Category: Turkey

Pentagon: Revenue from Syria oil fields going to Kurdish-led forces | TheHill

What is obvious that ISRAEL is buying the oil and US is using stolen money to beef up Kurdish forces

so they can carry on murdering turks in south east anadolia to make a homeland for PKK terrorists

THIS THEY CALL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP IN NATO

First the United States supplied arms to Kurdish terrorists for years, now it is going to give them oil revenue.

Revenue which belongs to all of the Syrian people not just the Kurds, and which legally should be given to the Syrian government.

More unlawful American nation-building of an eventual autonomous “Kurdistan” on Turkey’s southern border and an existential threat to Turkey.

Pentagon: Revenue from Syria oil fields going to Kurdish-led forces

By Ellen Mitchell –

© Getty Images

Revenue from oil fields that U.S. forces are protecting in northeast Syria will go to U.S. partner forces in the region and not the United States, the Pentagon’s top spokesman said Thursday.

“The revenue from this is not going to the U.S., this is going to the SDF,” Jonathan Hoffman told reporters at the Pentagon, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

President Trump last week gave the go-ahead for an expanded military operation to secure expansive oil fields in eastern Syria, and the Pentagon has already sent new troops and armored vehicles to the area.

The new plan backtracks on Trump’s original desire to pull all U.S. forces from Syria, and now has hundreds of U.S. troops protecting a stretch of nearly 90 miles from Deir el-Zour to al-Hassakeh that is currently controlled by Kurdish forces.

Trump on Friday still insisted that “we want to bring our soldiers home,” but left soldiers in the country “because we’re keeping the oil.”

“I like oil. We’re keeping the oil,” he told reporters on the White House lawn.

Later that day at a rally in Tupelo, Miss., Trump told the crowd the United States would distribute the oil to “help out the Kurds and we’ll help out other people. We’ll also help out ourselves if that’s OK.”

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, when asked last week by reporters about Trump’s claims, said he interprets the president’s words “as, deny ISIS access to the oil fields, secure them so that they are denied access to the oil fields.”

But details of that plan still remain unclear — as it raises the legal question of whether American forces would be able to attack Syrian or Russian forces if they threatened the security of the oil.

“We work to ensure that no one approaches and shows hostile intent to our forces and if they do our commanders maintain the right of self defense,” Hoffman said on Thursday when asked repeatedly if U.S. forces were there to keep Syrian or Russian government actors from accessing the area.

Pentagon officials also insisted that the U.S. mission in Syria still remains the defeat of ISIS.

“The mission is the defeat of ISIS. The securing of oil fields is a subordinate task to that mission and the purpose of that task is to deny ISIS the revenues from that oil infrastructure,” said Joint Staff Vice Director Navy Rear Adm. William Byrne, who spoke alongside Hoffman.

Hoffman and Byrne would not say if ISIS actually has the ability to seize the oil fields, given its lack of armor and aircraft, only offering that U.S. forces are focused on preventing that from happening.

The comments add to an already confusing picture of the U.S. role in Syria following Trump’s order last month to pull all U.S. troops from the country ahead of a Turkish offensive into Syria. The move appeared to give Ankara the green light to attack the Kurds, who have been instrumental in the U.S. fight against ISIS.

After condemnation from allies and massive pushback from congressional Democrats and Republicans alike, Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey but quickly lifted them as part of a cease-fire agreement brokered by Vice President Pence.

There have since been reports of Turkish violations of the cease-fire, but Byrne said it is holding and while there have been some skirmishes, “it appears that all parties are adhering to the rules.”

Hoffman added that the SDF are still “our partners and we are still working with them in our fight against ISIS and we’re still going to provide them with the support and ability to be able to continue that fight.”

He also said that Washington expects Turkey to investigate reports of Ankara-backed forces allegedly committing war crimes in Syria and to “hold those people to account.”

November 8, 2019
7 Incredibly Beautiful Ancient Ruins Everyone Should See

Edited By: Natalia Jones

Great Mosque of Djenné

The enigmatic and yet simultaneously humbling sight of ancient architecture is something that is bound to attract anyone’s attention. Surely, it’s fascinating to witness these remnants of the history of humanity and see how our ancestors used to live. This exactly why such ancient ruins as the Colosseum, Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, and the Egyptian Pyramids are all incredibly popular. And while all of these ancient monuments certainly deserve recognition, in this article we feature 7 other, probably somewhat less well known, but equally beautiful and well preserved ancient ruins from all corners of the world.

