Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Abandoning our Kurdish allies is a win for our Iranian enemies
Fox News ^ | October 21, 2017 | Michael Pregent,

Posted on 10/21/2017 2:27:56 PM PDT by george76

The U.S. military must figure out how to keep Iraq from breaking apart while also preventing neighboring Iran from turning Iraq into a proxy state..

It makes no sense for a nation to treat its enemies kindly and its allies harshly. Any nation that tries this foolish approach will see its enemies grow stronger and more dangerous, and will lose its allies when it abandons them.

...

The man most responsible for the failure of the U.S. to give adequate support to the Kurds is Brett McGurk, President Trump’s special envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS. He held the same position in the Obama administration and has been allowed to keep his job.

resident Obama replaced one of our most respected military leaders – Marine Corps Gen. John Allen – with lawyer McGurk. While serving as envoy to Iraq, McGurk has presided over the Iranian takeover of what’s left of Iraq.

Shamefully, the State and Defense Departments followed McGurk’s strategy and gave tacit approval for the Iraqi government and its Iranian allies to move against our dedicated Kurdish friends.

...

the hard-line that McGurk took against our Kurdish allies – warning them harshly against their peaceful independence referendum – had the effect of convincing the Iranian-backed militias and the political leadership in Baghdad that they had a green light to enter Kirkuk.

...

If President Trump wants to push back against Iran he should do so in the Kurdish areas of Iraq. This is where he can stop Iran from creating its highly coveted land bridge through Iraq and from eventually controlling northern Iraq as well.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: brettmcgurk; greenlight; iran; iraq; kirkuk; kurdishallies; kurds; mcgurk
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

1 posted on 10/21/2017 2:27:56 PM PDT by george76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: george76

Well, you can’t make a caliphate without breaking a few Kurds.


2 posted on 10/21/2017 2:31:38 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sparklite2

According to comments elsewhere the US is arming the Iraqi forces with heavy weapons in their fight with the Kurds. As a result the Kurds are getting ready to open negotiations with the Iranians since they can no longer depend on the US.


3 posted on 10/21/2017 2:36:09 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PIF

To America’s undying shame, the Kurds have never been able to rely on us.


4 posted on 10/21/2017 2:40:42 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: george76

...how to keep Iraq from breaking apart...

Somewhere in hell Saddam is saying Miss Me Yet?


5 posted on 10/21/2017 2:42:26 PM PDT by McGruff (Lock Her Up! In a Padded Cell!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sparklite2

Iraq is dead! The Kurds will turn to Putin. Iraq will go to civil war.


6 posted on 10/21/2017 2:48:58 PM PDT by Forward the Light Brigade (Into the Jaws of H*ll Onward! Ride to the sound of the guns!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: george76

The Kurds do NOT deserve to be treated by us this way. It’s a crying shame!


7 posted on 10/21/2017 2:53:50 PM PDT by House Atreides (BOYCOTT the NFL, its products and players 100% - PERMANENTLY.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sparklite2

Why is the preservation of the artificially drawn boundaries that inscribe Iraq of such importance?

There are at least three highly diverse ethnic groups within Iraq, the Kurds, the Shi’ite Arabs, and the Sunni Arabs. They live largely in separation already, and where integration has been forced upon them, there is endless strife between neighbors escalating to serious acts of violence.

The Sunni Arabs may or may not become a province of Saudi Arabia. The Shi’ite Arabs are certain to suffer indignities and persecution from the Shi’ite Farsi of Iran, coming mostly from Quds, a terrorist organization that simply cannot help themselves. And the Kurds will face persecution from every direction until they somehow pull together and organize a viable independent state carved from Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria, a move very actively resisted by all those countries.

Bumblebees living next to wasps on ground inhabited by fire ants.

Surrounded by scorpions.


8 posted on 10/21/2017 2:57:05 PM PDT by alloysteel (Guilty until proven innocent, while denying defense, justice, mercy or any appeal. No pardon, ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: george76

Neocons are trying to push a military confrontation with Iran. Don’t fall for it.


9 posted on 10/21/2017 2:58:30 PM PDT by WatchungEagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sparklite2

I have read a few articles that the Kurds are the Medes in the Bible in the last days. . . President Trump would do well to consult his Christian advisors before any international decisions are made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elIWW4wcyJU
Published on Mar 23, 2016
The Nations that have forsaken the Kurds may not realize that they are fulfilling Biblical prophecy. The sad reality is that the Kurds are forsaken and the prophet Nahum saw more than 2,000 years ago.


10 posted on 10/21/2017 3:51:09 PM PDT by Maudeen (This world is not my home.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: george76

Many of us predicted this, not specifically this Kurdish mess, but that our direct military involvement would be fruitless. This is a fact well established for thousands of years now. Too bad so many people are too stupid to learn the lesson. Deposing Saddam was a big mistake. Everything since then has ended in disaster. This will never change because the people who live there are consumed with hate.


11 posted on 10/21/2017 4:49:19 PM PDT by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sparklite2

Enough is enough. Let the Kurds have their own state.


12 posted on 10/21/2017 6:31:36 PM PDT by River Hawk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: george76

The Kurds are our best allies in the region.


13 posted on 10/21/2017 7:24:33 PM PDT by TBP (Progressives lack compassion and tolerance. Their self-aggrandizement is all that matters.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: River Hawk

+1


14 posted on 10/21/2017 7:25:32 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Can't file it under supporting allies, or winning hearts and minds. Unless our allies are Islamists. In which case we'll give up our hearts and minds, at least some of us

15 posted on 10/22/2017 3:21:23 PM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

To give up one’s hearts and minds, one must first use them. If one never uses one’s heart and mind, it’s as if one never had them, so there’s nothing to give up. How do you brainwash a zombie.


16 posted on 10/22/2017 3:25:47 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (“If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: george76

Appalling. Contrary to my personal doctrine. I better go work for the Trump administration. I’m sure he’ll throw McGurk over for me, just because he has a funny name./waaaah!

Trump! The way to stop Iran is through diminishing its influence within its own borders, not expanding its regional hegemony further. There are Balluchis, Akhwazis and Kurds (oh, my!) in Iran, and they hate Iran for its oppression and discrimination.


17 posted on 10/22/2017 3:32:13 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (“If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

Rex Tillerson: ‘Iranian militias’ need to leave Iraq

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3597531/posts


18 posted on 10/23/2017 6:07:48 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 (“If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks george76. Even Woodrow Wilson was in favor of a Kurdish state, however, the British and French did not give one damn, were only concerned with their own territorial ambitions, and Wilson's influence on our, uh, allies in WWI was, at best, in the negative.
19 posted on 10/23/2017 7:06:31 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SJackson

We should back the Kurds and give the Turk and Iranian swine a big middle finger.


20 posted on 10/23/2017 7:21:28 AM PDT by ZULU (DITCH MITCH!!! DUMP RYAN!! DROP DEAD MCCAIN!! KIM FATTY the THIRD = Kim Jung Un)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson