Violence has bled over the borders of the Syrian Arab republic, with extremism fuelling the conflict's heightened brutality.
UN report accused Isis forces in northern Syria of waging a campaign to instil fear, including amputations, public execution-style killings and whippings, according to the Associated Press.
"In areas of Syria under [Isis] control, particularly in the north and north-east of the country, Fridays are regularly marked by executions, amputations and lashings in public squares, "The independent commission of inquiry on the human rights situation in Syria said. "Executions in public spaces have become a common spectacle on Fridays in [Isis power-base] Raqqa and in Isis-controlled areas of Aleppo governorate. Bodies of those killed are placed on display for several days, terrorising the local population."
US and other NATO leaders is going to be at a summit in Wales next week that Britain is keeping open the option of joining the US in launching air strikes against forces of the Islamic State in Iraq ISIS.
As Washington seeks to build a multi-national coalition to support an expansion of air strikes against the jihadists, which could extend to targets in Syria. The plan will focus on new threats posed by Isis in Iraq and Syria and by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine whose president, Petro Poroshenko, will attend the NATO summit.
Countries joining air strikes against Isis as long as they took place within an international coalition. This is such a complicated conflict that any response needs to be a well co-ordinated international effort."
It has to be based on whether there is an achievable overall humanitarian purpose, and have a careful assessment of the risks.
I am so glad that Barack Obama said that US cannot be the only world's policeman, and that NATO is having a meeting next week.
The only problem is that someone like myself has to keep an eye and report what each country is doing for sake of peace and not war. I have to point out what each country is doing wrong, and report to United Nations of my grievances about the state of each country as an Independent.
I have to recommend and raise some points that could be missing in the NATO's agenda. It is like acting on behalf of the whole world against politicians.
I am acting on impartiality, and making sure there is justice and fairness. I am not trying to be a Judge but as a democracy for the whole world.
I like to point out that I would support air strikes as long as it is not a crime against humanity and against the evils of the world.
We know what we are up against, so avoiding civilian casualities can be impossible.
I recommend that all residents should evacuate their countries for their safety, and that Iraq and Syrian government should issue warnings to them before any air strikes or assault can commence.
There has got to be a deadline after giving notice to residents.
If the residents stay, they will be killed anyway by the ISIS. One may spare them death but another one could not. It is the sheer brutality of getting what they want, and making sure there are no Christians left to form an Islamist State. The thing is we certainly do not want residents to die a slow death by ISIS.
We, including myself has got to have a view that any response has to be a co-ordinated international effort. I have to wield power as democracy to all world's leaders to make sure what they agree is the right agreement to proceed. As I have to agree to what the world leaders have agreed to avoid making mistakes, blunders etc.
I recommend that UK recall all ex-servicemen who have been made redundant by defence cuts, and other military groups like the Army, Navy or RAF. They have got to be volunteers, and cannot be ordered to fight if they do not so wish. We need all the expertise there is.
I look forward to hearing from NATO leaders to tell the whole world what they have said, and agreed on, to count on the world's support.
I have written a blog about the Russian and Ukraine situation. And forwarded it to UN today recommending that Eastern Ukraine be annexed by Russia for the sake of peace.
29th August 2014
I am having doubts about countries taking part in the NATO summit next week. Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been making anti-Russian speech and telling lies, US has followed suit, which has raised concerns and doubts about the credibility of the NATO Summit.
There are huge and separate complexes of problems that needs to be resolved. Many political setups, relationships and alliances will have to change.
If you get on the wrong side of US you get something you have not asked for. It is the same with Russia who will not be messed around.
There is always the danger of playing politics to impress and win support, instead of thinking about the welfare of the people.
We now have discovered that ISIS is getting more powerful, more richer and recruiting unemployed youngsters to work for them. It is a growing problem and get bigger and bigger by the minute.
Plan A is to get all the residents evacuated.
Plan B is to wait until an Islamist State is fully established by the ISIS.
Plan C is to go for one fell swoop, and destroy everything they have got, and kill all the extremists/fanatics.
How long will it take for ISIS to be all together in one country to take action against them we do not know.This is the strategy I would go for to carry out the mission effectively and successfully.
30th August 2014
http://www.channel4.com/news/islamic-state-bioterrorism-dirty-bomb-laptop?google_editors_picks=true
This link about bioterrorism makes you think about chlorine gas and chemical weapons used by President Assad. It is highly likely we also have to resort to using them by recycling stocks while the threat is growing rapidly from the ISIS.
http://gulfnews.com/news/region/iraq/britons-use-dead-letter-box-system-to-smuggle-their-way-into-syria-and-iraq-1.1378490
Link about how britons use dead letter box system to smuggle their way into Syria and Iraq.
31st August 2014
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2738934/UK-Muslim-leaders-issue-fatwa-condemning-Britons-join-jihadi-extremists.html
The Newspaper report in the Daily Mail is saying UK Muslim Leaders issue fatwa condemning Britons join jihadi extremists. More needs to be done to condemn the use of Sharia courts in UK and in European countries.
Letting Sharia courts exist is seen to be supported by UK and other countries. Sharia courts are a road leading to extremistism and is running down our Ancient British Law system. It is unabling Muslims to have rights to have a fair judicial system.
It does not make sense to have the best Law courts in UK, and have Sharia courts at the same time. Sharia courts has got no place in UK while we are using the British Law. The same applies to other countries around Europe.
Very often Muslims have to turn to British Law to get more rights from Sharia Law.
3rd September 2014
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2742272/Cameron-tells-European-leaders-good-word-stop-funding-ISIS-ransom-payments.html
David Cameron has been asking a few European countries not to pay ransom to ISIS to release hostages in Syria.
I was shocked to hear that these few European countries would fund terrorism on a large scale paying ransom payments.
I know how heartbreaking it is to leave your own people behind, but taking hostages must be discouraged as ISIS will keep taking hostages even after ransom payments.
That has got to stop.
I hear ISIS have purchased drones but do not know if it is true. They probably bought state of the art equipment as well as other things.
They are very aggressive, dangerous and powerful militants.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/04/al-qaida-leader-announces-formation-indian-branch
Al Qaida leader announces formation of Indian Branch and is a great threat to the world.
5th September 2014
http://news.sky.com/story/1330777/ukraine-uk-troops-to-join-rapid-response-force
Here is a comprehsive guide about NATO discussions.
United Nations Assembly meet in two weeks time.
The problem is that no one seem to have discussed if there will be any bloodshed from NATO leaders against Ukraine, rebels and separatists.
I really do not think there should be any military presence in Ukraine, not even patrolling the areas. Civilians will feel so very intimidated, and find them threatening.
They are not to be trusted as they took part in Libya and Afghanistan in the fighting as well as other parts of the world.
NATO is mostly funded by the US and it is the wrong organisation which is out of date. NATO cannot make peace happen.
We cannot have NATO derailing peace processes, and further peace processes.
United Nations is the best organisation to have discussions among countries in their Assembly, and to give authorisations etc.
It is also up to the civilians around the world to start a political construction for a roadmap to peace.
However, Syria is an exception as we are facing dangerous extremists, and a threat of a new Islamist State.
6th September 2014
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-turkey-struggles-as-lone-gatekeeper-against-islamic-state-recruitment-2014-8
"If Turkey had not opened its border with Syria ... to Islamic State (IS), if so many fighters had not crossed the border into Syria with their guns and equipment, and if this group had not used Turkey as a base, IS could not have amassed its current strength in Syria," wrote columnist Kadri Gursel on Al-Monitor, a news website focused on the Middle East.
NATO needs to discuss the border between Syria and Turkey. Turkey is having problems being a lone gatekeeper against the Islamic State.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/05/isis-recruitment-moves-to-radical-network-and-mosques?google_editors_picks=true
ISIS recruitment moves from radical network to mosques. This is the real truth that more men are being recruited especially from Birmingham and Cardiff. The guardian newspaper gives a very good account of what is happening.
Imams
Today, in an unprecedented response to the events in Syria and Iraq, Imams from across the UK, of various denominations of Sunni and Shia Muslims, have come together to support a single unified cause; to urge British Muslims not to fall prey to sectarian divisions and to call on people not to travel to Syria or Iraq to fight in the escalating conflicts.
An open letter signed by more than 100 Imams from across major theological backgrounds and cultural groups urges “British Muslim communities to continue the generous and tireless effort to support all of those affected by the crisis in Syria and unfolding events in Iraq, but to do so from the UK in a safe and responsible way.”
Qari Mohammed Asim, Imam at Leeds Makka Mosque, who played a key role in developing the letter, comments:
“The scale of the humanitarian disaster in Syria and the escalating violence in Iraq calls for an unprecedented response. As we near the end of the first week of Ramadan our message is simple, we have come together to urge British Muslim communities not to fall prey to any form of sectarian divisions or social discord.
Here in the UK we are Sunnis and Shias, brothers in Islam – and brothers in Britain too. The conflict in Syria and Iraq can never change that no matter how bitter the fighting. We urge members of the community to echo this sentiment by adding their signature to this letter, joining the many others that have done so already.”
The letter, which comes as Muslim communities celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, commends the incredible work that British Muslim communities have already done to raise money for the plight of the Syrian people and pledges further support but reminds communities that any support they give should be from the UK in a safe and responsible way.
The open letter is gathering a huge amount of support from within Muslim communities as they look to their Imams for guidance on how best to support the efforts to help the Syrian and Iraqi people during the ongoing crises.
Imam Shahid Raza (OBE) from Leicester Central Mosque comments: “Like everyone I am immensely proud of the response to the humanitarian crisis from communities across the UK. As the scale of the crisis escalates we need to appeal to our communities to ensure they are helping Syria and Iraq in the safest possible way and that sectarian divisions do not divide us here in the UK.”
The collective action between the Imams was facilitated by Faith Associates, an organisation which works with Imams and mosques across the UK and abroad. Chief Executive of Faith Associates and editor of www.imamsonline.com, Shaukat Warraich, commented:
“Today is an historic occasion with representatives from across British Muslim communities coming together to show a united front and commit to engaging with their communities to advise and protect our young people who might be thinking about going to Iraq or Syria. We are proud to have played a role in supporting this important initiative.”
Dear Sir
The month of Ramadhan is a time of reflection and compassion for humanity. The ethos of this month is to demonstrate generosity and solidarity especially towards those who are less fortunate.
As the crisis in Syria and Iraq deepens, we the under-signed have come together as a unified voice to urge the British Muslim communities not to fall prey to any form of sectarian divisions or social discord.
Ramadhan, the month of mercy, teaches us the value of unity and perseverance and we urge the British Muslim communities to continue the generous and tireless efforts to support all of those affected by the crisis in Syria and unfolding events in Iraq, but to do so from the UK in a safe and responsible way.
The Muslim communities have already generously contributed over a hundred million pounds to the Syrian relief effort. We welcome the British Government’s commitment to spending £600 million to support the Syrian people.
With more than 9 million Syrians internally displaced and requiring help, 2.8 million living in refugee camps and 60% of the countries medical infrastructure destroyed, this is the largest human crisis since World War II.
The Holy Qur’an’s guiding principle states:
‘And they give food for the love of God to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner. They say to them, “We give you food, only for the sake of God – we do not seek any reward or thanks from you.” (76:8).
Muslim leaders have used sermons to reiterate their opposition to extremism, urge young people not to join fundamentalist fighters, and call for the release of all hostages held by the Islamic State (IS).
Imams across Scotland used Friday prayers to reinforce these messages, according to a joint statement from the Muslim Council of Scotland, Islamic Society of Britain and Glasgow Central Mosque.
Muslim leaders said: "The actions of IS are against the teachings of Islam and therefore supporting or joining such an organisation is unacceptable".
I am appealing to Pope Francis to ask all Imams all over the world to write a similar letter and messages to push for peace, and the release of all hostages including UN peacekeepers held at Golan Heights.
7th September 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/06/richard-barrett-mi6-isis-counter-terrorism?google_editors_picks=true
I did think about disillusioned jihadists wanting to come home would prove an invaluable asset by providing all the information from Syria and Iraq to the Intelligence Service.
I agree with what some of the politiicans and former MI6 said. It is a good idea to undergo de-radicalisation as long as we have names and addresses and photo shoots before a de-radicalisation programme commence.
The former jihadists would help to deter would be jihadists, and raise awareness of sharing their own experiences of what has happened in Syria and Iraq.
The former jihadists wanted to be employed, and thought it a good idea at the time to fight in Syria only to find there is gang warfare. They were so very immature, and probably grown so quickly having so many bad experiences thinking they have been to hell and back etc.
I hope that there will be an intensive supervision to make sure that they are not a danger to public etc.
16th September 2014
Salafists are early Muslims, and uses barbaric medieval practices to torture and behead people.
Salafism has become associated with literalist, strict and puritanical approaches to Islam – and, particularly in the West, with the Salafi Jihadis who espouse violent jihad against those they deem to be enemies of Islam as a legitimate expression of Islam.
However contemporary Salafis follow "literal, traditional ... injunctions of the sacred texts", looking to Ibn Taymiyyah rather than the "somewhat freewheeling interpretation" of 19th century figures Muhammad Abduh,Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, and Rashid Rida.
The basis of this claim is that Salafis do not acknowledge, or follow any of the four schools of thought (Madhhab) to which other Sunni Muslims adhere.
They have their own beliefs and laws, their own leaders and systems, a religion with strict and so-called extremist ways.
In the Arab world – and possibly even more so now by Muslims in the West – the term Ahl-as-Sunnah ("People of the Sunnah") is frequently used instead, while the term Ahl al-Hadith ("People of the Tradition") is often used on the Indian subcontinent to identify adherents of Salafi ideology, though this term is used more often in the Middle-East to indicate scholars and students of Hadith).
The Muslim Brotherhood is differentiated from Salafi, allegedly because of its religious innovations, but the group did include the term in the "About Us" section of its website.
It is often reported from various sources, including the German domestic intelligence service, that Salafism is the fastest-growing Islamic movement in the world.
These Salafists are the ones who poses a great threat to the West and Europe, they are extremely dangerous.
There is no way we could have saved the hostages who were beheaded or killed, and Salafists will spare no one being so extremely violent.
Salafists in Syria and Iraq have to be obliterated to restore the modern ways of civilisation, and return to moderate violent free Islam for peace loving Muslims.
This is the real reason why we must never have an Islamist State.
18th September 2014
http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/is-alan-henning-605217
The Holy Qur'an says that:
"Whosoever kills a human being... it is as if killing the entire human race; and whosoever saves a life, saves the entire human race."
Hundreds of Muslims have joined forces to urge for the release of Alan Henning.
UN Peacekeepers held in Golan Heights were released a few days ago, and was able to cross the border into Israel. It is believed that Qatari played a part in it securing release of the UN hostages.
Cage, an organisation founded by Moazzam Begg to campaign for the release of prisoners in Guantánamo Bay after his own release from the US military facility, described Henning's kidnapping as a contravention of Islamic law. Begg was himself charged with alleged terror offences relating to Syria earlier this year.
Having read this I understand perfectly well what John Cantlie and other hostages are saying and there are new developments, about what America and UK is doing. IS wants release of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. IS wants America and UK to back off, and not take part against IS. IS does not want America and UK to have a relationship regarding Syria and Iraq..
This is very very serious. David Cameron must step down as PM and not take part in the war against IS. Failing to do so, we will lose our hostages. They must be free very soon. Please David Cameron, make a public announcement to tell IS what you are going to do.
And please America and UK must do what IS wants.
20th September 2014
Geneva - The two leaders told the news conference, called by the Vatican mission to the United Nations in Geneva. Middle East Christian leaders called on Muslim governments and religious authorities on last Tuesday to condemn Islamic State for its assault on minority religious communities, and to take the lead in efforts to destroy its power in Iraq and Syria.
Christians who have got a religious policy not to kill, and love their neighbors condemn the militant group's killings, and expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Christians in massacres against all religious and ethnic minorities.
"The situation of Christians and other minorities amid the massacres and atrocities of (Islamic State) is dire and our future in the region is at stake," said Patriarch Ignace III of the Syrian Catholic Church of Antioch.
The leaders of Arab countries and the Arab League are standing up to IS and also condemn the killings, and have issued a Fatwa (religious edict) against the killing of any human being, not just other Muslims .
Patriarch Sako I of the Chaldean Catholic Church said in Iraq over 10,000 Christians who have had large communities in the Middle East for some 2,000 years in Iraq had been killed by the militants and some 170,000 expelled from the north.
Christians have existed for 2,000 or more years.
In areas under Islamic State control in Syria, around half a million Christians had been forced to flee areas where they had long lived at peace with their Muslim neighbors.
A parallel statement from the two patriarchs and 6 other church leaders including Greek Orthodox and Coptic prelates said the ideology of Islamic State was against human rights, and was a threat to society in the Middle East and across the world.
"If not strongly condemned and effectively destroyed, then this ideology will damage the entire system of human rights," the group said. The top priority was to defeat Islamic State and "do away with its murderous policies".
It is a global threat.
Arab political and religious leaders in countries where Islam and the state are closely entwined to recognise the human rights of Christians and other minorities.
The reasons for air strikes targetting IS or ISIL
The attacks were the first time the United States forces and Arab Allies pounding Islamic State militant sites with war planes, remote drones and ship launched cruise missiles. It was the largest of their sort since President Barack Obama announced nearly two weeks ago that the U.S. would be stepping up its fight against the group.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said at least 20 Islamic State fighters were killed in strikes that hit at least 50 targets in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces in Syria's east. While the world including Arab states are targetting at destroying all militant equipment etc, it is impossible to avoid any human casualities in the process.
U.S. Central Command said 14 airstrikes damaged or destroyed targets in four areas of eastern Syria, including in the Islamic State group's main stronghold of Raqqa.
Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had either participated or supported the strikes, which involved jets, bombers, drones and ships firing cruise missiles, Central Command said.
“U.S. military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against (Islamic State) terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles,” Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Jeff Pool said.
“U.S. military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against (Islamic State) terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles,” Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Jeff Pool said.
Tuesday’s action also pitched Washington for the first time into the three-year-old Syrian civil war, which has killed 200,000 people and displaced millions. U.S. forces have previously hit Islamic State targets in Iraq.
Syria said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had told the Damascus government, hours before the airstrikes took place. However, Damascus, which had said any airstrikes on Syria must have its approval, did not condemn the attacks.
"The foreign minister received a letter from his American counterpart via the Iraqi foreign minister, in which he informed him that the United States and some of its allies would target (Islamic State) in Syria,'' the Foreign Ministry said in the statement. "That was hours before the raids started."
"The foreign minister received a letter from his American counterpart via the Iraqi foreign minister, in which he informed him that the United States and some of its allies would target (Islamic State) in Syria,'' the Foreign Ministry said in the statement. "That was hours before the raids started."
American forces also conducted eight airstrikes west of Aleppo against a group of former al-Qaida fighters known as the Khorasan Group. That action was in response to an "imminent" plot against U.S. and Western interests, Central Command said. Khorasan Group are known to be more powerful and dangerous than IS itself.
The addition of Arab allies in the attacks was crucial for the credibility of the American-led campaign. Some U.S. allies in the Middle East are skeptical of how far Washington will commit to a conflict in which nearly every country in the region has a stake, set against the backdrop of Islam's 1,300-year-old rift between Sunnis and Shiites.
Traditional Western allies, including Britain which went to war alongside the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, have so far declined to participate in the campaign. France has struck Islamic State in Iraq, but not in Syria destroying the logistics depot.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott praised the effort, saying an international effort was needed to combat the Islamic State threat. Australia has promised to contribute 600 troops and eight warplanes.
“This is a global problem,” Abbott told parliament Tuesday. “These are people who have been radicalized and brutalized, and could become potential terrorists in their home countries.”
Any such action can only be carried out in accordance with international law and must have explicit consent from the government of Syria and the approval of a corresponding UN Security Council decision. Consent can still be obtained from a UN Security Council without Syria's decision.
Meanwhile, Israel said an anti-aircraft missile battery shot down a Syrian fighter jet over the Golan Heights Tuesday. The military said the Patriot missile hit the jet after it crossed into Israeli airspace. It is believed that IS have taken over the military airport in Syria and attempted to fly the Syrian planes.
Syrian forces have been battling militants from the Islamic State militants and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in the Golan Heights.
These Allied countries including Arab States have stated their intentions to only destroy all military equipment, planes, drones etc, and preserve as many human lives as much as possible. Air strikes are not an assault on human lives.
Allied countries have previously stated they are totally opposed to anyone creating an Islamic State and IS carrying out medieval and barbaric practices of torture, beheading and killings of all sorts.
As Peacemaker, I urge all IS and other militants to give up the caliphate of Islamist State and give up their arms. The world is against the caliphate of Islamist State and arming weapons. IS is rapidly losing their fight to keep their caliphate and the world is winning.
As Peacemaker, I urge all IS and other militants to give up the caliphate of Islamist State and give up their arms. The world is against the caliphate of Islamist State and arming weapons. IS is rapidly losing their fight to keep their caliphate and the world is winning.
We need Syria and Iraq back, so the refugees who fled their homelands can return safely to their homes, and rebuild a new country now destroyed.
We must not have any more sectarianism of Sunnis, Shias and Christians. They must learn how they live peacefully without violence and hatred.
Slaughtering Christians does not make any difference, as Christianity have emerged stronger than ever. So has good Muslims with their faith, which has been confirmed by our Allies the Arab States.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/egypts-president-backs-global-campaign-against-islamic-extremists-1411443775?google_editors_picks=true
Egypt President backs global campaign against Islamic extremists, and warns the world that it is not only confined to Syria and Iraq. It is happening in other parts of the Middle East and becoming widespread. The widespread problem is what John Cantlie tried to tell us about.
Who are ISIS? It means the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. The group calls itself IS believing it has already established a caliphate of Islamist State. Back in 2004, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi launched Al Qaeda in Iraq, and later tried to ignite a sectarian war against Iraq's Shiite majority. The new Al Qaeda was re-branded in 2006 as the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). It would add "and Syria" to its name later. The group exploited a growing perception among many Sunnis that they were being persecuted by the Shia-dominated government led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, starved of resources and excluded from a share of power. ISIS has been trying to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. ISIS has been trying to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. The group also claims its leader has authority over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world. At age 39, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi became the leader of ISIS in 2010 after Abu Omar al Baghdadi was killed in a joint U.S.-Iraqi operation. Prior to taking over ISIS, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi joined Al Qaeda in Iraq. ISIS has been pretty vocal about wanting to attack Americans and other Westerners, even though U.S. officials say ISIS fighters aren't a direct threat to the U.S. homeland right now.
Who are the Al Nusra Front? Al-Nusra Front" is translated from "Jabhat al-Nusra," which means "Victory Front, a branch of Al Qaeda. Al-Nusra was formed during the ongoing Syrian civil war. It has emerged as one of the most effective groups in the Syrian resistance, drawing on foreign fighters with combat experience in Iraq and elsewhere. "A number of separate rebel groups have emerged and preparations are being made for a post-Assad Syria as these groups vie for dominance and international support," the Quilliam Foundation said. Unlike most Syrian rebel groups, which are seeking political change, Al-Nusra Front is fighting on ideological and jihadist grounds. Like ISIS, Al-Nusra Front is trying to establish an Islamic state, though primarily in Syria. It's been a formidable force against President Bashar Al Assad's regime. But even though it has helped the Syrian opposition by taking out regime fighters, it has also hurt the moderate opposition by making world leaders hesitant to help rebels. Al-Nusra posted a statement saying its leader, Abu Yousef al-Turki, was killed in the U.S.-led airstrikes Tuesday in Syria. But it is a rebel group that the U.S. has blacklisted as a foreign terror organization linked to al Qaeda in Iraq.
Who are the Khorasan Group? The Khorasan group is a branch of Al Qaeda with veterans who used to work for Al Qaeda. They are the most powerful and dangerous than IS. It is a collection of senior al Qaeda members who have moved into Syria. President Barack Obama called them "seasoned al Qaeda operatives." Operating in Iraq and Syria with a focus on exporting terror to the West. Sources say it is trying to emulate the success of ISIS in using social media to recruit Westerners, people who could be trained and then sent home to launch terror attacks. The Khorasan Group's mission is to find new ways to attack the United States and Europe. The name Khorasan is an ancient Islamic historical term from the far east of the Muslim world. It is used today by Al-Qaeda (and others who are fond of archaic Islamic terminology) to describe the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran region." A short and slight 33-year-old named Muhsin al Fadhli, believed dead on Tuesday. He arrived in Syria in April 2013 and began working with the Al-Nusra Front. At some point, he parted company with Al-Nusra. The Khorasan Group was actively plotting against a U.S. homeland target and Western targets.
There are also other militant groups who primarily are supposed to be fighting against Al Qaeda, but ended up together fighting against gang warfare. The Free Syrian Army is one, a group fighting to oust President Bashar Al Assad, and wants an Islamic Government.
These groups killed Christians to make sure they can have an Islamic State, and regard Shias as heretics.
What is happening now is that these groups have spread to parts of the Middle East, and could be spreading to the West. Some of these Islamic extremists who abuse Islam by using violence and hatred are from Algeria, Yemen and other parts of the world.
24th September 2014
President Obama's speech on terrorism at UN.
On issue after issue, we cannot rely on a rule-book written for a different century. If we lift our eyes beyond our borders – if we think globally and act cooperatively – we can shape the course of this century as our predecessors shaped the post-World War II age. But as we look to the future, one issue risks a cycle of conflict that could derail such progress: and that is the cancer of violent extremism that has ravaged so many parts of the Muslim world.
Of course, terrorism is not new. Speaking before this Assembly, President Kennedy put it well: “Terror is not a new weapon,” he said. “Throughout history it has been used by those who could not prevail, either by persuasion or example.” In the 20th century, terror was used by all manner of groups who failed to come to power through public support. But in this century, we have faced a more lethal and ideological brand of terrorists who have perverted one of the world’s great religions. With access to technology that allows small groups to do great harm, they have embraced a nightmarish vision that would divide the world into adherents and infidels – killing as many innocent civilians as possible; and employing the most brutal methods to intimidate people within their communities.
I have made it clear that America will not base our entire foreign policy on reacting to terrorism. Rather, we have waged a focused campaign against al Qaeda and its associated forces – taking out their leaders, and denying them the safe-havens they rely upon. At the same time, we have reaffirmed that the United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. Islam teaches peace. Muslims the world over aspire to live with dignity and a sense of justice. And when it comes to America and Islam, there is no us and them – there is only us, because millions of Muslim Americans are part of the fabric of our country.
So we reject any suggestion of a clash of civilizations. Belief in permanent religious war is the misguided refuge of extremists who cannot build or create anything, and therefore peddle only fanaticism and hate. And it is no exaggeration to say that humanity’s future depends on us uniting against those who would divide us along fault lines of tribe or sect; race or religion.
This is not simply a matter of words. Collectively, we must take concrete steps to address the danger posed by religiously motivated fanatics, and the trends that fuel their recruitment. Moreover, this campaign against extremism goes beyond a narrow security challenge. For while we have methodically degraded core al Qaeda and supported a transition to a sovereign Afghan government, extremist ideology has shifted to other places – particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where a quarter of young people have no job; food and water could grow scarce; corruption is rampant; and sectarian conflicts have become increasingly hard to contain.
As an international community, we must meet this challenge with a focus on four areas. First, the terrorist group known as ISIL must be degraded, and ultimately destroyed.
This group has terrorized all who they come across in Iraq and Syria. Mothers, sisters and daughters have been subjected to rape as a weapon of war. Innocent children have been gunned down. Bodies have been dumped in mass graves. Religious minorities have been starved to death. In the most horrific crimes imaginable, innocent human beings have been beheaded, with videos of the atrocity distributed to shock the conscience of the world.
No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning – no negotiation – with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force. So the United States of America will work with a broad coalition to dismantle this network of death.
In this effort, we do not act alone. Nor do we intend to send U.S. troops to occupy foreign lands. Instead, we will support Iraqis and Syrians fighting to reclaim their communities. We will use our military might in a campaign of air strikes to roll back ISIL. We will train and equip forces fighting against these terrorists on the ground. We will work to cut off their financing, and to stop the flow of fighters into and out of the region. Already, over 40 nations have offered to join this coalition. Today, I ask the world to join in this effort. Those who have joined ISIL should leave the battlefield while they can. Those who continue to fight for a hateful cause will find they are increasingly alone. For we will not succumb to threats; and we will demonstrate that the future belongs to those who build – not those who destroy.
Second, it is time for the world – especially Muslim communities – to explicitly, forcefully, and consistently reject the ideology of al Qaeda and ISIL.
It is the task of all great religions to accommodate devout faith with a modern, multicultural world. No children – anywhere – should be educated to hate other people. There should be no more tolerance of so-called clerics who call upon people to harm innocents because they are Jewish, Christian or Muslim. It is time for a new compact among the civilized peoples of this world to eradicate war at its most fundamental source: the corruption of young minds by violent ideology.
That means cutting off the funding that fuels this hate. It’s time to end the hypocrisy of those who accumulate wealth through the global economy, and then siphon funds to those who teach children to tear it down.
That means contesting the space that terrorists occupy – including the Internet and social media. Their propaganda has coerced young people to travel abroad to fight their wars, and turned students into suicide bombers. We must offer an alternative vision.
That means bringing people of different faiths together. All religions have been attacked by extremists from within at some point, and all people of faith have a responsibility to lift up the value at the heart of all religion: do unto thy neighbor as you would have done unto you.
The ideology of ISIL or al Qaeda or Boko Haram will wilt and die if it is consistently exposed, confronted, and refuted in the light of day. Look at the new Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies – Sheikh bin Bayyah described its purpose: “We must declare war on war, so the outcome will be peace upon peace.” Look at the young British Muslims, who responded to terrorist propaganda by starting the “notinmyname” campaign, declaring – “ISIS is hiding behind a false Islam.” Look at the Christian and Muslim leaders who came together in the Central African Republic to reject violence – listen to the Imam who said, “Politics try to divide the religious in our country, but religion shouldn’t be a cause of hate, war, or strife.”
Later today, the Security Council will adopt a resolution that underscores the responsibility of states to counter violent extremism. But resolutions must be followed by tangible commitments, so we’re accountable when we fall short. Next year, we should all be prepared to announce the concrete steps that we have taken to counter extremist ideologies – by getting intolerance out of schools, stopping radicalization before it spreads, and promoting institutions and programs that build new bridges of understanding.
Third, we must address the cycle of conflict – especially sectarian conflict – that creates the conditions that terrorists prey upon.
There is nothing new about wars within religions. Christianity endured centuries of vicious sectarian conflict. Today, it is violence within Muslim communities that has become the source of so much human misery. It is time to acknowledge the destruction wrought by proxy wars and terror campaigns between Sunni and Shia across the Middle East. And it is time that political, civic and religious leaders reject sectarian strife.
Let’s be clear: this is a fight that no one is winning. A brutal civil war in Syria has already killed nearly 200,000 people and displaced millions. Iraq has come perilously close to plunging back into the abyss. The conflict has created a fertile recruiting ground for terrorists who inevitably export this violence.
Let’s be clear: this is a fight that no one is winning. A brutal civil war in Syria has already killed nearly 200,000 people and displaced millions. Iraq has come perilously close to plunging back into the abyss. The conflict has created a fertile recruiting ground for terrorists who inevitably export this violence.
Yet, we also see signs that this tide could be reversed – a new, inclusive government in Baghdad; a new Iraqi Prime Minister welcomed by his neighbors; Lebanese factions rejecting those who try to provoke war. These steps must be followed by a broader truce. Nowhere is this more necessary than Syria. Together with our partners, America is training and equipping the Syrian opposition to be a counterweight to the terrorists of ISIL and the brutality of the Assad regime.
But the only lasting solution to Syria’s civil war is political – an inclusive political transition that responds to the legitimate aspirations of all Syrian citizens, regardless of ethnicity or creed.
But the only lasting solution to Syria’s civil war is political – an inclusive political transition that responds to the legitimate aspirations of all Syrian citizens, regardless of ethnicity or creed.
Cynics may argue that such an outcome can never come to pass. But there is no other way for this madness to end – whether one year from now or ten. Indeed, it’s time for a broader negotiation in which major powers address their differences directly, honestly, and peacefully across the table from one another, rather than through gun-wielding proxies.
I can promise you America will remain engaged in the region, and we are prepared to engage in that effort.
I can promise you America will remain engaged in the region, and we are prepared to engage in that effort.
My fourth and final point is a simple one: the countries of the Arab and Muslim world must focus on the extraordinary potential of their people – especially the youth.
Here I’d like to speak directly to young people across the Muslim world. You come from a great tradition that stands for education, not ignorance; innovation, not destruction; the dignity of life, not murder. Those who call you away from this path are betraying this tradition, not defending it.
You have demonstrated that when young people have the tools to succeed –good schools; education in math and science; an economy that nurtures creativity and entrepreneurship – then societies will flourish. So America will partner with those who promote that vision.
Where women are full participants in a country’s politics or economy, societies are more likely to succeed. That’s why we support the participation of women in parliaments and in peace processes; in schools and the economy.
If young people live in places where the only option is between the dictates of a state, or the lure of an extremist underground – no counter-terrorism strategy can succeed. But where a genuine civil society is allowed to flourish – where people can express their views, and organize peacefully for a better life – then you dramatically expand the alternatives to terror.
Such positive change need not come at the expense of tradition and faith. We see this in Iraq, where a young man started a library for his peers. “We link Iraq’s heritage to their hearts,” he said, and “give them a reason to stay.” We see it in Tunisia, where secular and Islamist parties worked together through a political process to produce a new constitution. We see it in Senegal, where civil society thrives alongside a strong, democratic government. We see it in Malaysia, where vibrant entrepreneurship is propelling a former colony into the ranks of advanced economies. And we see it in Indonesia, where what began as a violent transition has evolved into a genuine democracy.
Ultimately, the task of rejecting sectarianism and extremism is a generational task – a task for the people of the Middle East themselves. No external power can bring about a transformation of hearts and minds. But America will be a respectful and constructive partner. We will neither tolerate terrorist safe-havens, nor act as an occupying power. Instead, we will take action against threats to our security – and our allies – while building an architecture of counter-terrorism cooperation. We will increase efforts to lift up those who counter extremist ideology, and seek to resolve sectarian conflict. And we will expand our programs to support entrepreneurship, civil society, education and youth – because, ultimately, these investments are the best antidote to violence.
Ultimately, the task of rejecting sectarianism and extremism is a generational task – a task for the people of the Middle East themselves. No external power can bring about a transformation of hearts and minds. But America will be a respectful and constructive partner. We will neither tolerate terrorist safe-havens, nor act as an occupying power. Instead, we will take action against threats to our security – and our allies – while building an architecture of counter-terrorism cooperation. We will increase efforts to lift up those who counter extremist ideology, and seek to resolve sectarian conflict. And we will expand our programs to support entrepreneurship, civil society, education and youth – because, ultimately, these investments are the best antidote to violence.
25th September 2014
The U.N. Security Council, in a rare meeting chaired by President Obama of USA, approved a binding resolution that would require member nations to enact laws aimed at preventing their citizens from traveling to foreign countries to join terrorist insurgencies.
The U.S.-drafted measure unanimously approved by the 15-member Security Council was a response to the rapid rise of the Islamic State, but applies to those who might travel to join any terror group. It also tells U.N. member states to clamp down on recruitment and funding for terrorist groups.
Obama told the council that 15,000 fighters from more than 80 nations had traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State or the al-Qaeda affiliate known as Jabhat al-Nusra. Fears that they could return to their homelands and perpetrate domestic attacks.
The whole world is prosecuting campaign against terrorism.
IF YOU OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO GOD, AND LET HIM HELP YOU RENOUNCE VIOLENCE AND HATRED, AND NOT GO AGAINST ISLAM. YOU WILL FEEL LIBERATED, AND FREE, FINDING JOY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN YOUR GOD.
What is democracy?
Like a customer, we expect excellent service from our politicians, and from our leader. We should get what we want from the government and expect them to fulfill their promises and betterment. We all want policies that are really workable and successful.
There are different kinds of populism while at the same time, we should only have one kind of populism, and without extreme or indifferent views. Something everyone does agree on before implementing policies either by votes or something else.
Why should we be dissidents disagreeing with an established government, system etc? We should not be proud of being dissidents. We should be proud that we have a faultless, excellent high spec government which does not even exist. That is what true one populism is lacking today.
We have to have a good relationship with the government that is legal and just, and voice our grievances about the way the country is run.
We have socialism, nationalism and patriotism.
Any durable democracy requires a margin of safety, and has got to depend on reliability, honesty, true commitment, clean character, dedication and common sense.
Democracy all over the world has its impressive longevity and spatial amplitude, guarantees that it must have encompassed.
Democracy summons parochial peoples to a more global consciousness.
Democracy requires harmony and peace etc,
We certainly do not want any leader and politician all over the world abusing their powers to gain fame, to be a celebrity or be in an elite circle etc. We have to remove all that with alacrity.
If you want a proper, true and real democracy like I do............. Then we must have a real new government.
I agree that President Bashar Al Assad will have to go, and that we have to have a new Syrian government. The new government must be free of all radicals, evils and negativities to begin with.
We need to put the horrific past behind us, and have a fresh face as well as a new government.
26th September 2014
Gilles de Kerchove, the EU's anti-terrorism chief said that the number of Europeans joining the Islamist fighters in Syria and Iraq has risen to more than 3,000.
He said "We are probably above 3.000, which is unprecedented"
He also warned that Western air strikes would increase the risk of retaliatory attacks in Europe.
Mr de Kerchove said the number of 3,000 included all those who have been to the region, including those who have returned, and those who have been killed there.
The CIA estimates that IS may have up to 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria - three times as many as previously feared.
Mr de Kerchove said that Islamic State's declaration of a caliphate in June may have played a role in drawing more support from Europe.
US-led forces have launched nearly 200 air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq since August and on Monday began targeting IS in Syria.
The UK parliament is due to vote on possible air strikes in Iraq on Friday.
A majority of people wants UK to opt out for fear that attacks would provoke more beheadings.
UK could put John Cantlie and Alan Henning at risk.
It is hoped that the UN will not give consent to UK taking part in the air strikes in Iraq.
IS has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in recent months.
Mr de Kerchove also warned that groups competing with IS, such as al-Qaeda, may try to launch attacks in Europe to maintain their profile.
"The rise of [IS] may prompt al-Qaeda to do something to show that it is still relevant," he said.
Mr Cameron told the UN on Wednesday IS was an "evil against which the whole world must unite".
The Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, says his government will decide in the coming days whether to join the air strikes in Iraq and Syria.
Mr Abbott said it was in Australia's interest to play its part in what he called the fight "against the murderous death cult".
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/25/britain-new-iraq-war-doomed-token-gesture
The Guardian speaks of Britain's new Iraq War which will be doomed, and why airstrikes are not enough to get rid of IS.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29385123
MPs support airstrikes in Iraq with an overwhelming majority.
Mr Miliband - who a year ago forced the prime minister to abandon plans for air strikes against the Syrian regime by inflicting a Commons revolt on the issue - said the UK "cannot simply stand by".
Speaking after the outcome of the vote, Labour MP John McDonnell - who voted against air strikes - said previous interventions in Iraq was one of the causes of the emergence of the jihadist movement.
"We seem to be making the same mistakes without any alternative strategy," he told BBC News.
I agree with some MPs including John McDonnell. It is so stupid and reckless to agree on airstrikes. We can do without Britain taking part in airstrikes, as the Middle East and other countries can take part. It is not a case of "cannot simply stand by".
Archbishop of Canterbury said that a religious solution should be found, and not a military one.
We have to give Islam a chance to redeem itself from the extremists.
David Cameron will have blood on his hands if anything happen to John Cantlie and Alan Henning. He is mad to ask for approval for airstrikes that has got nothing to do with UK.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29368707
BBC has published an article that US are training killers in Syria as well as in Ukraine, claimed by Russia.
http://www.firstpost.com/world/islamic-state-drags-obama-back-into-mideast-quagmire-1731911.html
Islamist State drags Obama back into mideast quagmire.
http://www.itv.com/news/2014-09-26/explaining-the-potential-legal-case-for-british-air-strikes-against-islamic-state-in-syria/
Explaining the potential legal case for British Air Strikes against Islamic State in Syria.
I have heard what MPs have said in the House of Commons debate. They all have missed something. None of them made any sense.
Islamic State is a bit too far advanced, and there are still millions of people still living in Syria.
What the MPs and others have overlooked is that. It is a Middle East problem which should be dealt by the Middle East itself.
As I said before, Islam needs to redeem itself and the Middle East has got responsibility to raise awareness to tell people what true and real Islam is about, and what it stands for.
The West and Europe could help with the propaganda for the Middle East.
To do anything militarily is an impossible task, and there will always be violence and more war.
We all know that IS and President Bashar al Assad have committed war crimes as declared by UN.
Should we try and train the minds, and not the bodies?
Islamist State militants have to be assimilated.
There are about two million Salafists all over the world, and some are good ones like we have in UK.
The threat is quite old, and we just need to be aware that we do not have unacceptable crimes in communities all over the world.
That is what Police are for, to protect communities.
6th October 2014
http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-led-airstrikes-disrupt-islamic-state-but-extremists-hold-territory-1412555718?google_editors_picks=true
This link is saying that airstrikes are proving ineffective in getting rid of extremists, and is only acting as a deterrent. US have been trying to drive extremists from Kobani to protect Turkey. US have destroyed a lot of equipment and arms, but it is better that extremists should give them up voluntarily as it is making extremists more resilient and defiant.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/06/islamic-state-flags-reported-flying-in-kurdish-syrian-town-kobani
Woman Kurdish fighter is very brave defending her home town Kobani, and trying to save the people and children of Kobani. Deilar Kanj Khamis, known by the nom de guerre Arin Mirkan, blew herself in an armour tank packed with explosives at houses at an IS position east of the border town, killing ten jihadists.
It was the first known case of a female Kurdish fighter carrying out a suicide bomb against IS.
She was a member of the Women’s Protection Unit, a branch of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG). The force has more than 10,000 female fighters who played a major role in the battles against the IS group.
Turkey needs help urgently to defend against IS. Any redundant tanks, equipment is most welcome.
It is completely unacceptable that US or UK to be involved. It must be seen that each country is defending itself. We cannot fight for any country. Each country must have its own air force, army and navy to defend itself. We cannot deploy pilots, ground troops or sea lords to any country.
If Russia wants to give arms, equipment etc to Syrian government. That is acceptable as long as Russia does not participate in any way. Russia cannot fly, deploy ground troops, or use their navy on Syrian government's behalf.
It is the same with US and UK. They got the strategies all wrong.
What is needed at present is that there are about up to 40,000 extremists in a very big country which is Syria. And possibly more in Iraq, is to have armed policing to root out the troublemakers like extremists.
IS would fly flags but it does not mean anything, and they cannot declare a caliphate if IS is so small by comparison to the huge population of Syria and Iraq.
Please give what you have to Turkey and Iraq, and let the Middle East use their best experienced pilots to do the job if there are no experienced pilots in Syria and Iraq.
The big mistake is that one's country does not have its own air force, army or navy and becomes defenceless.
Countries can give aid but there is a limit, and is obliged to help anyway they can as long as they do not fight in any way in another country.
There is one question, is it legal for US to send their own police to look after each city or town like Kobani or Homs?
7th October 2014
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg vowed to protect Turkey, a member state, saying: "Turkey should know that Nato will be there if there is any spillover, any attacks on Turkey as a consequence of the violence we see in Syria"
The official Idriss Nassan said that there were still thousands of civilians in Kobani.