1. Fatehpur Sikri, India

Location: Uttar Pradesh

It’s astonishing how this 16th-century city stayed almost flawlessly intact! Though Fatehpur Sikri is definitely not the oldest ancient relic on this list, its unique, nearly perfectly intact architecture is definitely worth a mention, especially since it’s situated in close proximity to other major tourist destinations, such as the Taj Mahal.

Fatehpur Sikri (the City of Victory) is a fortified city created by Emperor Akbar in 1571. Akbar was the third Mughal emperor, who initiated the construction of this beautiful terracotta city to serve as a capital for the empire. During Akbar’s rule, the Mughal Empire was thriving and he managed to enlarge its borders to include nearly all of the Indian subcontinent, so the emperor had plenty of funds to spend on extraordinary architectural projects, with Fatehpur Sikri definitely being a prime example.

Unfortunately, after just 14 years, the water supply to the city diminished dramatically and it was completely abandoned, standing uninhabited for centuries. Today, the city is a prime example of Mughal architecture, and tourists from all over the world visit the city to admire the multitude of royal palaces and pavilions the city contains.

You can see pristinely preserved courtyards, gardens, towers, a mosque, ornamental pools, and royal quarters, including a harem, all covered with intricate decorations and unbelievably detailed carvings. It is the best-preserved collection of Mughal architecture in India. Today, the city also houses an archeological museum containing cultural artifacts from the Mughal and pre-Mughal period.

2. Pula Arena, Croatia

Location: Pula

Image Source: Diego Delso/ Wikimedia Commons

A true gem, the Pula Arena in Croatia is among the largest and best preserved Roman arenas in the world, and the only one to retain four side towers and all three Roman architectural orders. Though admittedly somewhat smaller than the Roman Colosseum, the intricate Pula Arena can seat 26.000 spectators. To this day, events such as concerts, festivals and gladiator fight re-enactments are organized at the amphitheater on a regular basis.

Image Source: Orlovic/ Wikimedia Commons

Apart from being one of the largest Roman arenas, the amphitheater is also the best-preserved Roman monument in Croatia. Located in close proximity to the seashore, the Pula Arena was built during 27 BC – 68 AD. The stone version was completed during the reign of emperor Claudius to hold gladiator fights and was in use until the 5th century when gladiator battles were banned.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the building was abandoned and stones from the arena were plundered by local folk until the 13th century, with even the local Pula Cathedral containing stone from the amphitheater.

3. Longmen Grottoes, China

Location: Luoyang

Image Source: Kevin Poh/ Flickr

The Longmen Grottoes, one of the most recognized historical landmarks in China, are situated merely 12 km (7.5 miles) south of the city of Luoyang, one of the oldest cities in the world. The grottoes incorporate 2,345 caves and niches scattered with 2,800 inscriptions, 43 pagodas, and more than 100,000 Buddhist carvings. The earliest images on the site date back to 493 AD, but, according to archeological assessments, the carvings continued to be added until 1127 AD.

The Longmen Grottoes are a magnificent sight. The myriad of small carvings and images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas scatter the rocky exterior of the mountain, leaving every observer speechless.

Certainly, the gem of the Longmen Grottoes is Fengxiansi (672-675 AD), the most enormous, extravagant cave, pictured above. The carvings at Fengxiansi feature the impressive 17.14 meter (56 feet) tall Vairocana Buddha and many bodhisattvas. It is considered the pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist art, and rightfully so.

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4. Bagan Temples, Myanmar

Location: Central Burma

Bagan is another sacred Buddhist site. It’s an entire architectural zone scattered with an exceptional range of art and monuments, such as temples, stupas, places of pilgrimage, frescoes and sculptures. The temples of Bagan were built during the 11th and 13th centuries, with every ruler of the Bagan civilization contributing to the unbelievably beautiful landscape of the area.

Related article: A Collection of Wonderful Photographs of Myanmar

Image Source: KX Studio/ Flickr

Overall, there are more than 3,595 monuments in the area executed in various architectural styles, and the whole zone is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Needless to say, the Bagan Temples are also the largest tourist attraction in Myanmar, leading the way for the developing tourist industry in the country.

