in 1979 changed the whole world. The Shah was toppled and the
reactionary Ayatollah Khomeini regime opposed America. The US, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabian
backed fundamentalist Mujahedeen fought the Afghanistans then pro-Stalinist nation-state. The
USSR invaded and occupied the nation. The USSR left Afghanistan in total defeat (the Westernbacked Mujahedeen fought the USSR forces in Afghanistan). The overextended of military
resources from the USSR in Afghanistan contributed to the end of the Cold War (and the fall of the
USSR forever). America once supported Osama bin Laden in the 1980s and Saddam Hussein (in
his stalemate war against Iran where over 1 million people died between Iraqis and Iranians). Later,
Iraq had 14 billion dollars in debt. Iraq invaded Kuwait to get its resources, oil, etc. Hussein
mistakenly thought that America gave him the greenlight to invade Kuwait, but President George H.
W. Bush launched the Persian Gulf War (since this invasion from Saddam Hussein in his mind would
threaten American-backed oil resources in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia). George H. W. Bush once
inspired the Shias and the Kurds in Iraq to rise up against Saddam in Iraq. Yet, they werent
supported by the US, so the Iraqi army massacred thousands of people. Bush Sr. used a no fly zone
in the Kurdish North and in the Shia South, which caused sectarian strife and that action was the
beginning unofficially of end of the Iraqi nation. Afterwards, Western, murderous sanctions in Iraq
caused over 1 million Iraqis to die. Madeline Albright made the evil, sick words that the sanctions,
which killed so many children even, were worth it. Al-Qaeda grew. During the late 1990s and the

early 21st century, the neo-cons promoted an invasion of Iraq when Iraq was no direct threat to
America. American military bases grew all over the Middle East.
The attacks on the World Trade Center and in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 began the war
on terror. The attacks were done by extremists. The attacks happened in New York City, Arlington,
Virginia, and Shanksville, PA which killed 2,993 human beings. There was the rise of the anthrax
attacks in September and October of 2001 too. Some have accused people close to the USAMRIID
as being involved. The United States government passed many anti-civil liberty laws like the Patriot
Act during the aftermath of 9/11. These laws became part and parcel of the reason why civil liberties
are so important to protect and fight for. Immediately after 9/11, Islamophobia grew and many
Muslims were rounded up randomly by the FBI. On October 7, 2001, the West (as supported by
President George W. Bush) attacked Afghanistan via imperial aggression with bombers, soldiers,
and other military forces.

There were other events happening. George W. Bush overtly admitted that he desired to create
complaint, neoliberal puppet democracies all over the Middle East, which could be supportive of
the United States. The U.S. and other nations attacked Iraq unjustly and based on false intelligence
on March of 2003. The lie is that Iraq was a direct threat to America and that Iraq had massive
weapons of mass destruction. Even former Federal Reserve chair, Alan Greenspan stated
accurately that: Everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil. Not only did Hillary Clinton vote
for the Iraq War. A large part of the corporate media, especially members of the New York Times
supported the Iraq war. Anti-war protesters in the millions worldwide protested the war in 2003. The
aggression in Iraq violated national and international law. Bush would use his coalition of Britain and
other nations to fight Iraq. The start of the Iraq War began with the Shock and Awe bombings on
March 19, 2003. The Iraq war would be a disaster for human beings worldwide from Iraqi
infrastructure being destroyed to tons of people being killed in the Middle Eastern region. Ex-Vice
President Dick Cheney was another blatant neo-conservative liar who said that the U.S. forces
would be welcomed n Iraq as liberators. The Madrid bombing existed in 2004.

The 7/7 bombing happened in 2005 in London, UK. We find that the mastermind of the bombing had
ties to MI6. Saddam Hussein died via hanging in December 30, 2006. Paul Bremer was one leader
in the occupation of Iraq years ago. He executed neoliberal policies of Iraqs economy. He privatized
resources and used lax building plans, which caused more problems in Iraq. He made the bad
mistakes of firing all Baath Party members from state jobs. This caused tons of Sunnis workers and
professionals to lose their jobs. He or Bremer dissolved the Iraqi Army and he postponed the
election process and declared the country under colonial occupation. This angered the Sunnis and
the Shias which contributed to more conflicts in Iraq. On the one side you have the Sunnis and their
guerilla struggle (with Islamists, ex-Baathists, and the tribal elite). Then, you have the Shia cleric
Moqada al-Sadr using mass demonstrations in demanding the end of Iraq occupation. The West
targeted the Sunni resistance and the forces from Sadr (filled with Shia resistance). Sadrists allied
with the Sunni guerilla movement. So, the U.S. used the divide and conquer strategy to promote
more of a sectarian schism in Iraq. The West soon used Shia militias in Iraqi security force and these
militias not only attacked al-Qaeda but the Sunnis resistance including the civilian population. The
civil war between Shias and Sunnis in Iraq lasted from 2006 to 2008. Bush issued the surge. He
deployed 20,000 troops in 2007 mostly to Baghdad, claiming that they would bring an end to the civil
war. This was yet another one of Bushs lies. In reality, the Shia militias had already won and the
fighting was subsiding. The Sunni tribal leadership had stopped fighting the regime and instead
formed Awakening Councils to attack al Qaeda in Iraq. The puppet leader al-Maliki in Iraq failed to
solve problems.