He said IS was now in control of Mistenur and that, in theory, gave the attackers a huge strategic advantage. But Nassan said IS was not yet firing down into the town from the hill.
He also said there was shelling in all parts of Kobani, adding: "Yes, it will certainly fall soon."
Nassan could not say how long this would take, but added: "I'm not going to give up my home and my country easily."
President Assad said "Any military intervention is an act of aggression".
Kobani was part of Syria until the Syrian Kurds took over two years ago, and Kurdish parties governed it.
Turkey who has some Turkish Kurds pledged to help Kobani, but was unable to do so.
The Turkish Police are patrolling the entrances of the villages and towns presently with shields near the border between Turkey and Syria.
http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_kurds-protests-isil-assault-on-kobani-across-turkey_360861.html
There have been protests in Turkey against the government not doing anything about IS taking over Kobani.
Until recently, Kobani had hardly been touched by the civil war that has ravaged much of Syria, and even offered a haven for refugees from fighting elsewhere, as President Bashar al-Assad chose to let the Kurdish population have virtual autonomy.
Turkey has so far made no move to join the fight against IS close to its borders, beyond returning fire at ISIL fighters in response to mortar shells landing on Turkish territory.
As Turkey cannot do anything, the government should be able to help arm the Syrian
Kurds and give them weaponry as they want to fight against IS and take Kobani back from IS. It was the lack of arms and weaponry that made the Syrian Kurds flee to Turkey for refuge. IS got tanks and more equipment than the Syrian Kurds gave credit for.
Kurds and give them weaponry as they want to fight against IS and take Kobani back from IS. It was the lack of arms and weaponry that made the Syrian Kurds flee to Turkey for refuge. IS got tanks and more equipment than the Syrian Kurds gave credit for.
Please help these Syrian Kurds urgently to fight against IS to get Kobani back which is their home.
There will be mass massacre if Syrian Kurds can do nothing.
Breaking News
The western-dominated coalition sends to the eastern end will strengthen support to IS which has been losing local sympathy lately. Although IS might appear powerful following their advances in Iraq, the group’s popularity in Syria has been in sharp decline over the past year.
Varied Free Syrian Army groups, Kurdish fighters including major conservative fighting groups like Islamic Front have been engaged in a war of attrition against IS. Moreover, Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra is a great foe of the group, and a growing number of jihadists fighting with IS have already defected. Defectors either return home or shift allegiances due to increased dissatisfaction with the group’s brutal tactics. Other fighters shun away on ideological disagreement with the group. However, the coalition is acting as a force to bring together foes in consolidated ideological front. Al Qaeda will end up fighting this war along with its enemy IS.
Unless President Bashar Al Assad steps down and resign, another radical organisation will come along. There will be no end to any fighting in Syria until he does so. Pakistani Taliban have pledged to fight.
I say to President Bashar Al Assad, "Please give up your Presidency to stop the war so Syria can have a new government and a fresh face. You may have to be forcibly removed".
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/10/6202/cost-consequences-isis-victory-kobani/
In Syria Deeply news described the cost and consequences of IS victory in Kobani.
http://www.todayszaman.com/_turkey-insists-assad-must-go-while-us-focuses-on-isil_360924.html
Turkey's Prime Minister have got a comprehensive plan whose first priority is to get rid of President Bashar Al Assad who lost his legitimacy years ago. Turkey's Prime Minister said that there will be ground troops if other countries are with him.
http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_ankara-on-alert-over-possible-strike-against-isil_360946.html
NATO has prepared for possibilities to make plans taking various alternatives into account which is described in the link above. There were some mortar shellings landing in Turkey from Syria. However I have heard that the airstrikes today have destroyed a lot of weaponry.
Speaking to the press today, Turkey's President Recep Erdogan said that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is the same as IS. It is a new revelation that we have another radical organisation in Syria. It is going to be a very big challenge for Turkey getting rid of all radical organisations.
8th October 2014
President Recep Erdoğan repeated his demand that a buffer area and no-fly zone be set up inside Syria, a demand repeatedly rejected by the US in part because it might be exploited by Turkey’s armed forces to suppress local Kurds.
President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Davutoğlu insist the coalition’s top priority should be the ousting of Assad, above the destruction of Isis, and that Turkey will only step up its engagement, including deploying troops, if there is a “comprehensive strategy” embracing this aim. If Assad remains, they argue, other extremist groups will simply fill the vacuum if and when Isis is vanquished.
They have different priorities. They worry Syria’s civil war will spill into Turkish territory, as it did again briefly this week. They want the utter defeat of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. They are alarmed at the destabilising impact on Turkey of 1.6m Syrian refugees, whose numbers were swollen by 160,000 Syrian Kurds fleeing the fighting around Kobani. They have demanded, and received, assurances from Nato should Turkey come under attack.
The Turkish leaders are also deeply concerned about increased western support for the autonomy-seeking Syrian Kurds, who are the current heroes in the fight against Isis in Syria. Their Democratic Union party (PYD), and its armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), are affiliated to the predominantly Turkish Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist organisation with which the Turkish state has been at war, on and off, for more than 30 years.
Some in Turkey believe the Kurds are fighting the Islamists with the tacit backing of the Damascus regime, from which they hope to extract political concessions on autonomy further down the road.
Thus while Turkey’s parliament last week agreed to authorise Turkish troops to cross into Syria and Iraq, there is no imminent prospect of them doing so – even if Kobani falls – unless Turkey is directly attacked or the US changes tack dramatically.
It is so obvious that while Turkey wants to root out the radical organisations with the Kurds, wants a buffer zone and no fly area, the removal of President Bashar Al Assad and return the Kurdish population back to their homes. Nothing has been said if Turkey will use their own air space and fly in their own zone in case difficulties arise.
I agree with Turkey in their comprehensive plan, but has anyone ever thought about standing in for President Assad to oversee Syria and organise security measures to get all the refugees back in their own homes. I do not mean Kurds but Syrians from Lebanon, Jordan etc who are suffering from discrimination.
I could declare myself President of Syria, since Assad is not ruling legitimately with a meaningless government, and is too wrapped up in fighting his own wars. I would be stumped on how to get rid of corrupt government forces loyal to Assad.
There must be someone?
As a stand in (a make believe) I would grant Turkey's wishes, ask the West to deploy troops to surround Homs or any city or town to clear the rubble and start building so Syrian refugees can return to their homes as quickly as possible. Put security measures in place to defend against IS. Not have any more airstrikes unless Turkey requested to do so. I would try and get normalcy back as near as possible.
We also can police terrorism out.
As we have PYD, YPG and PKK radical organisations, I can see Turkey not wanting to give Kurds arms to defend themselves, and try and retake the town of Kobani. As long as there are radical organisations, there can be no autonomous state.
But we must think of civilians living in Kobani, and protect them any way we can.
Not only Turkey, but the West as well, would be very happy if there was a stand in President who can act legally or with the approval of United Nations Members.
This will get the ball rolling and speed up the process of a possibility of a new Syria rather than let the wars drag on and on with no end in sight.
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/10/6205/assads-troops-stretched-fighters-join-ndf-salary-stability/
President Assad is expanding National Defense Force along with Syria Rebublican Guard and luring recruits with money.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/07/syria-secret-chemical-weapons-facilities-un-says
As someone in charge of Syria will have to dispose of all chemical weapons facilities as quickly as possible to avoid more civilian casualities. The OPCW has said the dismantling of Syria's chemical weapons facilities is expected to begin this month, and the first of the 12 facilities should be destroyed by the end of November. The global chemical weapons watchdog also has said it is still working with the government to resolve discrepancies in its chemical weapons declaration.
http://news.yahoo.com/qaeda-linked-rebels-seize-priest-syria-franciscan-order-000227559.html
Al Qaeda linked rebels have seized Syrian Franciscan priest and some Christians.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party, commonly referred to by its Kurdish acronym, PKK, is a Kurdish millitant organization which from 1984 to 2013 fought an armed struggle against the Turkish state for cultural and political rights and self-determination for the Kurds in Turkey, who comprise between 10% and 25% of the population and have been subjected to official repression for decades.
The group was founded in 1978 in the village of Fis (near Lice) by a group of radical Kurdish students led by The PKK's ideology was originally a fusion of revolutionary socialism and Kurdish nationalism, seeking the foundation of an independent, Marxist–Leninist state in the region known as Kurdistan. PKK believes in common ownership and social equality.
Since his capture and imprisonment in 1999, however, Öcalan has abandoned Leninism, leading the party to adopt his new political platform of "Democratic Confederalism" (influenced strongly by the libertarian socialist philosophy of Communalism while ceasing its official calls for the establishment of a fully independent country.
The democratic confederalism of Kurdistan is not a State system, it is the democratic system of a people without a State... It takes its power from the people, and adopts to reach self sufficiency in every field including economy.
PKK has performed many attacks against civilians in Turkey, including teachers and doctors, and is listed as a terrorist organization internationally by several states and organizations, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the United States, and the European Union.
I do admire what the Kurds are trying to do to make a life of their own, and do need communism and seeking independent. But Marxism-Leninism is very leftist and so very out of date. One can still live by communism as long as it is adapted to the 21st Century era. They could try and be more Labour.
In the meantime, Turkey have had problems with PKK for so many years, and I heard that some PKKs lives in the South East Turkey which is proving to be a big headache.
As there are three Kurd provinces in North Syria, it would be much better to create another province to move all the rest of the Kurds out of the South East Turkey into one part of North Syria.
That way Turkey can have peace, and hopefully with a little change the Kurds will too.
A lot of refugees will all have to be resettled anyway when they do go home to Syria.
Now this raises the question of what kind of new Syrian government is going to get. It is neither going to be Conservative or Labour or Liberal etc. There will be popular policies to cater for all kinds of parties that they all have to agree on. One have to be very flexible, and adopt a mixture of ideas that is easily implemented.
9th October 2014
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/air-strikes-pounding-is-positions-30650715.html
Full update as to what is really happening now in the World News. Some comfort is gained from this.
I appeal to all protesters, "Please keep calm and be patient. We will get Kobani back". The International Community is behind us. We have to start with airstrikes, and go from there until we need more action.
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/10/6209/syrias-wartime-dynamics-u-s-strikes-face-pushback-fallout/
Disturbing news about attacks on some militant groups who may be fighting against Assad forming more new groups.
Current military situation in Syria.
Controlled by the Syrian government
Controlled by Kurdish forces
Controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Controlled by other rebels
-----------------------------------------------------------
(under Israeli occupation)
You can see the grey area is controlled by IS which is quite a large part of the country but it does not mean all the IS militants are there.
Some Kurds are not pushing for independence; some are are pushing for autonomy within all the regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. The Kurds want autonomy and self-governance, and this is a legitimate right. The Kurds deserve to speak their own language; they deserve to have their self-governance and the right to determine their futures. So Turkey has to recognize Turkish Kurds as a community, as a nation, as a separate identity and break the prevailing discourse in the Turkish state.
There is already autonomy in Iraq with its own Kurdish parliament. It has got to have only one autonomy and one parliament. Which is why I think the Kurds should try and move from South East Turkey to be with the Syrian Kurds and live in Syria or Iraq.
New Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, arrived Thursday in Turkey where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Prime Minister for talks.
In a related development, the Turkish press reported Thursday, an IS threat against Turkey through a message sent via Tweeter. It said;
"Turkey would pay a very high price for joining the international military coaltion crusade the IS, said the message, claiming that the jihadi group had thousands of sleeper cells in Turkey".
It could be a hoax message but it is up to Turkey to take action.
Why we cannot get rid of Assad
Turkey’s policy of conditioning its anti–Islamic State engagement on support for an anti-Assad campaign will be at best ineffective and at worst counterproductive. We cannot touch the Syrian government's force as it has control of a small part of Syria from IS. And the government's force is fighting against IS. It is really out of the question asking US trying to remove Assad.
Turkey’s policy of conditioning its anti–Islamic State engagement on support for an anti-Assad campaign will be at best ineffective and at worst counterproductive. We cannot touch the Syrian government's force as it has control of a small part of Syria from IS. And the government's force is fighting against IS. It is really out of the question asking US trying to remove Assad.
Breaking news
More effective airstrikes and dogged resistance by the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) militia have succeeded in pushing ISIS out of the town - marking the first time during the recent assault in which the jihadis have lost ground.
A unit of Free Syrian Army rebels attacked ISIS lines from behind, inflicting serious losses to the Islamists and forcing them to pull back from Kobane to defend against the FSA offensive. ISIS is fighting both the Assad regime and other Syrian rebel groups - all of whom it considers as infidels.
The UN says that if Kobani falls, a "bloodbath" will ensue, and Kurdish leaders have warned of an impending "genocide".
Kurdistan Region to the rescue
The Kurds fighting in Kobani is running out of bullets and got only two or three days supply.
The Kurdistan Region has sent weapons to the besieged Syrian Kurdish forces in Kobani, a top Kurdish official announced last Wednesday.
Mala Bakhtiar, who is a leading figure in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said that both his party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have shipped military equipment to the embattled Syrian Kurdish troops known as the People’s Protection Units or YPG in Kobani.
“Both we and the KDP have done everything in our power to arm the YPG forces. We even planned to deploy Peshmerga forces but couldn’t carry it out because we have to cross 70 to 80 kilometers of the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS) territory to reach Kobani, and at the moment it’s militarily impossible,” Bakhtiar said.
10th October 2014
Brief
I suggest that Nato or the International Community take over the Syrian air base and use it as their base not only to protect Turkey's air space, but other European countries's air space as well. This will answer the question to Turkey wanting a no fly zone.
As for the buffer zone to increase security and protection for Turkey, and we can do the same for other countries that shares the border with Turkey. The problem is that buffer zone cannot be created while there is a war, that there are some mines planted from the 1950's which were never removed. But the buffer zone can be created on very vulnerable spots in different stages rather than do it all at the same time cost permitting.
I have written an article above why we cannot get rid of Assad.
As it is a civil war, we need to get Peshmergers to Kobani from the Kurdistan Region before Nato can take action in case Kobani falls. Peshmergers are willing to fight against IS.
There is already a spillover with IS fighting against the Hezbollah on the Lebanese border where some Hezbollah fighters got killed in the process.
Takfiris who thinks everyone is a apostate and believe in Leninism are high on steroids, and are more aggressive because of these drugs, and are high on them. They will not last that long.
Trains are an advantage for IS as IS can move around quickly, and transport their tanks, military equipment and missiles.
IS have captured 40% of Kobani
IS have seized the Kurd headquarters and is now controlling 40% of the town of Kobani,
"They have taken at least 40 percent, Islamic State fighters were now in almost complete control of the "security quarter", which is home to the administrative buildings used by the local government" Rami Abdulrahman said, who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The IS militants have seized control over some of the eastern areas of the town and smaller areas in the south of Kobani.