5. Tikal, Guatemala

Location: Tikal National Park

Image Source: Mike Vondran/ Flickr

Tikal is another UNESCO treasure, as it is likely the most impressive monument complex of the Maya civilization. The ancient city ruins are located deep in the rainforest of Guatemala, and historians suggest the Mayan name of this magnificent city was Yax Mutal.

The earliest archeological findings in the area date back to 1,000 BC, but major construction didn’t begin until 400-300 BC when both the pyramids and platforms were built.

Related article: 14 of the World’s Most Impressive Step Pyramids

The jewel of the ancient city were the twin step pyramids facing one another, but the city also contains palaces and public squares, suggesting that it was the ceremonial center in the area. Certainly, Tikal is among the most valuable remnants of Pre Columbian civilizations in the Americas.

6. Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali

Location: Djenné, Mopti

Another architectural wonder few people know about is the Great Mosque of Djenné. Many experts believe the mosque is the greatest achievement of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style, and we can certainly agree that the Great Mosque of Djenné is one the most unique-looking and interesting structures we’ve ever seen!

Related article: 7 Wonders of the World That Nobody Talks About

A former meeting place for traders from Sudan and Guinea since 800 AD, the mosque and the surrounding city are sometimes collectively referred to as the City of Mud, as all the structures here are built from a mixture of straw, clay, and oil. Although the current mosque was built only in 1906 and significantly enlarged, the basis of the monument most likely dates back to 1,200 AD.

7. Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia

Location: Siem Reap

Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0

The Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia looks like a place straight out of a fairy tale! The stone temple is part of the ancient Khmer city of Angkor and it’s completely overpowered by powerful tree roots and branches, submitting to the power of nature. Once a Buddhist monastery hidden deep in the jungle, Ta Prohm was mostly abandoned by the 15th century.

Image Source: Chuck Moravec/ Flickr

However, during its heyday during the 12th century, the temple was a center of learning that accommodated over 12,500 people. The original name of the monastery was Rajavihara, or ‘The King’s Ministry’, and it was one of the most prominent and richest monasteries in the deeply religious Khmer Empire until its very fall.

November 7, 2019
Paul Manafort pushed Ukraine election hack conspiracy theory in 2016: New Mueller probe document dump

By Dave Goldiner

New York Daily News |

Nov 02, 2019 | 4:21 PM

Paul Manafort realized the value of the Ukraine election hacking conspiracy theory in real time.

Newly released Justice Department documents reveal that the Trump campaign chief turned imprisoned felon told aides that Ukraine, not Russia, was meddling in the election during the 2016 race, Buzzfeed News reported on Saturday.

“(Robert) Gates recalled Manafort saying the hack was likely carried out by the Ukrainians, not the Russians,” an FBI agent wrote in a summary of an interview with Gates, Manafort’s deputy who cut a plea deal and testified against his ex-boss.

A 500-page batch of the so-called “302” forms that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators filed was released after Buzzfeed won a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the DOJ.

Even though U.S. intelligence has repeatedly dismissed it, the claim that Russia was not to blame for interfering in the 2016 election on Trump’s behalf has been a durable talking point among Trump supporters.

[More Politics] Advocates call on Cuomo to keep an eye on prosecutors out to undermine criminal justice reforms »

Along with muddying the waters about the benefits that Trump gained from Russia answering his calls to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails, the conspiracy theory raises the GOP-friendly possibility that it was actually Democrats who benefited from collusion with a foreign power.

The “Ukraine hack” theory gained new credence when Attorney General William Barr launched an official investigation into the “origins” of the Mueller probe which Trump suggests was launched after Democratic-sympathizing Deep State intelligence operatives concocted an elaborate frame up to blame Russia.

Key players in Robert Mueller’s Russia probe

The document dump also underlines the intense interest that Trump and his campaign had in the stolen Democratic National Committee emails, which they correctly believed would prove politically toxic to Clinton and Democrats.

“Gates recalled a time on the campaign aircraft when candidate Trump said, ‘Get the emails,’” one summary reads.

https://www.turkishnews.com/tr/content/2019/11/07/uluslararasi-kirli-iliskiler/

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-paul-manafort-mueller-ukraine-trump-20191102-ylskg7a3p5gtfnwhawvlowywiu-story.html

November 7, 2019
Sassounian’s column of Nov. 7, 2019 = Genocide Resolution: A Major Victory, But Facts Should not be Ignored

On October 29, 2019, Armenian Americans scored a major victory in the halls of US Congress. For the first time in 35 years, the US House of Representatives adopted Resolution 296 affirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide.

