Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D., F.A.C.P.

Medical Oncology/Hematology  Telephone: [215] 333-4900

 Facsimile: [215] 333-2023
1219 Fairacres Road
Rydal, Pennsylvania 19046-2911  rsklaroff@gmail.com

2/9/2019

To: Mort Klein, ZOA-Prez < mklein7@verizon.net >

Cc: Sherkoh Abbas < Sherko32@aol.com > < sherkoh@gmail.com>
Jerome Gordon < jerry_gordon38@yahoo.com >
Ted Belman < tbelman3@gmail.com >
Liz Berney < lizberney@gmail.com >
Ken Abramowitz < ken@savethewest.com >
Gary Erlbaum < gee770@aol.com >
Pamela Geller < pamelageller@gmail.com >
Alan Jay < ajay@zoa.org >
Jonathan Spyer < jspyer@jiss.org.il >
Seth Frantzman < seth@jpost.com >
Charles Edwin Shipp < charles.edwin.shipp@gmail.com > < rushecho@aol.com >
Shoshana Bryen < bryen.shoshana@gmail.com >
Susan Tuchman < STuchman@zoa.org >
Re: Kurdistan – Procrastination is no longer an option

In conjunction with previously circulated e-mails triggered by Pamela’s “Anti-ISIS Conference”

upload, it is desirable to place this chronic/subacute/acute initiative within the context of
yesterday’s mini-lecture @ ZOA-NYC c/o Jonathan/Seth; as I muttered to Seth’s father, this was
notable to have been conveyed on the high-intellectual plane that had been anticipated to be
appreciated by a quality audience. No one was disappointed, as illustrated by the fact that lotsa
people lingered for an hour after its completion; it fleshed-out the frontispiece of the brochure
of their MECRA foundation, entitled “The Middle East is at a Crossroads.” They noted that each
generation views itself as having to confront crises carrying long-term implications but, here, the
winding-down of the Syrian War yields unmasking of all proxy-vultures who concomitantly
harbor designs on Eretz Yisrael and USA., most ominously Iran [with/without Russian support].

A quarter-century of exposure to the ZOA’s Steve Feldman has served to reinforce my innate
tendency to seek-out the action-item, thus animating myriad op-eds that have been generated;
recall that the rationale for ~20 devoted to exposing the illegality of the JCPOA was incessantly
correlated with the potential for the House to sue BHO [and, even after having chatted briefly
with certain principals, I STILL can’t fathom why such an initiative hadn’t been mounted, BTW].

Candidly, as much as I ventilated on Sherkoh while AMTRAK’ing on the hourlong jaunt last night
from Newark to Trenton, he unloaded on me; I’m therefore going to be composing an op-ed
that is going to be interpretable as anti-Trump, going so far as to quote the CNN/MSNBC chorus
of reflex-naysayers along the way. Notwithstanding 2020-uncertainty as to any “compromise”
emerging-deal on the Illegals, he simply has to be brought-to-task ASAP; Sherkoh and I have
thought-through the lede and f/u ‘graph; those critics out-there who abhor hyperlinks should
know that we contemplate invoking mostly those that have emerged during the fortnight after
we submitted an 8K-word essay to a monthly that proudly proclaims no limits are imposed. We
will then be able to hyperlink into a backgrounder when composing f/u pieces, as events dictate.
To minimize redundancy, it is desirable to note the recent writings of both speakers, to wit:

IRAN’S STRATEGY FOR CONTROL OF SYRIA - A LOOK “BELOW, WITHIN AND

ABOVE”
One way Iran’s efforts are taking place are below the official Syrian state
structures – in the arming and sponsoring of Iran-controlled paramilitary
formations on Syria soil.
BY JONATHAN SPYER
FEBRUARY 1, 2019 8:03 a.m.
https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Behind-the-Lines-A-look-into-Irans-strategy-
for-control-of-Syria-579385

ANALYSIS: THE MIDDLE EAST’S TECTONIC SHIFTS

The region is now at a crossroads no less important than during the decline and
fall of the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago.
BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN
FEBRUARY 8, 2019 2:07 a.m.
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Analysis-The-Middle-Easts-tectonic-shifts-
580080

This ‘graph from the comprehensive-piece provides hyperlinks to our first two essays during the
past 2 months, with the third having provided an approach to resolving the Turk-Kurd standoff.

…And as Trump begins to realize that Kurdistan is a linchpin to America’s Middle

East Policy, he will increasingly appreciate why and how his Syrian withdrawal
must protect the Kurds; just as in other theaters, Trump must deftly emulate
Reagan’s ability to mesh America’s prowess in diplomatic, economic and
military realms….

{To avoid any inadvertent misquote, the messages conveyed by Seth/Jonathan are integrated
into what was derivative therefrom, as summarized herein; all can retain plausible deniability.}

Seth/Jonathan had met on Thursday inter alia with Sens. Cruz/Rubio plus SDC’s Ilham Ahmed
[with whom Sherkoh is eager to collaborate] and shared dismay at the lack of policy-clarity — let
alone a battle-plan — emerging from the anti-ISIS powwow of 79-nations [MINUS Kurdistan]; we
also had noted the ABSENCE of a Kurd @ the FDD event a day prior, despite the presence of
“Kurd” in the title of the streamed-video. It’s gratifying that Trump “asks the right questions,”
but he seems devoid of the ability to avoid retreat; Jack Keane just reiterated this fear on FNC,
noting that this Coalition and the USA “need” each other when fending-off both ISIS and Iran
[for reasons in addition to the desire for Tehran to create a land-bridge to the Mediterranean];
added was the observation that ISIS has already been transitioning effectively toward terrorism.

Reference to Afghanistan as another potential site from which The Donald wishes to withdraw
and to the potential for France/G.B. to participate in a buffer-force in northern Syria [not with
Turkey, thankfully] were viewed as half-baked; the former cedes to the Taliban and the latter
involves countries that have reacted with incredulity due, in part, to their current absence from
the regional arena. These illustrate the lack of a coherent approach to repercussions of an exit.
Furthermore, dramatizing the impact of the chaos triggered in Syria is the 1-million refugees
who entered Germany, arguably triggering Brexit and anti-globalism throughout Europe.
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Iran becomes the big-winner, noting that Hezbollah controls Lebanon’s gigantic health ministry
[and 2 other ministers], reflecting overall control of the country plus inter alia Yemen’s Houthi
and Shia Militias in Iraq. Their project is to fill shell-countries (Lebanon, Iraq) while infiltrating
weakened ones (Syria); the latter occurs in 4 ways: [1]—Militia (also in Afghanistan/Pakistan);
[2]—Local-recruitment (youth); [3]—Involvement in Syrian Army (even having separate units);
and [4]—Creating shifts in demographics (by resettlement comparable to how Turkey has been
changing Afrin during the past year). The physical movement yields shift in ideology/culture,
illustrating how power → people → ideas.

Keane noted USA/Kurds haven’t killed ISIS (in Ramada, Mosul, Raqqa) and it was also noted that
the IRG has 150K soldiers in Iraq; that Spyer reported observations that USA-tanks have now
been reflagged is illustrative of how diversion of matériel has been expropriated when not in the
hands of the reliable Kurds [and the allies they have vetted]. Also, that Turkey supports Madura
is illustrative of why it shouldn’t be trusted in Syria; that it has participated in Russia-Iran talks
regarding Syria — which have excluded USA — sends message that counter-meetings lack any
degree of potency [such as that which occurred in the Dead Sea with Jordan, Bahrain, UAE, etc.].

As the Syrian War winds-down, a pair of metaphors was raised (Balkans in ‘15 and Spain in ‘38),
yielding a combustible situation that could spark Iran-Israel war (invoking simile of Archbishop
Ferdinand). Israel may have wins in Syria, but it only takes one loss to yield a catastrophy. Here,
Iran has been pin-prick testing Israel, both with missile against Mt. Hermon (shot-down) and
drones (in Feb/May); of-interest in this regard is effort being led by Sen. Cotton to seek formal
recognition of the Golan being Israeli; could not recognition of Kurdistan naturally follow?

The four proxy-wars in Syria [Turks vs. Kurds, USA vs. Russia, Assad vs. Turkey and Israel vs. Iran]
reflect infiltration against, for example, 30% control of NE-Syria by Kurds and conflicts of wills by
superpowers. This dramatizes why vide supra Turkey cannot be allowed to annex the cantons in
Rojava as has already been permitted; this yields piecemeal undermining of Kurdish influence,
even as Iran is allowed to create a long-term fundamental transformation of this entire region
despite involvement of entities drawn into the theater by perceptions of potentially greater
potency after the shooting stops. A friend once told me that the winner is the last guy standing,
surely a metaphor for what each party envisions can occur; perhaps the one exception is Trump.

Some predict, therefore, an all-out Iran-Israel war within a year, and it’s even possible that the
Islamic Jihad could fire-up the South (even if Hamas elects to sit-it-out) and even Judea/Samaria.
Also noted was whether Putin would allow Assad to use the S-300’s and that Putin has worked
with BB for two decades. Ultimately, Iran-Israel have irreconcilable conflict and, therefore, it is
desirable to plan-ahead, maximizing the quality/commitment of the anti-Iran countries/peoples.

My three questions related to [1]—confirming the applicability the canary-simile; [2]—probing

wonderment as to why Pompeo has yet to supplant Arabists/Turkey-lovers/BHO’s Iran-lovers
(they’re careerists); and [3]—positing that Iraq could eject USA from its territory c/o Iran (one of
those unanswerables, the obvious lede for the op-ed that must now be composed in-earnest).
That I was as inobstrusive as possible (asking the last questions before Mort probed any Trump-
composed “peace” arrangement) was reflected in Mort later-on thanking me for coming to NYC
@ the last second. [It’s possible he was being polite, for he joked that I was able to pose these 3
questions so quickly that he didn’t feel he had to protect the speakers against an onslaught.]
{Thus, it’s hoped that those fearing “it’s all about me” have been satisfied that I’m issue-driven.}
If this distillation missed anything vital (recalling the hyperlinked op-eds), RSVP!
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