Ocalan Iso, the deputy head of the Kurdish forces defending Kobani said "They are trying to advance on the crossing from the east ... but the YPG [fighters] are resisting them,
Fighting is also going on between IS and Kurds near a building used by Kurdish internal security forces, according to Kurdish military official. He denied any major advance by IS, though.
Ocalan Iso, deputy head of the Kurdish forces, also said "Islamic State was still conducting air strikes in the town center with mortars. There are fierce clashes, and they are bombing the center of Kobani from afar,"
The radical Islamist forces used heavy artillery to attack residential areas.
A total of 200,000 people have allegedly fled the region over the last three weeks, horrified by IS’s rapid advance.
The UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura to Syria has warned that up to 700 people, mainly elderly, are still trapped in the Syrian border town of Kobane. He urged Turkey to allow in volunteers to Syria to defend the town from IS militants.
Food is running out for YPG and are not getting enough sleep. There may be no food for the elderly.
A Kurdish official in Kobani, Idriss Nassan, said on Friday that Isis had shelled a border crossing in an attempt to take it and cut off the embattled town.
Nassan said “Daesh (Isis) is doing all it can to take the border crossing point through the farmlands east of the city. They think there might be help (for the Kurdish militia) coming through the crossing so they want to control the border.”
Activists say the fighting has killed more than 500 people.
The military units of The Sun of North, The Dawn of Freedom, The Free People of Al-Raqqa and The Kurds' Front, which are faction of the Free Syrian Army, are involved with the People Protection Units in defending the city.
Turkeys's problem
Why is Turkey not taking a more robust role to stop the militant juggernaut?
This is where I would step in and stop all this bickering.
The strategic objectives of the U.S. and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are reversed.
America’s top priority is to defeat the Islamic State. Turkey’s is to avoid empowering Kurdish separatists — some of the very people holding out inside Kobani.
Turkey also wants Washington to expand its campaign from targeting the Islamic State to ousting Syrian President Bashar Al Assad from power.
Kobani is a vivid illustration of disarray and conflicting objectives of this hastily assembled U.S.-led coalition. The U.S. and Turkey have different threat perceptions.
Erdogan sees Assad as the main cause of instability in Syria. At the same time, (Turkey) do not want to help or encourage Syrian Kurdish fighters who are closely linked to the PKK, referring to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which both Turkey and the United States also consider a terrorist organization.
The PKK has been fighting for self-determination for Turkey’s Kurdish minority for three decades. While Erdogan has said the Islamic State poses a danger to the region, he believes the PKK is a bigger threat to his own country.
An aspect to all of this is ideology and religion, which we in the West have a hard time understanding. IS is a Sunni insurgency and in religious terms, the Turkish government has a very strong Sunni base. They are never going to approve of the atrocities by IS, but there’s a built-in resistance to go after them.”
Ankara is being short-sighted and narrow minded in not seeing the Islamic State as a clear and present danger to Turkish security.
Ankara has also been criticized for not doing enough to seal the border with Syria, which has been the main conduit for foreign jihadists joining Islamist militias as well as for weapons supplies.
Like the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Erdogan “wants a broader sphere of influence demarcated not by language or ethnicity but by a broader Islamic identity, albeit a much tamer one than what the Islamic State has forced upon its subjects
Washington has given no sign it intends to deepen its involvement in such a way, focusing instead on efforts to destroy the Islamic State giving it a top priority over buffer zone, removal of Assad and no fly zone.
Ankara and Washington will remain at loggerheads which tempts me to bang Turkey against the wall.
While US officials have been wanting to mount air attacks against the IS from Turkey. I say a strategic hub should be in Syrian air base or Syrian airport which is a very important base for all European countries especially the West and the East. The threat of IS is so great that we cannot allow IS to fly at all, and security and protection of countries at threat is paramount.
I do not think there should be training and equipping moderate Syrian forces be in Turkey. It would have to be somewhere in the Middle East.
Turkey must realise that IS is a bigger threat than PKK and is causing instability all over the world. The International Community can help Turkey sort out the problem of dealing with PKK later on.
I for one, would prefer Turkey to be an all strong Sunni base as long as there are no extremists and Iraq the same.
No one in the world would want insurgents.
Turkey should never have done a deal with IS in the first place regarding cheap oil for two or three million dollars a day. It is financing terrorism. Turkey is now in trouble with UN, and they must make amends by cancelling the oil deal with IS and look up to US to provide cheap oil..
I personally do not like the Turkey government at present, as there have been a corruption scandal since last December.
I personally do not think Turkey should be part of Nato anymore.
The Turkish PM is facing a dilemma: either to preserve the integrity of the state or ruin relations with ISIL.
Kurdistan is a historical region in the Middle East (south-east of Turkey, west of Iran, north and north-east of Iraq and northeastern Syria), mainly populated by the Kurds. The idea of building the so-called Greater Kurdistan is very popular among the Kurdish population. They want to unite all those territories under the flag of an independent state.
The Turkish authorities misinterpret the current Kurdish protests in Turkey for the international community, According to the Turkish authorities, the Kurds allegedly rebel over the fact that Turkey is not actively fighting against the so-called Islamic State. However, objective observers say that the Kurds attack offices that, in their opinion, belong to the Islamic State in Turkey. Suffice it to say that the Turkish government supported the Islamic State with weapons, military training, and Turkish special services were involved in that. The Kurds, standing up against the Turkish government, in fact, stand up against both Turkey and the Islamic State."
The Turkish authorities misinterpret the current Kurdish protests in Turkey for the international community, According to the Turkish authorities, the Kurds allegedly rebel over the fact that Turkey is not actively fighting against the so-called Islamic State. However, objective observers say that the Kurds attack offices that, in their opinion, belong to the Islamic State in Turkey. Suffice it to say that the Turkish government supported the Islamic State with weapons, military training, and Turkish special services were involved in that. The Kurds, standing up against the Turkish government, in fact, stand up against both Turkey and the Islamic State."
Western civil society organizations and parliamentary parties actively discuss the issue of independence of Kurdistan. Jim Karygiannis, former member of the Canadian Parliament and incumbent executive director of G20 Human Rights, dealing with ethnic communities and religious minorities, opened petition on his website to support independence of five million Iraqi Kurds. "Iraq is falling apart, and it is time for the West to recognize Kurdistan as an independent country," he said
According to Swedish Liberal Party MP Fredrik Malm, the West should support the Iraqi Kurds, to give them an opportunity to survive as a secular state in the volatile Middle East. "If Iraq is standing on the verge of a new long-term war, the Kurds, of course, can revise their options, and I hope that their decision will receive international recognition. This brings up a question: is it a mere coincidence that the Kurds were allowed to "shatter windows" in Europe?
Thus, a lot will depend on the main regional player - Turkish President Erdogan - in the solution of the Kurdish issue. What will be more important for him - to save the country from collapse and prevent the Kurds from uniting or succumb to the pressure of the West, engage in a war with Syria and direct ISIL against Turkey? Noteworthy, Erdogan could negotiate with Bashar al-Assad well, including on the Kurdish issue, too. Erdogan's relations with Iran are fine too. Russia would not mind supporting him, should he support Syria. For the time being, Russian diplomats do not release any comments on the Kurdish problem.
Thus, a lot will depend on the main regional player - Turkish President Erdogan - in the solution of the Kurdish issue. What will be more important for him - to save the country from collapse and prevent the Kurds from uniting or succumb to the pressure of the West, engage in a war with Syria and direct ISIL against Turkey? Noteworthy, Erdogan could negotiate with Bashar al-Assad well, including on the Kurdish issue, too. Erdogan's relations with Iran are fine too. Russia would not mind supporting him, should he support Syria. For the time being, Russian diplomats do not release any comments on the Kurdish problem.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/10/-sp-kurds-kurdistan-briefing-isis
Turkey and Recep Erdogan is more exposed in the Guardian in his dealing with the Kurds, and answers many questions.
12th October 2014
Anbar is in real trouble as well as Kobani. It does seem to look like there is nearly nothing left of these towns or cities.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/10/12/381907/syria-army-retakes-valley-near-damascus/
Syria army retakes strategic valley near Damascus. The Syria army also managed to retake some towns and villages.
I appeal to China to have ground troops for Kobani and Anbar. If they are willing to help to contact UN.
13th October 2014
Speaking from Baghdad, the foreign secretary Philip Hammond said IS, also known as Daish, "makes no distinction between the cultures, countries and religions it attacks."
"If it is left unchecked, we will face a terrorist and criminal cabal with a declared and proven determination to attack anyone who doesn't agree with its twisted ideology.
It is time for the Kurds to have their own nation and be recognised. The more I hear about Kurds and their troubles, the more sorry I feel for them.
14th October 2014
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/13/Will-the-West-take-last-minute-action-to-save-Kobane-.html
Will the West take last minute action to save Kobani?
IS money
400,000 dollars suspected funds for ISIS seized - Most of the money was seized from travellers departing from Manchester Airport to Turkey, who were suspected of supplying cash for militia fighters in Syria and Iraq, reports stated.
Which should remind us whether IS has got an Arab bank account that should be seized or frozen.
15th October 2014
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/obama-and-allies-plot-is-strategy-30665727.html
Very good article about Obama and its allies plot IS strategy.
Tony Blair
Mr Blair, who heads the Tony Blair Faith Foundation aiming to work against religious prejudice, said defeated extremist groups will simply be replaced by new ones which continue to spread their violent ideology if the root causes are not tackled.
"In order to fight a warped and worsening ideology in the long term we need to recognise that education is a security issue," he said.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/blair-says-teach-religious-respect-30665755.html
Tony Blair wants the G20 to create a charter to make religious education compulsory on the subject of extremism.
While it is important for the whole world to be aware, and raise awareness about extremism.
We need a new curriculum in all schools around the world, and not just in the Middle East but US and UK as well as other parts of the globe.
The mosques in US has got 80% jihadists which is shocking.
It is also the Mosques's responsibility to teach good Islam and good religion. It still falls to all the schools to teach what Islam is about, what is a Quran, what is Christianity and what is a Bible etc.
Also what is a bad religion and ethics.
The problem lies in the fact that we have to say why extremists are doing the way they are doing. Trying to take over the Middle East to create a new Ottoman Empire or the renewal of it.
It is Religion and History in its context.
I agree with Tony Blair that education is a security issue, and must be made a security issue.
It is very important that all Muslims must be able to interprete the Quran and understand it properly as well as Christians to interprete the Bible and understand it.
Teachers will need to be trained properly to offer instruction on all kinds of aspects of Religion and History.
We have to rely on one generation to pass down to the next generation the good religion, ethics and history.
There has got to be awareness of the costs of extremism and bad Islam like paying for wars through ignorance and bad education.
Why the Islamic State is losing
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/why-islamic-state-is-losing-111872.html#.VD5GzyLF-So
This is a very interesting article written by Michael Knights.
18th October 2014
The United Nations Security Council on Friday pushed for a bombing campaign in Iraq against Islamic State militants and associated extremist groups to be strengthened and expanded. A U.S.-led military coalition has been bombing Islamic State fighters who hold a large swathe of territory in both Iraq and Syria, two countries involved in complex multi-sided civil wars in which nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake.
"The members of the Security Council urged the international community, in accordance with international law, to further strengthen and expand support for the government of Iraq, including Iraqi Security Forces, in the fight against (Islamic State) and associated armed groups," it said in a statement.
The 15-member Security Council "stressed that (Islamic State) must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out."
Yemen
I like to include Yemen as there is a fight for peace against Al Qaida, and would like to tell the world what the real situation is in Yemen now. It is a history of who is fighting who, to keep up to date.
Yemen's Shi'ite rebels on Friday overran an Al Qaida stronghold after days of battling the militants for the city of the country's heartland. The capture of Radda in the province of Bayda, came with the help of a Yemeni army commander.
The Shi'ite rebels known as Houthis have been fighting both Al Qaida militants and Sunni tribes over the past few days. The rebels who in September gained control of the capital Sanaa earlier this week overran a key Yemeni port city on the Red Sea.
Tony Blair wants the G20 to create a charter to make religious education compulsory on the subject of extremism.
While it is important for the whole world to be aware, and raise awareness about extremism.
We need a new curriculum in all schools around the world, and not just in the Middle East but US and UK as well as other parts of the globe.
The mosques in US has got 80% jihadists which is shocking.
It is also the Mosques's responsibility to teach good Islam and good religion. It still falls to all the schools to teach what Islam is about, what is a Quran, what is Christianity and what is a Bible etc.
Also what is a bad religion and ethics.
The problem lies in the fact that we have to say why extremists are doing the way they are doing. Trying to take over the Middle East to create a new Ottoman Empire or the renewal of it.
It is Religion and History in its context.
I agree with Tony Blair that education is a security issue, and must be made a security issue.
It is very important that all Muslims must be able to interprete the Quran and understand it properly as well as Christians to interprete the Bible and understand it.
Teachers will need to be trained properly to offer instruction on all kinds of aspects of Religion and History.
We have to rely on one generation to pass down to the next generation the good religion, ethics and history.
There has got to be awareness of the costs of extremism and bad Islam like paying for wars through ignorance and bad education.
Why the Islamic State is losing
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/why-islamic-state-is-losing-111872.html#.VD5GzyLF-So
This is a very interesting article written by Michael Knights.
18th October 2014
The United Nations Security Council on Friday pushed for a bombing campaign in Iraq against Islamic State militants and associated extremist groups to be strengthened and expanded. A U.S.-led military coalition has been bombing Islamic State fighters who hold a large swathe of territory in both Iraq and Syria, two countries involved in complex multi-sided civil wars in which nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake.
"The members of the Security Council urged the international community, in accordance with international law, to further strengthen and expand support for the government of Iraq, including Iraqi Security Forces, in the fight against (Islamic State) and associated armed groups," it said in a statement.
The 15-member Security Council "stressed that (Islamic State) must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out."
Yemen
I like to include Yemen as there is a fight for peace against Al Qaida, and would like to tell the world what the real situation is in Yemen now. It is a history of who is fighting who, to keep up to date.
Yemen's Shi'ite rebels on Friday overran an Al Qaida stronghold after days of battling the militants for the city of the country's heartland. The capture of Radda in the province of Bayda, came with the help of a Yemeni army commander.
The Shi'ite rebels known as Houthis have been fighting both Al Qaida militants and Sunni tribes over the past few days. The rebels who in September gained control of the capital Sanaa earlier this week overran a key Yemeni port city on the Red Sea.
The Houthis entered Radda on Friday after the commander of Yemeni's army's battalion 193 gave up his troops positions.
13th November 2014
A billboard of a 19-year-old Kurdish fighter brandishing a machine gun covers part of a bullet-marked building that once housed local Syrian government offices. The building is abandoned and its officials long gone in Ras al Ain.