There are 2 major religious factions in Islam.

They are Sunnis and Shia. The Sunnis make up
of the majority of the followers of Islam. They
believe that Muhammads first Caliph was his
father in law Abu Bakr. Sunnis dominate Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and other nations in the
Middle East.
The Shias believe that Muhammads successor
as Caliph was his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn
Abi Talib. Most Sunnis live in Iran, Iraq,
Pakistan, and India. The Twelver Shia is the
largest branch of Shia Islam.
In 2009, President Barack Obama was inaugurated as President of the United States of America. He
talked about "hope and change." Yet, many of the same policies of George W. Bush continued
during his administration. In the same year, Boko Haram grew. There was the Fort Hood, TX
shooting in November of 2009. The President Barack Obama wants to contain Russia and China
with his pivot of Asia agenda. Obama also increased drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, etc. Obama
executed his own surge in Afghanistan, which wasnt successful in bringing long term stability in
Afghanistan. Maliki wanted to end the occupation and later the President Barack Obama ending
overt occupation of Iraq in December 2011. The Iraq War caused 4,500 soldiers to lose their lives
and 30,000 wounded people. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians at least died in the War. $3
trillion dollars have been spent on the War. Iraq is ruled now by a Shia authoritarian state filled with
sectarian conflict.
By December 18, 2010, the Arab Spring existed. This was a movement of people who were
protesting against authoritarian regimes in Muslim nations of the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Many people in the Arab Spring were sincere and wanted democratic freedom. Many activists called
for the redistribution of wealth and opposed American imperialism. Others were infiltrated by NGOs
and Western corporate-backed forces. It lasted until October 26, 2013. The Syrian Civil War started
in March 15, 2011 between pro-Assad and anti-Assad factions (which includes Western-backed
forces, al-Qaeda terrorists, ISIS, etc.). The Libyan crisis came about in 2011. It started by people
who wanted Gaddafi to go. Gaddafi made Libya a very strong nation. Libya was one of the most
prosperous nations in Africa. Soon, NATO supported the Libyan rebels and Libya transformed into
chaos. Gaddafi was murdered by Libyan rebel forces. NATO bombed Libya and there was not
strong, progressive movement to keep Libya together. After Gaddafi died, the civil war in Libya has
intensified.
Benghazi has been a stronghold of al-Qaeda in Libya for years:

"...There is no question that al Qaedas Libyan franchise, Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, is a
part of the opposition, Bruce Riedel, former CIA officer and a leading expert on terrorism,
told Hindustan Times. It has always been Qaddafis biggest enemy and its stronghold is
Benghazi..." (The Hindustan Times). Another source says about Libya:

"...The United States switched sides in the war on terror with what we did in Libya,
knowingly facilitating the provision of weapons to known al-Qaeda militias and figures,
Clare Lopez, a member of the commission and a former CIA officer, told MailOnline.
Ironically, Gaddafi was about to attack Benghazi in 2011 since it was an al-Qaeda
stronghold, but NATO planes stopped him..." (as documented in the article entitled, "Libya:
Benghazi about to fall... then came the planes" written by Rob Crilly for the Telegraph on
March 20, 2011).

The evil 2012 Benghazi attack was when terrorists on the evening of September 11, 2012 attacked
the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The terrorists killed U.S. Ambassador J.
Christopher Stevens, U.S. Navy Seal Tyrone Woods, and U.S. Navy Seal Glen Boherty, and
U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith. Stevens was the first U.S.
Ambassador killed in the line of duty since 1979. The attack has also been referred to as the Battle
of Benghazi. From 2014 to the present, Libya is still in the era of civil war. ISIS develop after the de
Baathification of Iraq, the Sunnis having their political power weakened, and the refusal of the Shia
President of Iraq to have a great power sharing system among ethnicities. ISIS also came about
because of the Western invasion and occupation of Iraq, which created chaos and more inter
religious tensions among Sunnis and Shias. ISIS goes by many names. It was created in 1999 by

Jordanian radical Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as Jamat al-Tawd wa-al-Jihd, "The Organization of
Monotheism and Jihad." In 2004, they allied with Al-Qaeda.