I used the term affirming because contrary to many Armenian and non-Armenian commentators, this was not the first time that the United States has recognized the Armenian Genocide. In fact, this was the fifth American governmental recognition. As I have reported dozens of times in past years, the United States Government first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1951 when it sent an official document to the International Court of Justice (World Court) presenting the Armenian Genocide as an example of genocide. The US House of Representatives recognized the Armenian Genocide in two Resolutions adopted in 1975 and 1984, and Pres. Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation on April 22, 1981 mentioning the Armenian Genocide.

Among the misrepresentations made by various commentators were statements like:

1. “The October 29, 2019 recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the House of Representatives was the first time in a century that the United States has recognized the Armenian Genocide.” It was not! In fact, the text of Resolution 296 itself lists all the previous US recognitions of the Armenian Genocide and describes it as affirmation, not recognition.

2. “Resolution 296 set a policy on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US government.” It did no such thing. This Resolution, like the others before it, is a non-binding Resolution, expressing simply the will of Congress. It is not a law and it has no legal consequences.

3. “Resolution 296 obligates Pres. Trump to use the term genocide in his next April 24 statement.” It does not. The President can still use other euphemisms to describe the Armenian Genocide, if he wishes to, as he and other US Presidents have done since Pres. Reagan.

4. “Resolution 296 will allow Armenians to file lawsuits in US courts against Turkey demanding restitution for damages suffered during the Genocide.” This is not true. As mentioned above, two similar Congressional Resolutions were adopted in 1975 and 1984 and neither one helped Armenians win a single lawsuit against Turkey in US courts.

5. “After the passage of Resolution 296, if the US Senate adopts the counterpart Resolution (SRes.150), and if Pres. Trump signs it, then the Resolution becomes a law.” This is untrue, since both the House and Senate versions are “stand alone” Resolutions. Should the Senate version also be adopted, the Resolution will not go to Pres. Trump for his signature, since the House and Senate versions were not submitted as a “Joint Resolution.”

Nevertheless, none of the above clarifications are made to minimize the value of the adoption of Resolution 296 on October 29, 2019. Here are the reasons why this Resolution was a major victory for the Armenian Cause:

1. After trying to pass a genocide resolution in the House for 35 years, it is a major accomplishment for the Armenian American community to be able to finally score such a victory. It is not possible to continue demanding that the Armenian public support a cause for decades without a concrete result from time to time. This victory will energize Armenian-Americans to continue their commitment to the Armenian Cause and work harder to attain greater accomplishments.

2. While the passage of Resolution 296 does not obligate the President of the United States, it will increase the pressure on him to properly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in his April 24 statement.

3. Resolution 296 also makes it more difficult for the Turkish government to continue its denials of the Armenian Genocide.

4. Paradoxically, the harsh reactions of the Turkish leaders to the adoption of Resolution 296 helped remind the Turkish people and others worldwide about the Armenian Genocide.

5. Thousands of articles, TV reports, and social media posts on the adoption of Resolution 296 helped further publicize the Armenian Genocide around the world. Over 100 years after the Genocide, the cry for justice remains alive thanks to the activism of Armenians and their supporters.

6. The passage of Resolution 296 is another step in Armenia’s struggle to pressure Turkey and the world community to take further steps to undo the damage caused by the Genocide, albeit delayed over a century!

7. Beyond setting straight the historical record, the effort over the passage of the genocide resolution is a political battle between the Armenian American community and the Turkish government and its paid lobbyists as to which side has more political clout in Washington. The overwhelming victory (405 to 11 votes) is a clear indication of the smashing defeat of Turkey and the total victory of Armenians.

8. The Turkish government has wasted tens of millions of dollars over the years hiring high-powered American lobbying firms in a failed attempt to block the approval of Armenian Genocide Resolutions by the US Congress. It is impossible to misrepresent genocide as a humane act no matter how many billions of dollars Turkey spends on lobbyists!

9. Turkey’s defeat also sends a message to the Turkish public that the taxes they have paid are being squandered by their government to deny the undeniable.