The Kurds have taken Ras al Ain, and will fight against IS to claim a piece of Syria. I have stated somewhere in this blog that I give my full support for Kurds to take over Northern Syria. If I have not, I say again I give my full support to the Kurds taking Northern Syria if they so wish.
Kurdish paramilitary group will help US expel Islamic militants in exchange for a stretch of Northern Syria to build its vision of Utopia.
IS will still have no legal right to a city, town or village, and the High Court of each country will rule against any Islamist State or Caliphate as in the case of Egypt and Libya.
Turkey
http://online.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-poaches-international-aid-for-syrians-1416158609?google_editors_picks=true
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/syria-agrees-truce-plan-principle-30751313.html
Syria has agreed plans to freeze to let aid through, but the problem is that IS is poaching international aid to feed themselves and their families.
19th November 2014
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/11/6392/syria-executive-summary-1119/
Syrian forces have been bombing Aleppo. News about Kurds taking over IS in Kobani.
I have tried to find the link I saw yesterday about Raqqa is now a mini islamist state and invented a new currency.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Egyptian-army-clashes-kill-10-Gaza-civilians-in-Sinai-382239
20th November 2014
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/11/6388/isis-restructures-raqqa-ruling-system/
Here is the link I have been looking for about IS ruling over Raqqa, and that IS have made Raqqa a mini Islamist State. Other newspaper reports have indicated that IS have already minted their own coins.
29th November 2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured Syria, Iraq and other countries in the Gulf region of support in their fight against terrorism.
"The situation in Syria still raised serious concerns, that the major threat in Syria and neighbouring countries was from the Islamic State, and the other extremist organisations, which some Western countries have emboldened through their actions. These efforts must be carried out transparently and without any "covert" agenda", said Putin in an interview with the Turkish al Anadolu news agency, which was cited by Syria's official Sana news agency.
The Russian president stressed that "the efforts to fight this terror threat should be based on the UN Security Council's (UNSC) resolutions and strictly compliant with international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of states".
The Pontiff of Rome, Pope Francis has called for "Religious Freedom and Tolerance" in a speech in Ankara, Turkey. He said such a dialogue could "deepen the understanding and appreciation of the many things which we hold in common".
He also spoke about the Middle East, saying that "for too long [it has] been a theatre of fratricidal wars".
The Pontiff underlined that it was “licit, while always respecting international law, to stop an unjust aggressor”, but added that military intervention would not bring sustainable peace to the region.
“What is required is a concerted commitment on the part of all, based on mutual trust, which can pave the way to lasting peace, and enable resources to be directed, not to weaponry, but to the other noble battles worthy of man: the fight against hunger and sickness, the promotion of sustainable development and the protection of creation, and the relief of the many forms of poverty and marginalisation, of which there is no shortage in the world today,” the Pope said.
Islam was sidelined from the constitutionally secular Turkish republic founded in 1923. But as a nation state was formed, the religion became part of Turkish national identity, something that has sharply accelerated under Mr Erdogan's leadership.
Iran is also an Islamist State.
These two nations are acceptable to the rest of the world as long as there is deep cooperation, and work alongside each other. It is living proof to the world that we can live without violence and live in peace with each other.
We cannot tolerate extremism and jihadi idealogy and extremism is unacceptable.
New mosques are flourishing. The world can accept Islam as long there is no violence, and not a threat to non Muslim minorities scattered all over the globe. Islam is peace.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL6N0TH3YP20141128
This article written by Reuters talks about IS funding for Iraq and Syrian regions. IS would completely run out of money if the European Union, and all world leaders get together with the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to agree and seize terrorist money from IS and other terror group banks.
Terrorist money then could be used for all countries that needs the money to use what they want like paying off debts maybe in defence etc.
These are terror groups that we need to take action on for illegal activities all over the world.
Following Isis on the Forbes top 10 list is Hamas with an income of £638m amd Colombia's Farc - which had links to the Provisional IRA - is ranked third with £383m.
Hezbollah was fourth with £319m, the Taliban was fifth with £255m, followed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates with £96m; Pakistani-based Lashkar e-Taiba with £64m; Somalia's Al-Shabaab with £45m; Real IRA with £32m and, closing the top 10 list is Boko Haram, with £16m.
Former Home Secretary David Blunkett said countries including Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were protecting funders of IS fighters and called for Gulf States to take action against citizens who are funding terror.
Factfile
Forbes Israel top 10 of terror:
1 Isis £1.3bn
2 Hamas £638m
3 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) £383m
4 Hezbollah £319m
5 Taliban £255m
6 Al-Qaeda and affiliates £96m
7 Lashkar e-Taiba £64m
8 Al-Shabaab £45m
9 Real IRA £32m
10 Boko Haram £16m
In the meantime, UK, EU and other countries have created terrorist laws, and made promises to defeat terrorism in many ways. More needs to be done to promote awareness to defeat terrorism through education in schools, on internet and elsewhere. As well as taking more action against terrorism. Taking money from terror groups is one of them.
The Pope has been asking all Muslim Leaders all over the world to speak out, and condemn as strong as possible the barbaric acts of the Jihadi idealogy, and condemn that religion.
The British mosques have already spoken out in UK, and hope they will keep preaching against this evil religion.
As a result, the most arduous form of ecumenism today often is not between Churches and Mosques, but rather within one’s own house.
Pope Francis delivered a strong message of unity that was ostensibly about the first sort of ecumenism, meaning the press for better relations among Churches and rites.
Diversity, may seem to create disorder, but that is where faith in the Holy Spirit enters the picture. Under his guidance, [differences] constitute an immense richness, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, which is not the same thing as uniformity.
Pope Francis provided an impressive visual of Unity by pausing in Istanbul's famed blue Mosque alongside the Grand Mufti for a moment of silent prayer. This is hailed as a turning point in Muslim/Christian relations.
Last Saturday, the Pope celebrated a Mass at Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, which was “inter-ritual” in the sense that it brought together Syrian, Armenian, and Chaldean Catholics, as well as members of the Latin rite that’s most familiar to Catholics in the West. Also on hand were a number of Orthodox dignitaries, including Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
That mix of rites and confessions naturally elicited reflections from the Pontiff on unity and diversity. The message had clear relevance, because relations among the various Catholic rites and Churches in the Middle East are notoriously fractious.
They were also celebrating being together, and reunited since Christianity, Orthodoxy and Islam was created thousand of years ago at the same time.
Pope Francis argued that coping with such divisions takes faith.
“Only the Holy Spirit is able to kindle diversity, multiplicity, and, at the same time, bring about unity". When we try and create unity through our own human designs, we end up with uniformity. Unity can only be achieved through being together understanding and cooperating with each other.
“If we let ourselves be led by the Spirit, richness, variety, and diversity will never create conflict, because the Spirit spurs us to experience variety in the communion of the Church".
“The temptation is always within us to resist the Holy Spirit, because he takes us out of our comfort zone and unsettles us. It is always easier and more comfortable to settle in our sedentary and unchanging ways.
Our defensiveness is evident when we are entrenched within our bad ideas and our own false strengths — in which case we slip into Pelagianism (was an early Christian heresy which held that believers could earn salvation through their own efforts, rather than depending on the grace of God.) or when we are ambitious or vain, These defensive mechanisms prevent us from truly understanding other people and from opening ourselves to a sincere dialogue with them.”
The Holy Spirit works inside Islam, inside Christianity, inside Orthodoxy and other Faiths. The Holy Spirit is always there. You can feel it, see it, touch it and moved by it.
All we have to do is open our hearts and minds and the Holy Spirit enflames the heart. The Churches and Mosques are moved by the breath of the Holy Spirit which does not transmit a power. But rather an ability to serve in love, a language which everyone is able to understand.
This language means we all have to be on the same level of understanding, cooperating, loving and wanting peace, wanting only the good, and not accepting evil. We are all capable of loving and that is something we all have in common all over the world. We all have a religion and respect that and that is also something we all have in common all over the world as well.
Having read some excerpts from the Q'uran, Christians find that we have something in common in the Q'uran and Islam find they have something in common in the Bible. The Holy Spirit guides us to a better understanding to interpret clearly and transparently what Q'uran and the Bible each means.
There is only one Islam, one Christianity, one Orthodox and so on. If there is evil in Islam, Islam is divided by good and evil. (Evil is twisted ideology and violence). If there is evil in Christianity, Christianity is divided by good and evil and so on.
Pope Francis leading a joint prayer service with Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar, the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and then joining him for an Orthodox liturgy Sunday morning. Bartholomew called the pope’s visit to the headquarters of his church a “historic moment.”
We will pray together for the Unity of our Churches, for divided Christendom, for Mosques and divided Islam, as well as for peace in the Middle East and around the globe. We try to have close collaboration to face together the acute problems of the present world.”
The two leaders are scheduled to sign a joint declaration Sunday morning, which will pledge the Catholic and Orthodox churches to continue the press for closer ties.
We are all free to pray together any time not as a show for unity, but to be in spirit with each other respecting our own religion, and think of each other......., of peace,....... and unity......
7th December 2014
Activists say Islamic State group fighters have stormed parts of a sprawling army air base in eastern Syria after days of clashes that killed dozens. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the latest attack began Saturday with a suicide car bomb attack on the main entrance of the Deir el-Zour air base. The Islamic State group began a major offensive on the air base, one of the last government-held areas in the province of Deir el-Zour, on Thursday. Activists who support the Islamic State group posted photos on social media showing two military helicopters that they claimed were captured by the jihadis. If jihadis capture the base, they could threaten government-held areas in the provincial capital.
28th December 2014
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said last Saturday it is ready to participate in "a preliminary and consultative meeting" in Russia to find a solution to the crisis. And is willing to meet the country's opposition in Moscow to seek an end to the nearly four year civil war. It is expected to take place in late January and would be informal.
However, obstacles remain in finding a path to peace. The militant Islamic State group that controls a third of Syria has not been part of any initiative to end the fighting. Other opposition groups are not unified in their response to the prospect of meeting with Syrian officials in Moscow.
Efforts earlier this year to bring a diplomatic end to the crisis, including two rounds of U.N.-brokered peace talks, made little progress.
Syria's conflict began as peaceful protests by two hundred people against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but quickly spiraled into a civil war that has left an estimated 200,000 people dead.
The U.N. said this month that 12.2 million Syrians now need humanitarian aid, including 7.6 million displaced within Syria and nearly four million more in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
TODAY is Christmas Day and people will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in various ways but it is equally important to have an idea of the true meaning of Christmas.
Kurds now have seized a key district and now control 80% of Kobane. They have been helped by US air strikes. IS fighters still control the eastern districts of Maqtala and Kani Kordan.
The Observatory, based in the UK, said Kurdish fighters known as the People's Protection Units (YPG) had seized the security area after fierce clashes that started on Sunday night.
"Hopefully within days the (YPG) units will be in control of the whole city. The advance has become faster and the air strikes are more intense." they said.
The US Central Command said there had been eight air strikes on Kobane on Sunday that destroyed 11 IS fighting position.
It is not yet known what the total casualties are.
26th January 2015
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2926678/Kurds-close-driving-Islamic-State-Syrias-Kobani--monitor.html
Victory for Kobani as IS is pushed out today.
Moscow consultations began last Wednesday by Syrian government delegation to Moscow. They say it is ready to look at a number of the opposition's proposals, but thinks some of them are subject for more detailed discussion that might be held in Damascus.
The opposition has demanded release of political prisoners which is part of a concrete list. They said they agree to set up human rights committee. Majd Niazi, the leader of the opposition party "Syria the Homeland" said that this and other proposals be discussed at further talks. They suggested another meeting be held in Damascus.
Representatives of the Syrian opposition at consultations in Moscow have agreed in general a list of 10 proposals to stop bloodshed in Syria and launch a peace process. Yesterday this list was presented to a Syrian government delegation that has also arrived in the Russian capital city. Consultations between the Syrian authorities and the opposition will last till Thursday.
The opposition have not discussed the fate of President Bashar al Assad.
http://itar-tass.com/en/world/774280
Assad envoy wants dialogue with Syrian opposition as Moscow talks ended today. See more.
http://itar-tass.com/en/world/772504
Moscow says anti-terror fight should be governed by international law. It would help if there was an international agreement on this. See more.
http://rt.com/op-edge/229807-syria-meeting-moscow-talks/
The results at the end of four day talks. See more.
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution designed to cut the access of Islamic State terrorists and other terrorist groups operating in Syria and Iraq to profits received from illegal trade in oil and antiquities as well as from ransoms received for captured hostages.
All the fifteen members of the UN Security Council voted for the resolution submitted by the Russian delegation.
Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Alexander Lukashevich was commenting on US plans to train the Syrian opposition to counter IS extremists today.
http://rt.com/news/233927-us-turkey-train-equip-rebels/
US and Turkey have agreed to train moderate rebels to fight against President Bashar al Assad. They are causing problems, and must observe International Law. US and Turkey cannot fuel the war, and could lead to more extremists.
22nd February 2015
We do need another UN resolution about not recognising Islamic State, condemning brutality and violence, not having a legal government, sharia law and sharia law courts.
24th February 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/779328
Islamic State is born of global culture vacuum Iraqi envoy. See more.
Each year we have seen both a wider global spread of sharia enforcement and an increase in its intensity. Both of these have led to significant suffering for non-Muslims and, indeed, for many ordinary Muslims who just want to get on with their lives. The plight of the Armenian and Assyrian Christians, Yezidis and many ordinary Muslims in the areas of Iraq and Syria now controlled by ISIS has hit world headlines. Yet their plight is simply the tip of a much wider problem that must be addressed.
It is imperative that one of the countries takes the lead among other western countries, and makes stopping the spread of sharia enforcement a key long-term aim of its foreign policy.
"We see eye-to-eye with our Arab, Islamic partners on many international relations issues, stressing the unanimity of opinion in the need to secure a democratic international system, supremacy of international law without any double standards.
Our cooperation is in harmony with an ongoing trend to create a polycentric world, with the Islamic world being one of its centers. We are confident that the emergence of new centers in the international system will ensure its sustainability.
We are sincerely interested in a united Islamic world. We appreciate a huge role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation designed to ensure the unity of all Muslims. We are content with our cooperation, which has bright prospects and has already achieved big results.
We are convinced that building successful international relations can only be achieved by keeping up the dialogue based on mutual respect, taking into account the lawful interests of partners on the international arena, abandoning double standards and acting on one’s word. Russia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are unanimous in that".
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also part of the team for Syria, and is one of the mediators in solving the Syrian war.
27th February 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/780021
Moscow concerned coalition may strike at Syrian regions not controlled by IS - Lavrov. See more.