ISIS beginnings
ISIS or the Islamic State spread their organization quickly in the Middle East. The Islamic State of
Iraq or ISI existed in 2006. By April 18, 2010, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi controlled ISI after its two top
leaders (Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri) were killed in a joint U.S.-Iraqi airstrike in
Tikrit. When Syria Spring turned from a democratic protest movement to the civil war (from March
2011 to March 2013), Islamic groups like al-Qaedas the Nusra Front joined the civil war. Fighters
loyal to Baghdadi cross into Syria and exploitated the power vacuum, so they could get territory. ISI
starts to bomb places in Iraq. ISIS fighters with the Nusra Front entered the northeastern city of
Raqqa, Syria. On April 2013, Baghdadi declared that he has absorbed the Nusra Front to form a
large entity called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which was operation in Iraq and Syria.
The Nusra Front denied back then that it has accepted the merger. This caused a leadership rift
within al-Qaeda. Their spread was quickly growing by June 29, 2014 when they called themselves
officially Islamic State of Iraq and Levant or ISIS. Their goal is to form a theocratic caliphate in the
lands that they conquer in the Middle East. Its leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi or he called himself
the Caliph of all Muslims. ISIS have used extreme violence by using beheadings, rape, slavery,
destructing heritage sites in the Middle East, and taking territories illegally. They advertise their
violence online.
In January of 2014, ISIS overran the Iraqi city of Fallujah. They seized parts of Anbars regional
capital of Ramadi. More than 13,000 families fled the area. There are reports of British jihadists
being recruited as reported by sources. In Syria, IS fought rival rebel groups over land. In June of
2014, there is an overnight assault by hundreds of ISIS fighters capture Mosul, Iraq or the second
largest city. They overran key local government, police, and military headquarters, also seizing
considerable amounts of U.S. supplied military hardware. ISIS came to the south quickly in June 11,
2014 conquering most of Nineveh province and Saddam Husseins hometown of Tikrit. It reportedly

becomes the richest terror group ever after looting 500 billion Iraqi dinars - the equivalent of
$429m (256m) from Mosul's central bank. In conquered lands, ISIS imposed strict Sharia laws
over their territories. They continue to use mass kidnappings and executions in Iraq and Syria. By
June 29, 2014, the group declared the establishment of a caliphate and renamed itself the Islamic
State. Their rift deepens with al-Qaeda by July 5, 2014. On this day, IS released a video of Baghdadi
delivered a sermon at Al-Nouri Mosque in Mosul. He called on Muslims to obey him and join the
caliphate. It is important to note that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam or Muslim. ISIS is a terrorist
organization and its a reactionary group.
IS attacked the Iraqi district of Sinjar or the home of the Yazidi Kurds. The Yazidi Kurds are an
ancient religious minority group that radical Sunnis consider heretical. Thousands of Yazidis flee,
hundreds are killed or kidnapped. Women are enslaved. Then on August 8, 2014, the U.S. launched
air strikes against ISIS. On August 2014, the jihadi group released the footage showing a masked
militant with a London accent beheading American journalist James Foley in retaliation for U.S. air
strikes. The clip is called Message to America. Video footage of the beheading of the U.S. hostage
Steven Sotloff existed in September 2, 2014. In the same month, America forms a 10 nation anti-IS
coalition. It includes Britain, France, and Canada. Many Arabic nations would soon join this coalition
to fight ISIS. British aid worker David Haines is beheaded before a camera too. By September 13,
2014, ISIS launched an offensive on the northern Syrian city of Kobane. This is home to a strong
Kurdish population. The siege lasts for four months. In October, more Westerners are beheaded
and a IS English language propaganda magazine called Dabiq wants further attacks. In October 20,
2014, a Canadian convert and IS sympathizer runs down 2 soldiers and killed one with his car near
Montreal. 2 days later, a gunman killed a soldier guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa
before storming Canadas parliament building. He is shot dead later by security forces. Peter Kassig
was beheaded by November of 2014. In January 26, 2015, Kurdish fighters retake full control of
Kobane as they successfully push back IS militants.
In February 15, 2015, IS Libyan branch released footage showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian
Christians on a beach. In March of 2014, Iraq troops backed by Shiite militias and U.S. air strikes
reconquer the strategic city of Tikrit. On April 19, 2015, ISIS Libyan affiliated release a clip showing
militants shooting and heading about 30 Ethiopian Christians. The Iraqi defense ministry announced
IS second in command Abu Alaa Al-Afri was killed in an air strike on May 13, 2015. IS fighters take
over Ramadi because of the meltdown of Iraqi troops. The U.S. criticized those Iraqi forces heavily.
IS conquered the Syrian historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on May 2015. From June 16 to 23,
2015, Kurdish fighters advance deeper into IS territory. They capture the Syrian town of Tal Abyad
and an army base in southwest Ain Issa. On June 26, 2015, IS claims responsibility for the killing of
38 people in a shooting at a Tunisian beach resort and for a separate suicide bombing that killed to
least 25 Shiite worshipers in a Kuwait mosque. On July 21, 2015, the Telegraph reported on British
troops going to Saudi Arabia to train Syrian rebels (who oppose Assad). In July 2015, sources have
said that the territory controlled by ISIS saw a 9.4% reduction in the first six months of 2015. In
August of 2015, ISIS destroys antiquities in Palmyra. The nearly 2,000 year old Temple of
Baalashami is destroyed. UNESCO or the UNs cultural organization calls the destruction of the
temple a war crime. In September 3, ISIS killed more than 40 of its own militants (in the Musbaq
al-Suney district of al-Mayadin, Syria) since they refused to join the battles in the Aleppo province.
There are clashes between Syrian rebel fighters and ISIS forces in Syria too during September of
2015.

The Kurds
The Kurds are divided into many factions. Yet, they are unified in opposing ISIS. The United States
has given massively aid to the Kurdish forces (especially the Peshmerga forces) as a way for them to
fight back against ISIS. They are some of the strongest militia forces in the Middle Eastern region
too. The Kurdish forces face 2 problems. One problem that they face is about ISIS, which they have
killed many Kurdish people, including women and children. Another problem that they face deals
with of course the nation of Turkey. Turkey has consistently opposed any form of Kurdish selfdetermination, especially inside of the Turkish nation. Kurdish peoples are not just found in Iraq and
Syria. They exist in many parts of Turkey too. So, Turkey has classified many Kurdish organizations
as terrorists (like the Kurdish PKK or the separatists Kurdistan Workers Party. The PKK was crucial in
pushing back ISIS in northern Iraq.). PKKs affiliate in Syria is called the PYD or the Kurdish
Democratic Union Party. Its armed wing is called the YPG. Turkey has bombed Kurdish forces in
Syria. This complicated the war since America and Turkey are allies; especially both nations are in
NATO. Yet, America wants Assad gone while Turkey is more concerned with containing Kurdish
nationalist fervor. Turkey wants the U.S. to fight ISIS, but they are adamantly opposed to giving
sophisticated military equipment to Kurdish fighters. The U.S. and Germany have given weapons to
the Kurds. In the final analysis, I dont support ISIS and I dont support Western imperialism. I
support independent forces wanting freedom in the region. Also, we all agree with the right of the
Kurdish people to have self-determination (like in the self-determination region of Rojava in Syria
with a lot of Kurdish people) and to defend their families.
*Also, it is important to bring up another point too. Not all of the Kurds are doing what is right
either. There are many reports of Kurdish troops forcibly displacing people and doing acts of
terrorism against Arabic people too. That is wrong and that should be condemned. US-backed
Kurdish militias known as the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have carried out war crimes against
thousands of non-Kurdish civilians in northern Syria during the past year, including razing to the
ground of civilian areas and forced transfer of their populations, according to a new report by
Amnesty International. There is an illegal oil trade involved with ISIS. Also, Israel has brought oil
from Iraqi Kurdistan too. So, we have to make a distinction between some Kurdish people doing the
wrong thing and other Kurdish people doing the right thing.

Syria

In Syria, the Western-instigated civil war has devastated Syria. Over 200,000 human beings have
died as a product of the vicious civil war. President Obama has aided the rebels to fight ISIS. Many
of these rebels are terrorists. We know that the U.S. had funded radical jihadists in the region for
years and decades. General Lloyd J. Austin III is the head of the United States Central Command. He
admitted to the Senates Armed Services Committee that the 500 million dollar program to train
5,000 so-called moderate rebels in Syria only resulted in the training of a few dozen people. We
know that for a long time, the West wanted to destabilize Syria, so Assad is gone and a puppet
regime can exist in its place. This has been admitted by former General Wesley Clark as Clark said
that Syria on a hit list of government targets slated for a military intervention. Much of the Arab
Spring actions in Syria have been aided by NGOs and Western backed organizations. Even WikiLeaks
confirmed that that the U.S. spent 12 million dollars (from 2006 to 2010) in order to support and
instigate demonstrations and propaganda against the Syrian government. This has been revealed by
over 7,000 secret diplomatic cables. The CIA has given arms to Syrian opposition groups, and many
of these groups are outright terrorists. We know that the CIA supports Al Nusra. Al Nusra is a
jihadist organization that has committed countless atrocities. This group is affiliated with al-Qaeda.
Al Nusra has been described as the terrorist arm of the Free Syria Army or the FSA. With all of this
war mongering executed by the Obama administration in Syria, Libya, etc., the extremist
Republicans in Congress feel that the President isnt going far enough. Many Republicans oppose
the Iran nuclear accord, because they want Iran to suffer even more. Yet, Iranians collectively
should not be blamed for the totality of the crisis in the Middle East. Iran doesn't have a nuclear
weapon at all. There are thousands of Iranian Quds forces in Syria. They are fighting ISIS. So, there is
an alliance between Iran, Russia, and Syria. Also, Russia has been using Iraqi airspace. Now, Assad
isnt perfect. Assad has issues of violating the democratic rights of Syrian people, but I rather have
Assad control Syria temporarily (and then an independent, non-puppet government can arise in
Syria without Assad in the future) than ISIS control Syria permanently. We have to look at foreign
policy realistically. Only the Syrian citizens, not America, not France, not Russia, and not the UK,
should decide Syrias political future.

Turkey and Erdogan

Turkey has overly joined the U.S. war in Syria by July of 2015. Turkey has always been an ally of
America for decades. Turkey is a NATO country. Once, the government of Ankara has used a more
restrained approach when dealing with ISIS. Turkey wants the government of President Bashar alAssad to be gone, but there is another caveat. Turkey wants to stop Kurdish nationalists. Turkey has
been caught (by many reports and sources) covertly aiding ISIS too. The Jerusalem Post reported
that an ISIS fighter said that Turkey funds the terrorist group. According to a leading Turkish
newspaper (Todays Zaman), Turkish nurses are sick of providing free medical in Turkish hospitals.
The Tunisian oil smuggler Abu Sayyaf smuggled oil from Syrias eastern oil fields. Black market oil
became the main driver of ISIS revenues and Turkish buyers were its main clients. We know that
Turkey has overtly supported jihadi groups like Ahrar al-Sham (which believes in much of al-Qaedas
ideology) and Jabhat al-Nusra. Even Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said that Israel has
given aid to Syrian rebels. Overtly, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has worked with President
Barack Obama now to secure the Turkish-Syrian border and fight ISIS. Now, the United States uses
Turkish air bases at Incirlik and Diyarbakir, so the U.S. can launch aerial attacks in IS positions in
Syria and Iraq. There are predator drones being launched from the Incirlik air base. According to
the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News, the deal, treated by the Turkish side as a secret
cabinet decree, also includes plans for a buffer zone in northern Syria, something Ankara has
long demanded as a means of escalating the war for regime change in Syria.
Erdogan has a notoriously authoritarian government. There are plenty of stories about
demonstrators being arrested and experiencing tear gas by the police in Turkey. He has used raids
via his army against ISIS. Turkey still views some Kurdish nationalist groups as terrorists. The Kurdish
town of Suru experienced a suicide attack that killed at least 32 people. Suru lay on the Turkish
side of the Turkey-Syrian border from the city of Koban. The bombing, which also injured more
than 100, was reportedly carried out by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) against SGDF
activists who were preparing to cross the border to help with the reconstruction of Koban. The
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan. Ozan

Tekin is a member of the Revolutionary Socialist Workers Party (DSIP), which is affiliated with the
International Socialist Tendency. There are working class activists in Turkey who are fighting for
real change in that nation. The U.S. has aided Kurdish groups in Iraq, which Turkey disagrees with.
The U.S. is an ally of Saudi Arabia, but as the Daily Beast has report, ISIS is funded by wealthy donors
from Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. So, Gulf States are funding ISIS as a counterweight against
the Shia hegemony of Syria and Iran. These Gulf States also fund the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda
called the Al Nusrah Front and other Islamic groups fighting on the ground in Syria. So, the U.S.,
Turkey, and Israel have funded Syrian rebels in order for Syria to be a puppet client state of the
West.

ISIS Overseas
ISIS is known for its social media influence. They have used the Internet to spread hate and
extremism. There is no solution in nihilism at all. There have been many lone wolves with no links to
ISIS, but desire to do evil as they were inspired by ISIS. Today, they control areas in the realm of
about 10 million people. They have affiliates in Africa, Asia, etc. The Salafi, jihadist group of ISIS is
very evil.

Russia
Russia has sent its military support for Assad. They have reportedly setting up a new air base in
northwestern Syria, the traditional stronghold of Assads Alawite Shiite regime, a development
Washington has been unable to block. And on the eve of Obamas speech to the UN, the US-backed
Iraqi government announced that it had signed an intelligence-sharing agreement with Syria, Iran
and Russia, evidently without the prior knowledge of the US government. An Iraqi government
official said Monday that Baghdad would welcome Russian surveillance flights over the country. The
West wants Syria to be rid of Assad in order to spread a pro-Saudi hegemony. Saudi Arabia wants
Assad gone to promote its interests and Assad is a Shia person (while the Saudi leadership is Sunni).
The Western instigated sectarian civil war in Syria has caused massive amounts of refugees to leave
Syria and come into Europe, etc. The U.S. wars in the Middle East exist in order for the West to gain
the regions energy resources, to promote American hegemony in the region, and to counteract the
political moves made by Russia including China (which are both nuclear powers). Essentially the