10. Some have made the excuse that Congress took advantage of the souring relations between Turkey and the United States to pass Resolution 296. While this is true, there are several counter-arguments:

a) Congress is a political body; hence all its deliberations and decisions are of a political nature;

b) If it weren’t for the diligent efforts of Armenian-American organizations and the Armenian community, there was no guarantee that this Resolution would have appeared on the agenda of the House of Representatives. Since the US Congress was unhappy with Turkey’s invasion of Northern Syria, the House of Representatives would have been satisfied by passing a Resolution on October 29, 2019, placing sanctions on Turkey for its barbaric attacks against Kurds. However, because of Armenian activism, the House also adopted on the same day the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide.

c) We cannot be so naive as to expect that any government would defend the Armenian Cause if doing so would have been contrary to its own interests. It is perfectly reasonable that the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide happened to coincide with Congress’s anger at Turkey for other reasons. In fact, the more Armenians can find reasons to match their interests with those of other countries, the more successful they will be in their pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

For the next step, I hope the US Senate will shortly pass Senate Resolution 150. This is important, since the US Senate has never adopted a Resolution acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. And maybe next year, the Armenian Genocide Resolution could be reintroduced, but this time as a “Joint Resolution,” which would mean that should the Resolution pass both Houses of Congress and the President signs it, the Armenian Genocide would become US law, not just a “non-binding” Resolution. This would obligate all future American Presidents to use the term Armenian Genocide in their April 24 statements or on any other occasion.

November 5, 2019
Turkey to send foreign Islamic State fighters home

ISTANBUL — Turkey wants to send Islamic State fighters and their families back to their countries of origin after capturing parts of northeast Syria from the Kurdish forces who have held the prisoners since toppling the so-called caliphate earlier this year.

Turkey’s cross-border incursion to fight the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces has sparked alarm that a resurgent IS will take advantage of the chaos. Those fears were stoked by a prison breaks and at least one car bombing in the initial days after the offensive began last month.

US commandos killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Oct. 26 in a raid on his hideout in Syria’s northwest Idlib province, but the Pentagon has warned that his death does not spell the end of IS, which has since named a new leader and warned it remains “on the doorstep of Europe.”

Turkey says it has captured hundreds of IS militants and their family members since entering Syria on Oct. 9. It has urged Western governments to take responsibility for their citizens who went to Syria and Iraq to wage jihad beginning in 2014. But most European nations do not want the fighters and some have even revoked citizenship for a handful of militants.

November 5, 2019
Turkey ‘to send back’ ISIL prisoners even if citizenships revoked

Turkish interior minister criticises Western countries for not taking back their captured citizens who fought for ISIL.

Turkey has nearly 1,200 foreign members of ISIL in its custody, officials say [File: Rodi Said/Reuters]

Turkey will send captured ISIL members back to their countries, even if their citizenships have been revoked, Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu has said.

Soylu on Monday hit out at European countries, saying they were creating “a new form of international law” by demanding that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) prisoners be tried where they were caught.

He said Turkey had nearly 1,200 foreign members of ISIL in custody and had captured 287 during its recent operation in northeast Syria aimed at clearing the border region from Kurdish fighters it considers “terrorists”.

“We will send back those in our hands, but the world has come up with a new method now: revoking their citizenships,” Soylu said.

“They are saying they should be tried where they have been caught. This is a new form of international law, I guess.”

“It is not possible to accept this. We will send back Daesh [ISIL] members in our hands to their own countries whether they revoke their citizenships or not,” he said.

Turkey launched an offensive into northeast Syria against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month following a decision by United States President Donald Trump to withdraw troops from the region.

The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), seen as a “terrorist group” by Ankara over its ties with outlawed Kurdish fighters on its soil, is the main element of the SDF, which was a leading US ally in beating back ISIL in the region.

The armed group kept thousands of ISIL members in jails across northeast Syria.

Western countries have often refused to accept the repatriation of citizens who left to join ISIL in Syria and have stripped many of their citizenship.

Turkey has repeatedly called on European countries to take back their citizens fighting for the group and has accused the SDF of releasing ISIL prisoners amid the recent offensive.

Soylu said on Monday recaptured foreign nationals would be taken to prisons or camps in Turkish-controlled zones in northern Syria, including in Jarablus, al-Bab, Azaz and Afrin.

November 5, 2019