UN Security Council resolution on chlorine use in Syria assigns no blame - Russian Foreign Minister. Some countries have taken action to get rid of chemical weapons, and is still trying to do so. IS however is violating using chlorine gas now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-31839947
The United Nations and a global coalition of aid agencies have accused international powers of failing the victims of the Syrian conflict.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31843501
To combat the values of groups like IS and a regime that does not represent them. A group of young Syrians tries to pass its values of non violence, pluralism and hope to Syrian children. They see themselves not as lost generation but the next generation - Lauren Gelfond Feldinger.
31st March 2015
Russian Muslim Board has proclaimed the Islamic State as an organization violating the basics of Islam, and its members as criminals deserving punishment, as follows from a fatwah (legal pronouncement) the Council of Senior Scholars (Ulema) published last Tuesday.
"The members of the Council have used the Quran, the Sunnah (a code of social and legal customs) and other legal sources to show and prove that all actions by the organization calling itself the Islamic State, from the organization’s establishment and calls for resettlement to atrocities and public executions contradict Islam," the Muslim board says on its website.
"From the standpoint of Muslim laws the participants in such criminal groups deserve punishment by death or complete isolation from society," the Muslim scholars said in their conclusion. The fatwah explains that the guilt of extremist organizations’ members must be proven "in a court of law excluding any doubt regarding complicity in violence, robberies and murders."
Russia’s Muslims believe that "the Islamic State’s followers have erroneously interpreted Islam as a religion of brutality, cruelty, torture, violence and murder of all those who disagree."
In particular, extremists have been trying to distort the basics of Islam, which prohibits the murder of civilians, prisoners and emissaries, such as journalists and members of humanitarian missions.
"The Quran envisages tough punishment for violent actions, such as explosions, murders, hostage-taking and other terrorist attacks. If a terrorist attack claims the lives of innocent people, the sinfulness of such an act merely soars," the fatwah runs.
Also, proclamation of a Caliphate without prior coordination with all Muslims (Shura) by the laws of Islam is regarded as mutiny.
This would bring about the emergence of many competing caliphates and eventually trouble and discord among Muslims," the fatwah warns.
There have been calls to the Islamist State (IS or ISIS) from Muslims all over the world saying they do not recognise the Islamist State followers who have erroneously interpreted Islam as a religion of brutality, cruelty, torture, violence and murder. Muslims all over the world will punish these followers who commit such crimes of humanity and will be tried for war crimes.
World countries is calling for a just and legal government in Syria, and wants all Islamists to condone brutality and violence. The Islamic State is allowed to govern, but must adhere to the UN Resolutions and International Law, and have elections etc. Brutality and violence is unacceptable, and the world is saying "We are not against Islam. There is only one true and real Islam. We cannot violate the basics of Islam by creating a caliphate".
I urge all Islamic extremists to conform, and see a way to a better life for all without religious segregation and divisions. Please talk to us to discuss a way forward peacefully. Jihadist means struggle but no one have to struggle anymore. There is a true real path to Islam leading to peace and full happiness. Islam is peace.
10th April 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/788619
http://tass.ru/en/world/788461
20th April 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/790411
http://tass.ru/en/russia/790860
http://tass.ru/en/russia/791392
Recently to date Iran has been invited to take part in talks.
12th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/792960
13th June 2015
http://gulfnews.com/opinion/thinkers/russia-and-the-west-are-ready-to-topple-al-assad-1.1534034
http://aranews.net/2015/06/syrian-islamist-rebels-in-aleppo-reach-agreement-with-isis-to-open-supply-routes/
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/06/13/Syria-says-Damascus-safer-hails-allies-.html
http://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/5675936-analysis-why-syria-is-going-to-get-worse/
22nd June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/802869
1,000 Russian fighters for Islamist State - Russian Security Council.
They are a disgrace to the country and should not be allowed to return home.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/802972
Russians and Tunisians stands for solving crises in Syria and Yemen via national dialogue.
23rd June 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri discussed developments in Syria in a phone call on Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Lavrov and Shukri "exchanged views on developments in the Middle East with emphasis on the situation in and around Syria," the ministry said, adding that the two diplomats "highlighted the need to continue active political and diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis based on reaching a consensus about ways to settle internal political differences and with respect to that country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity". The diplomats also touched on "some practical issues related to future development of the Russian-Egyptian foreign policy cooperation," it said. The ministry said the call was initiated by Egypt.
24th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/803500
Syrian leader can stop Islamic State terrorist group - Russian Security Official.
25th June 2015
The "massacre in the Syrian town of Kobani on was the result of the Turkish government's years of support for Islamist State Militants, the co-leader of Turkey's pro Kurdish party said.
People's Democratic Party (HDP) joint leader Figen Yuksekdag also told reporters there was a "high probability" that the attackers today had entered Kobani from Turkey.
Turkey have been at war for years with Turkish Kurds who largely inhabit part of Turkey. Turkish Kurds have been fighting for self rule for a long time. Turkey played a part in introducing extremists to try and topple President al Assad. The reason was religious division and sectarianism.
Kurds are now fighting for the north of Syria of Raqqa, the headquarters of IS after taking a town and some villages occupied by IS. I do hope that the Kurds will conquer north of Syria to provide stability and peace to the region and protect Turkey borders. Turkey has got to recognise that Kurds has got to be a part of its lives as they are not extremists, and do not belong to IS. Kurds and Turkish Kurds are heavily populated, so it is a very good reason to have them all to stay together to form an autonomy of Kobane Republic essential to keep the north of Syria citizens safe from IS. Not only that, the Kurds will be able to protect the new borders between new Kobane Republic including Aleppo and Raqqa down to the dividing line, south of north Syria. Turkey will have more room in its own country once the Turkish Kurds leave if they wish. Some refugees from Syria have taken shelter in Turkey, and Turkey is not coping very well to the influx of refugees. It makes sense to change the geography as Syria is too big a country to function properly on its own. Syria is too overwhelmed by warring religious factions to ever have normalisation. I stress it is very important to let Kurds get involved to protect north of Syria. Kurds are kind people especially the peshmergars who looked after Christians and kept them safe. Turkey must compromise, and come to an agreement to let Kurds help rule over only north of Syria when the time comes.
27th June 2015
http://aranews.net/2015/06/un-chief-calls-for-urgent-action-in-syria/
UN Chief calls for urgent action in Syria.
http://www.todayonline.com/world/rights-groups-blast-un-security-council-response-syria-killings
World rights groups blast UN Security Council response to Syrian killings.
UN Security Council Chief could start with having talks with President al Assad to persuade him not to use barrel bombs which is inflicting some of the Syrian population. Assad could be told not to target populated areas unless there was a dire need to do so. Unfortunately, some Syrian government forces are not trained for fighting, as recruitment is getting scarce due to heavy losses of its Syrian soldiers not equipped to deal with IS effectively mentally and physically. Assad have no way of knowing if civilians are supporting IS and appears to have no strategy. If the civilians stay in Syria, they do so at their own peril and considered traitors to the Syrian government.
I do not like the airstrikes from US and Saudi Arabia more than anyone would, but if Kurds welcome it and need their help, then we cannot stop that. Kurds should proceed to take over North Syria to kill as many IS as possible and create Republic of Kobane as an autonomous state while maintaining sovereignty and integrity of Syria. Our aim is to save as many Syrian lives as we can, and get normalisation. It is very important that Kurds could also protect the borders, not only Turkey but Jordan, Lebanon, Israel etc. And we need to block the warring factions including IS from entering North Syria from the south of North Syria by creating new borders along the dividing line. It is possible to include Damascus and Palmrya inside North Syria. Once North Syria is free from any trace of IS, refugees from neighbouring countries can return to rebuild their lives. We have to protect as many Christians as we can as well. We need all the help we can from Kurds. With the help of the Kurds, the sooner North Syria can get back to civilisation, be reunited with the Syrian government and begin dialogue.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33299306
Kurds takes back Kobane in two days.
28th June 2015
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29702440
Who are the Kurds? This article gives a very comprehensive history about the Kurds who should have had a state a long time ago. North Syria could be their permanent home to become a state. There are Kurds scattered living all over mostly North Syria. The article has made a strong case for Kurds to have a state and end their struggles to have one. It also tells you why Turkey is against the Kurds having a state, and why there are bad relations between them. The Kurds would ideally solve the problem of replacing Assad and rejuvenate North Syria.
29th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/804668
Damascus is ready to support idea of international coalition against IS to address terrorist threats -Mouallem.
President Putin on Syria
Russia's policy of giving support to the Syrian leadership and people remains unchanged. President Vladimir Putin said on Monday at a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem.
"As we can see, the situation in Syria is developing along a complicated pattern, which is linked first and foremost to the aggression by the forces of international terrorism," he said.
"We understand that in a situation of this kind, success is always compounded with some problems and military mishaps may occur, too."
"Still we're sure that the Syrian people will win in the final run, and our policy of supporting Syria, its leadership and its people remains unchanged," Putin said.
Lavrov on Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday urged to make sure that agreements on a political settlement of the Syrian crisis were further observed.
Speaking with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem at a meeting in Moscow, Lavrov said: "Your visit is a great opportunity to exchange views on the current situation in and around Syria and discuss our bilateral relations".
"The most important thing is to make sure that that the agreements reached on a political settlement by consent of all Syrian groups are further observed," he said.
"Today when the terrorist threat is hanging over the entire Middle East region and far beyond, there should be no more pretexts for delaying the political process," Lavrov said, adding that Russia would continue to support Syria in fighting terror groups.
He stressed that Russia felt "solidarity with the Syrian people fighting against terror groups" and it was "providing all possible assistance to increase [Syria’s] ability to resist the evil" and would "continue doing this".
"We are actively working with other countries of the region, European nations and the United States to see our common policy priorities in the Middle East," Lavrov said.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804544
Syria's current leadership can contribute to fight against IS - Kremlin aide.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804561
http://tass.ru/en/world/804651
Demands for replacing regime in Syria play into extremists hands - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804813
Lavrov and Kerry to discuss fighting Islamist State in Vienna.
1st July 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/805265
Moscow - Middle East "Quartet" supports Egypt's efforts in attaining peace in region.
In February, Sissi signed off on an anti-terrorism law that gives authorities more sweeping powers to ban groups on charges ranging from harming national unity to disrupting public order. The "Terrorist Entities" law enables authorities to act against any individual or group deemed a threat to national security, including people who disrupt public transportation, an apparent reference to protests.
The cabinet also approved a slew of election-related laws, opening the way to setting a date for a long-delayed parliamentary election. Egypt's parliamentary poll was due in March, but was delayed after the Constitutional Court ruled part of an election law unconstitutional. The election is the final step in a political roadmap that the army had announced in July 2013. The draft election laws include legislation on electoral districts. The new law allocated 448 seats to individuals and 120 seats to lists. The previous law had allocated 420 seats to individuals and 120 through winner-takes-all lists with quotas for women, Christians and youth. The laws have to be approved by the president.
Also, Egypt's cabinet approved draft anti-terrorism and election laws, the transitional justice minister said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi had promised a tougher legal system today. The Cabinet said in a statement that the anti-terrorism legislation would provide "quick and just deterrence" against terrorism. It said there were also measures that would dry up the avenues of terrorism funding. The statement said it had approved a "package of draft laws that achieve swift justice and retribution for our martyrs", without providing further details.
2nd July 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and League of Arab States (LAS) Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi have signed an agreement today on opening a LAS mission in Russia. Lavrov stressed that practical cooperation between Russia and LAS "is organizationally strengthening." "The agreement signed today on opening a League’s mission in Russia is another step in that direction," the foreign minister said. Al-Arabi noted that signing the document confirms "plans to further deepen relations between Russia and LAS in all spheres."
The Russian Foreign Ministry strongly condemns all terrorist attacks, including those directed against the Egyptian government agencies, armed forces and law enforcement agencies, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, commenting on the military operation of Egypt’s armed forces on the Sinai Peninsula on last Wednesday. The operation came in response to a series of terrorist attacks targeting the country’s security forces near the towns of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah.
"In connection with these events, we reaffirm our principled stand of strong condemnation of all terrorist attacks, including those directed against Egyptian government agencies, armed forces and law enforcement agencies. We reiterate our firm solidarity with the people and the leaders of Egypt in their struggle against terrorism and extremism and support for their efforts to stabilize the situation in the country".
9th July 2015
http://www.newsweek.com/number-syrian-refugees-now-exceeds-4-million-unhcr-351701
Number of Syrian Refugees now exceeds 4 million - UNHCR.
We now recognise what is the cause of the conflict and what can be done about it. There have been dialogues and talks, and that is ongoing. Hopefully the Syrians will have peace and can return home soon. That is after we can conquer over terrorists, extremists and Daesh.
30th July 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/811531
Russia support proposals by UN envoy for Syrian conflict settlement. This is fantastic progress and a great start to the road to peace. I give my full support to the proposals put forward by UN Ambassador Staffan de Mistura.
6th August 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/05/us-mideast-crisis-iran-idUSKCN0QA1VP20150805
Iran to present Syria peace plan to UN.
11th August 2015
Russian Foreign Minister was saying that a military way of deciding the future lot of Syrian President Bashar Assad only helps the terrorist organisation of Islamic State and Russia does not want influential players to opt for this path.
"Our differences with Saudi Arabia on the Syrian settlement concern only the fate of [President Bashar] Assad," he said. "I would not like any of the influential countries involved in the Syrian crisis settlement to think that the Assad problem can be solved by military means. The only outcome of such military solution would be the seizure of power by Islamic State and other terrorists. I don’t think anyone wants it. We can speak about Syria’s domestic problems but Assad is threatening no neighbouring state, whereas Islamic State is threatening not only Syria, but also Iraq and Saudi Arabia and is publicly declaring its plans and making caliphate maps from Spain to Pakistan," Lavrov said. "So, we must measure the scale of threats. Now the Syrian army, the Iraqi army and the Kurds and units of armed Syrian opposition who rely on the support from outside are already fighting on the territory with terrorists," Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister underscored that the key threat in the region was Islamic State and other extremist groups.
The key task should be to fight against the terrorism threat. "Settling accounts between each other - the Syrians themselves and the Iraqis themselves - should be postponed until the threat is countered," he said.
Saudi Arabia has no plan of its own for the settlement in Syria, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said after talks with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov today.
"As for Saudi Arabia’s written plan or a blueprint for the Syrian settlement, it does not exist. As the foreign minister I would be the first to learn about it. Not all that is mentioned in media is true," the foreign minister said.
Broad outlines regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to build a coalition to fight Islamic State militants have already been laid down and discussions will continue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today after a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir.
"We agree on the need to consolidate efforts in the fight against the common threat posed by Islamic State and other terrorist groups. This is a real threat both for Russia and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries in the region and beyond," Lavrov said.