same jihadist terrorist forces that constitute ISIS were financed and armed by the CIA, Washingtons
Sunni Gulf allies (Saudi Arabia, Qatar) and Turkey to serve as proxy forces in the overthrow and
murder of the secular Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, as well as in the war for regime change against
the secular regime in Syria. Iran, (which has been called an evil empire by the neo-cons), is today a
potential asset of US imperialism in the region. The US is backing a Shiite sectarian regime in Iraq
that is aligned with Iran, even as it collaborates with Sunni Saudi Arabia in waging war in Yemen and
the effort to topple the Shiite Assad regime in Syria. These are all contradictions and it shows the
complexities of the war on terror. These wars have caused chaos and most Americans dont want
more massive wars in the Middle East. The reactionary Republicans like John McCain, Rubio, etc.
are trying to pressure the White House to be more hawkish. We see NATO still showing an
aggressive posture towards Russia.
NATO supports military war games near Russian territories along eastern European countries
(which is highly provocative on the part of NATO). Russia has influence from the Russian oligarchs
with Putin as the leader of Russia. Vladimir Putin is a person filled with a mixed legacy. He or Putin
has accurately exposed the hypocrisies and evils of Western imperialism in public courageously.
Likewise, he has made the mistake of violating the democratic rights of many people in Russia and
he has allowed the Russian oligarchs to run wild in economic exploitation. There is financial
instability in Russia as a product of the collapse of the USSR, neoliberal policies, and there was the
1998 financial crisis of the ruble in Russia too. EU and US sanctions (over the Ukrainian conflict)
including the devaluation of the ruble has harmed the Russian economy to a great extent. After the
evil blowing up of the Russian plane, Russia is even more apt to desire to end ISIS in the Middle
East. Russia is right to expose how a Western backed coup in the Ukraine allowed neo-Nazis to have
an influence in the Kiev government. There could be an alliance among America and Russia to fight
ISIS. Right now, there is an agreement among both nations on opposing ISIS, but they disagree on
how to defeat ISIS in terms of strategy (and what to do about Assad). More than one million Syrians
have returned home since Russian airstrikes began on September 30, Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Alexei Meshkov said Wednesday. Since the beginning of Russian operations, according
to UN structures, more than one million people have returned to their homes in Syria, Meshkov
said at a press conference in Moscow. It is important to note that Russia didnt start the events in
Syria or Iraq at all.
Turkey shooting down 2 Russian jets has been new developments in the Syrian civil war. Turkey
claims that they warned the aircraft multiple times and that the Russian warplanes entered Turkey
airspace. Russia claimed that their airplanes didnt receive a warning from Turkey and the actions
were acts of aggression. Lt. General Tom McInerney is an expert on handling threats from fighter
jets. He served in NORAD and hes a Commander of the 11th Air Force in Alaska. He is an expert on
many issues. Yesterday, McInerney told Fox News much to the surprise of the reporter
interviewing him that assuming the Turkish version of the flight path of the Russian jet is accurate,
Russia wasnt threatening Turkey, and that Turkeys shoot down of the Russian jet had to be preplanned, as the jet wasnt in Turkish air space long enough for anything other than a premeditated
attack to have brought it down. McInerney is right, especially given that a U.S. official told Reuters
that the Russian jet was inside of Syria when it was shot down: The United States believes that
the Russian jet shot down by Turkey on Tuesday was hit inside Syrian airspace after a brief incursion
into Turkish airspace, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity This act was
so provocative that the Turkish Prime Minister wants to have a personal meeting with Putin in order

to end tensions. Even if the SU-24 was in Turkish airspace for a few seconds, that 17 seconds is not
long enough for a Turkish pilot to get clearance for such a serious and reckless act as shooting down
a Russian military aircraft. If the SU-24 was flying at a normal speed rather than one that would be
unable to keep the aircraft aloft, the alleged airspace violation would not have been long enough to
be noticed. A shoot down had to have been pre-arranged. Either way, Turkey is not completely
honest.
Rescued co-pilot from the downed Russian Su-24 jet said there were no visual or radio warnings
issued by Turkey. There were no warnings. Not via the radio, not visually. There was no contact
whatsoever. Thats why we were keeping our combat course as usual. You have to understand what
the cruising speed of a bomber is compared to an F-16. If they wanted to warn us, they could have
shown themselves by heading on a parallel course. But there was nothing. And the rocket hit our
tail completely unexpectedly. We didnt even see it in time to take evasive maneuvers. Rescued copilot Captain Konstantin Murahtin said there was no violation of the Turkish airspace. He also said
the crew of the downed Russian bomber jet knew the area of the operation like the back of their
hands. "Of course, having carried out numerous flights there we knew the region like the backs of
our hands. We were conducting our sorties and returning back to base following the predetermined
route. Im a navigator, I know every altitude there. I can guide the aircraft there blindfolded, copilot said. Russia is attacking al-Qaeda related Al Nusrah terrorists in Syria. US/NATO is an ally of
Turkey as Turkey is a NATO member. We do know that many EU politicians accused many people
from Turkey to have links to ISIS for oil purposes. Turkey has made it clear that they want to attack
Kurds in Syria (whom they claim are terrorists) and advance their own agendas. The US imperialists
are slick. They know that they are using this event as a way to contain Russia while dealing with
China (in a way that promotes the pivot of Asia agenda).

The Future

The future of the Middle East is really uncertain. There is a massive amount of instability is many
nations of the Middle East. The war on terror will undoubtedly continue for many decades into the
future.

Appendix A: The Migrant Crisis

The refugee crisis in Europe is real. It was not caused by the refugees themselves. It was caused by a
combination of factors like poverty, war, Western imperialism, and the destabilization of the Middle
East. The tragic image of a picture of a lifeless 3 year old child named Aylan Kurdi (who was a Syrian
refugee) on a Turkish beach is representative of how huge the crisis is. Aylan died along with his
mother including his 5 year old brother in trying to reach the Greek island of Kos. They left the
hometown of Kobane in Syria. They traveled hundreds of miles through Turkey and the father
survived. During this year alone, more than 2,500 refugees have perished in the Mediterranean Sea.
We know that these deaths are preventable since the crisis came about because of Western
imperialism, poverty and closed borders. Many European governments are debating on the
responses. These refugees do need resources like food and water. They are not only fleeing from
Syria. They are fleeing from Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and from other countries of the world. The
police including security forces in Europe have readily shown routine violence against the refugees.
Some in Europe have express real concern for the humanity of the refugees. Other Europeans have
shown callousness, bigotry, and other hate from far right groups. Many of these reactionaries have
scapegoated the refugees and migrants in vicious terms (as a way for them to advance a
conservative agenda).
The influx of people is has caused the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. The UNHCR,
the United Nations refugee agency, expects a 40 percent increase this year in the number of people
fleeing to Europe by boat. An estimated 310,000 people have already crossed the Mediterranean
Sea this year, according to the UN. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) puts the
figure even higher, at 350,000--and reports that at least 2,535 people have died making the crossing

so far this year. Makeshift refugee centers in Greece, Italy, etc. have been filled to the bursting
point for months. Many smugglers have exploited this tragedy by charging money to get refugees,
kidnapping refugees, and abusing refugees. The cost to hire a dinghy for the 2-mile trip from Turkey
across to Greece that Aylan Kurdi and his family perished on reportedly costs as much as 1,000
euros--$1,120--per person. Drowning is not the only cause of the death of refugees. In Austria, the
bodies of 71 Syrian refugees including at least 3 children (aged 2, 3, and 8) were found abandoned
in the truck along a highway. They were being trafficked from Hungary. International law mandates
that refugees in particular have the right to asylum when they flee. Many European nations
continue to refuse to allow the refugees to enter in a timely way. Macedonian police attacked
refugees including families and small children as they gather at the border. In September 1, 2015,
hundreds of refugees with paid for train tickets were expelled from Keleti station (or the main
station in Budapest, Hungary) as the police tried to stop the flow of refugees to Germany.
One source gives an accurate assessment of the origin of the crisis:
"...Syrias Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari said that the main
causes for immigration are terrorism, the Israeli occupation of Arab territories, the military invasion of
Iraq, and aggression against the regions countries like what happened in Libya, foreign interference
in states internal affairs, and unilateral economic sanctions, and depriving people of their countries
resources...In a speech at a session held on Friday at the United Nations to discuss the issue of
illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean area, particularly Syrian immigrants, al-Jaafari said that
immigration needs to be addressed as the global phenomenon it is, and that limiting the discussion
to a single geographic areas, or focusing on Syrian refugees alone, implies that there are political
motivations behind proposing the issue rather than humanitarian motives." (SANA News Agency)

The crowds of refugees, many fleeing the violence of the civil war in Syria, chanted, "We are
human. We are human"--a fact that European Union officials seem slow to recognize. Many
refugees want to leave as many have gone days without food and water. "In Europe, they're
treating us like ISIS did, beating us up," said Ahmad Saadoun, who came from Fallujah, Iraq, one of
the cities now under the control of the reactionary fighters that the U.S. government, in alliance
with the European Union, has declared war on. Many trains in Channel Tunnel between Britain and
France have been delayed as hundreds of refuges attempt to cross the tunnel on foot by hanging on
the roots of trains. There are 4 million refugees in Syrias neighboring states in Turkey, Lebanon,
and Jordan. Yet, there are only a few hundred thousand refugees in Europe. In Hungary, where the
right-wing government's main rival is a far-right party with ties to neo-Nazis, Prime Minister Viktor
Orban said on September 3 that the migration crisis was a "German problem," and that Europe had
a moral duty to block migrants from coming. As of June, America had taken in fewer than 1,000
Syrian refugees. Washington recently announced a commitment to accepting between 5,000 and
8,000 Syrian refugees. The U.S. and other European nations have a role in the civil war in Syria, the
destabilization of Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
So, the refugee situation has existed as a product of the imperialist policies of the West. There are
people in Europe who are doing what is right. Some people are putting that sentiment into practice.
German soccer clubs, pushing back against the far right, organized the display of banners
welcoming refugees at matches across the country last week. Soccer club Bayern Munch
announced that it would donate $1.1 million to refugee charities and that players would take the
field for upcoming games by walking hand-in-hand with refugee children. The Migrant Offshore Aid
Station (MOAS), whose independently run rescue boats in the Mediterranean have saved more

than 10,000 people, said it has seen a 15-fold increase in donations in the 24 hours after the
pictures of Aylan Kurdi were published. "People are saying they don't want to be bystanders
anymore," MOAS's director Martin Xuereb told the Guardian. There are charities who are helping
the migrants all of the time. Some 5,000 people turned out August 29 for a rally in defense of
immigrant rights called by the Anti-Nazi Alliance. Holding a banner reading "Prevent the pogroms of
tomorrow today," protesters chanted, "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here." The
lesson is that we need to have solidarity, the development of infrastructure, and the organizing of
assistance to the refuges as solutions. We have to hold governments accountable and allow
immigrants to be welcome not only in Europe, but all over the world.

It is totally sad that many human beings would not care about the plight of others until a picture is
shown of a human being who passed away. The refugee crisis in Europe was caused by Western
imperialism. We have to keep it real. Western forces have participated in wars and imperialism for
centuries in the Middle East and in Africa. ISIS grew out of the de Baathification of Iraq and the
sectarian divisions in Iraq (when Shias have the majority of the political power in Iraq while some
Sunnis feel politically disenfranchised) that wasnt rectified (as a product of the 2003 invasion of
Iraq). ISIS evolved from al-Qaeda forces. War in the world has caused the refugees (many of them
come from Africa too. NATO has bombed Libya too which caused the Libyan civil war and refugees
have fled Africa into Europe. Many of the refugees are black people) to flee from all over the world
into Europe. I read where neo-Nazis have attacked many refuges in Budapest (as racist, fascist
gangs are found throughout Europe), so hatred is not just an American problem. It is a global
problem. Nations like France, the U.S., Germany, etc. are heavily responsible for the crisis in the
Middle East. We have to express empathy for humanity (the refugees are human beings just like us)
and we have to promote solutions as well.
The refugee crisis continues in September and it will continue in October of 2015. Video from the
border on September 15 and 16 showed Hungarian riot police using tear gas and water cannons

indiscriminately against desperate refugees--including families with small children--clamoring to be

allowed into the country from neighboring Serbia. On September 21, Orban's right-wing Fidesz
party backed with the far-right nationalist Jobbik party to pass a new law that allows the military to
use even greater force against refugees who want to cross the border, including "rubber bullets,
pyrotechnical devices, tear gas grenades and net guns," according to a statement on the Hungarian
parliament's website. Hungary has deployed the army against refugees too. This happened after the
parliament of Hungary passed a constitutional amendment on Monday, which permitted the
deployment of the countrys army at the countrys borders to repel refugees. There were 152 votes
in favor of this including the votes of the ruling Fidesz party and the far right Jobbik party. The bill
received the two-thirds majority required for changes to the constitution. The new law will allow
the armed forces to stop people at the border and search vehicles. The army will also be allowed to
use batons, rubber bullets, and nets. The initial draft also allowed police to search homes without a
court order if they suspected the presence of refugees. This provision was then deleted from the
final text following a wave of protest. Hungarian soldiers have already been mobilized on the
countrys border with Serbia to erect a high barbed wire fence. They are also permitted to reinforce
police units at the border.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban defended closing the border in parliament too. Orban has
already built a 175 kilometer long fence on Hungarys border with Serbia. It is currently building
similar fences on its borders with Romania and Croatia. On September 15, a law also came into

existence that made the illegal entry into Hungary a serious crime, punishable by three years in
prison or deportation. The mobilization of the military at the border, while targeting refugees, aims
at annulling fundamental democratic rights for the entire population. Civil rights activists have
criticized this policy. People who are restrained in a camp under house arrest are not allowed to
take phone calls or have personal conversations with a defense lawyer. Some in Germany, Latvia,
and in other European countries want border fences or troops on the borders of their nations in
order for them to prevent more refugees from coming into their nations. Slovenia has also sealed
off its border using the harshest of measures. Last week Slovenian police used tear gas against
hundreds of refugees, including children, on its border with Croatia. There is a war on refugees on
Europe. People are risking their lives to survive war zones in the Middle East and many of them are
treated as criminals instead of being treated in a humanitarian way. That is why refugees should
never be scapegoated for the evil actions of ISIS and Western imperialists. Many Europeans
advocate mass action and solidarity with the refugees in order for their rights to be protected. The
rights of all immigrants and all refugees must be protected, so justice and democracy are
maintained.

By Timothy

RIP Aylan Kurdi.