Russia’s top diplomat recalled that President Vladimir Putin, who met Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, in St. Petersburg in June, urged to think of establishing an international legal framework to create a coalition to combat terrorism in the region.
"We have discussed activities in this area and agreed on practical steps. I am confident that we will continue discussing the initiative. There are some plans of concrete moves towards this goal, and the talks will continue. We have discussed the issue of fighting terrorism and extremism that poses a threat to the whole international community, including Russia and Saudi Arabia, the possibilities for cooperation between security forces to counter this threat". Lavrov and Adel al-Jubeir said.
I praise President Putin's initiative to establish an international legal framework to create a coalition to combat terrorism in Syria, and getting parties to agree on practical steps and making concrete moves.
The first move would be if you do not mind me saying so, is that while we agree we cannot use force and that there is no military solution.
We do need a coalition of intelligence services to root and take out the leaders and deputy leaders of each terrorist groups first. Terrorist groups will be substantially weakened and any poisonous ideology propaganda be destroyed along with other measures to counter terrorism of this kind.
We could even think about creating a new leader possibly by Saudi Arabia to give a false impression of supporting poisonous ideology and pretending to support Islamic caliphates. This will exert influence over the terrorists to some degree. This way, we do not have to use military resources, and would not affect the innocent population of Syria.
We cannot simply have rogue Islamic States and they must be annihilated.
I am impressed with what Russia has done with Kadyrov, the Chechen leader, and this could be a copycat.
17th August 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/814811
Russia, Iran and other countries agree to coordinate efforts to fight Islamic State for stabilisation - Russian Foreign Minister.
11th September 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/820404
Russia to continue weapons supplies to Syria for combating terrorism - Lavrov FM.
18th September 2015
Libya
Libyan Lawmakers have agreed to reunify the country's elected parliament in a step towards a final agreement which aims to end protracted chaos in the North African state, said United Nations.
Two powerful factions who have set up rival governments and parliaments in a battle for control has got 25 Libyan lawmakers, had been boycotting the House of Representatives. The conflict erupted more than a year ago. It is hoped that a unity government is the only solution to the conflict which has pushed Libya to the edge of economic collapse four years after the rebellion of Gaddafi. It has to be confirmed tomorrow that there will be a unity government and a full agreement where a council of ministers headed by a Prime Minister with two deputies will have executive authority. The House of Representatives will be the only legislative body under the UN.
Syria
The fight against terrorism has to be in compliance with legislation, international law with international obligation. Russia is not violating these in any way, and is only providing assistance in technology, mechanics and military threat. Syria at present has the capability to fight on its own, and resents US taking part especially if there are clashes in what Syria is trying to do, and US is doing the same thing which can cause incidents. There is no reason why Russia should evade cooperation with Syria if it is already involved in providing assistance. Russia is playing a major role and bears responsibility for the Syrian issue of terrorism, and to find a political solution in the fight against terrorism.
Terrorists and extremists must know they are becoming increasingly isolated in the fight to claim Syria to have a so called Islamist State. That can be done if the International Community around the world cooperate and condemn terrorism and barbarism etc. They have to express solidarity and offer assistance in dealing with terrorism without violence. Violence on violence does not work. They have to support all actions leading to weakening of the terrorist threat anywhere in the world acting against terrorism on the basis of international law. The opportunities for defeating terrorism is there. One is an international dialogue between political forces, social forces etc. Another one is refusing to do trade especially in oil and gas. It has to be consensual for the sake of global security.
France has got the capabilities to see where the military bases are, so the information should be shared. We have to know where the terrorist leaders are. We have to know where the guns came from eg. importation of guns and weaponry on cross borders. We need more intelligence to observe how we can eradicate terrorists and extremists.
We can work on one region to rid itself of any terrorism to place police there, and people capable of defending against terrorists to protect the region to enable it to become an established community. When one region has done its work, we can then proceed on to the next region. I have to stress that people could be Kurds, Iraqi, Turks or special military forces are only for defending territories, and not in the fight against terrorists.
One option is finish flattening all buildings, so terrorists have no where to live with no water, electric etc. There must be a region that has all rubble, and no life at all so the international community can agree that we can overtake that part of the territory like Homs. The aim is to seize ground and make them security zones ready for the return of Syrians. We could think about electric fences to keep terrorists out. Russia has got to make their presence felt in Syria to let terrorists know that there is a powerful military threat. This would be a strategy to start with, and there is no reason why Russia be the first country to start somewhere.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/19/uk-mideast-crisis-syria-execution-idUKKCN0RJ07220150919
Insurgents killed 56 government troops at captured Abu al Duhur air base in the Idlib province.This news article gives details of who the terrorist groupings are, especially new ones.
http://www.ibtimes.com/syrian-civil-war-russian-refugee-tent-camp-syria-countrys-first-will-accommodate-2103657
Russian refugee tent camp in Syria is Syria's first, and will accommodate thousands. This confirms we urgently need to create security zones for more camps.
30th September 2015
President Putin wasted no time in getting his parliament's permission for Russian forces to take place in bombing raids in Syria today. The Russian leader spoke to UN Assembly, and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight the so called Islamist State. It has the support of some foreign ministers in UN.
It is legal, as the Syrian President have asked Russia for military assistance making Russia's actions legitimate, and is backed by al Assad where the raids are taking place. Other countries including US have not got permission from the Syrian President to carry out bombing strikes which does not conform to international law, and not supported by a resolution of the UN Security Council.
Russia have sent an official demand for US planes to exit Syrian airspace immediately, other countries like France is expected to follow.
Russia has begun a military build up a few weeks ago, and recently asked for broad coalition while in the UN Assembly. The airstrikes today targeted the rebel held areas inside two or three provinces held by the Syrian government.
Russian warplanes have hit towns including Zafaraneh, Rastan, and Talbiseh within the provinces of Homs and Hama. Russia is supporting the Syrian army purely in its legitimate fight with terrorist groups. It was a very good strategy bombing weapon stores, military equipment, communication facilities, arms depots, ammunition and fuel supplies without hitting civilian infrastructure or areas nearby. While at the same time trying to claim back towns from the rebels for the Syrian government.
Once these areas are cleared of rebels, weaponry and arms, it is hoped that these provinces will be declared security zones to begin clearance of rubble etc, and prepare for the Syrians to go home to these security zones.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/824988
Russian Air Force operation in Syria only directed at fight against terrorism.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825043
Russia's bid for leadership to battle terrorism substantiated by actions - Lawmaker.
1st October 2015
Russian involvement in the anti-terrorist operations in Syria is in accordance with international law and based on the official request from the President of Syria. The conflict has deep roots and is the result of many factors such as interstate and domestic political factors, religious and interethnic differences which have been exacerbated by unceremonious foreign intervention in the region's affairs. Russia have got no intention of getting deeply entangled in this conflict, and is only supporting the Syrian army to airstrikes, and will not involve ground operations. Russia's support will have a limited timeframe, and will continue only while the Syrian army conducts its anti-terrorist offensive. Russia has a view of a final and long term solution to the situation in Syria is possible only on the basis of political reform and dialogue between all healthy forces in the country. President al Assad knows this, and is ready for this process, and Russia is counting on his active and flexible position and his readiness to make compromises for the sake of his country and his people. The Syrian government, if I am correct is making arrangements for elections to take place soon probably next year, and that could decide the fate of President al Assad.
Unless there is a peace settlement, the Syrian government has to decide if the security zones if created, will be safe for Syrians to go home.
At the moment the terrorists of so called Islamist State is threatening to go nuclear to obliterate millions of people around the world who does not meet their religious ideology that has nothing to do with genuine Islam. This calls for vigilance of all nuclear power stations, and the storage of pure uranium etc globally.
There have been increasing support from countries including OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President IIkka Kanerva who said that he supports creating an international coalition for settling situation in Syria.
Russian lawmaker Pushkov said "Moscow and Damascus may soon increase bilateral inter-parliamentary contacts. The contacts with Syrian lawmakers have not been suspended. I do not rule out that there will be a new phase, a new stage, and we may make these contacts broader and more regular".
France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said "France is prepared to cooperate with Russia in the struggle against Syria's terrorism. We have heard about the Russian initiative, and we are prepared to act jointly with Russia and other countries including Switzerland but on three conditions. Number one condition was the struggle should be conducted exclusively against terrorists and not the opposition in Syria. Secondly, a wide political process is to end with the resignation of President al Assad. And the third condition, is a ban on the use of barrel bombs and chlorine". There will have to be talks about these conditions with Russia.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825089
Russia ready to facilitate build up of Lebanese Army's combat readiness in preparation to defend its own country against terrorists.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825018
So called IS has created extremists quasi state in Iraq and Syria - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/824999
Syria's regular army only force really fighting against so called IS - Federation Council Speaker.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34413050
Russia launches fresh strikes in the provinces of Homs, Hama, as well as Idlib.
2nd October 2015
Russia has got a right to intervene, and at the request from the President of Syria obtaining legal permission to use airstrikes used solely for destroying weaponry, arms, communications and fuel depots.
It is not done that countries like US, UK and few others should politicise Russia's actions against terrorists who are against humanity, history, culture, religion and morals. These countries who are speaking out against Russia's actions does not want to admit their failures of the Iraq, Syria and Libya wars. They have interfered into domestic affairs of sovereign countries while we need non-interference into domestic affairs of sovereign states. This is one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.
Use of military force is necessary if human rights have been violated, if humanitarian crisis is triggered by evil manifestations of entities. The so called Islamist State and any rebels are enemies of genuine Islam, and against the Syrian government. Anyone using arms and weaponry without permission are all enemies of genuine Islam.
Interference from countries includes foreign sponsorships to rebels, airstrikes without the permission from the Syrian government, supporting terrorists and rebels, destroying infrastructure and hitting civilian areas, are violations of international law.
Russia has no intention of doing these things. Russia has rights to protect the Syrian country and ridding terrorists and rebels inside it. Russia is at the core of destroying the most evil of all evils to stop the spread of terrorists and rebels, to stop the spread of weaponry and arms.
Interference is only possible with the permission of the UN if there can be no permission granted by one's country. If the non-interference is part of the constitution in the UN Charter, it would prevent coup d'etat, illegal actions taking place in another country etc. While there is interference by countries, they cannot be normal members of the international society, and such methods of power changes are unacceptable.
We can only interfere by asking if we can have elections, and ask the people of each country to elect a new president. This would speed up power changes by democracy, and not military solution. Peoples have got rights, and it is their rights to call for new elections, and elect a new president personally.
Absence of non-interference policy of the UN Charter has created such messy wars.
We have absence of full cooperation in the world to tackle terrorists and extremists.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825796
West seeking stage discrediting campaign against Russia's actions in Syria.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34419003
BBC News on the situation in Syria today.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825508
World peace requires strict compliance with nuclear security accords - Russian Foreign Minister.
If we do not get strict compliance with nuclear security accords, there is a danger of spiralling out of control situation, and danger of nuclear security being threatened or compromised by terrorists and extremists.
Syria Foreign Minister Walid al Moallem has said Syria is to join UN groups in bid for further peace talks to establish a way to find peace. He said "that airstrikes alone will not be successful against the so called IS group unless they are coordinated with the Syrian government. Russia's decision to start bombing targets was based on the request of the Syrian government and is effective because it supports Syria's efforts to combat terrorism. We pledged to continue the war against 'terror' while also committing to a political track to end Syria's civil war, now in its fifth year. Syria cannot undertake any democratic political steps related to holding elections, changing the constitution or any others until terrorism continues to mount strikes on our land and to threaten innocent civilians. The government could not ask the Syrians to go to the polls when they can feel safe neither in the streets nor at homes. Damascus still believes in success of a political settlement 'on the basis of well-known parameters' which envisage the preservation of national sovereignty, the unity of the Syrian territory and the people, and better work of current agencies of power. The only way to reach political settlement is to launch a political dialogue within Syria, without any foreign interference. Syria’s future lies in the Syrians’ hands and nobody can strip them of the right."
European Union and some countries have called for a political settlement which is really too early to think about. Everyone should know that we all have the need for destroying all the arms and weaponry etc to make the Syria safe first. I agree with the foreign minister when he said that Syrians cannot vote if the streets are not safe.
Russia have said airstrikes will last few months, and we have to be confident that a political settlement is likely afterwards. But only if Syria terrorists and extremists does not get foreign sponsorships, get free arms and weapons, get help with training, and setting up of communications etc.
The political settlement has got to start with US, UK and some countries who are giving, encouraging and supporting terrorists and extremists to increase humanitarian crisis. Without full broad international support, concerted effort and cooperation, terrorists and extremists will continue to go on the rampage killing Syrians and destroying infrastructure. It means more terror which could spread worldwide if no one can effectively combat terrorism. We now have media war which could trigger more terrorism.
There is a strict compliance to international law, and there is no reason at all to be on the wrong side of international law unless one does not want peace.
It is not about resolving conflict by military means, it is about negotiating table of various political actors for peace settlement only after Syria is stabilised and safe.
5th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826167
So called IS is common enemy, response to threat of extremism should be complex and is multifaceted - Lavrov. Nice to know that Lavrov is with me on this.
http://tass.ru/en/world/826207
UN should have council of world's religious leaders - Russia's supreme Mufti. I am glad this was brought up as I did mention in the UNSC blog asking for a need of a council of world's religious leaders a few weeks ago.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826228
Overthrow of regime in Damascus would be crude violation of international law, according to Geneva communique - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/society/826339
Religious literacy needed to fight pseudo-islamic sects - Muslim Leader.
http://tass.ru/en/world/826336
Syria Foreign Minister has no doubts in success of Russian anti-terrorist efforts in Syria. I am confident about Russia working with Syrian government, as the anti-terrorist efforts are also boosted by Russia's high technology equipment and weaponry making their efforts more successful and effective by 100%.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826384
Russia and Jordan agree that terrorism is a serious threat.
13th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/828580
United efforts in the fight against terrorism with all countries on the basis of international law. Islamic countries can and should become key participants of such coalition - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/828698
Putin attaches great significance to contacts with US on Syria.
Putin said "Everything will be clear and fewer mistakes be made if direct and businesslike contact is established with the view to settling all problems, including those in the financial sphere. Russia is self sufficient country. We do not need someone to fight and conflict with. Give us targets and we work them out".
A lot of people around the world [democracy] would like to see US, France, UK, Saudi Arabia let Russia take over Syria so that there is a calm working atmosphere, logic, and efficiency to get on with the air strikes while the Syrian Army get on with ground strikes. Both can concentrate better in these military matters, and work better in harmony communicating on a daily basis, and knowing exactly what is going on. With Russia and Syria working together, they can effectively get the civil war over much more quickly. There is a saying "Too many cooks spoil the broth".
Syria have always said that US and other countries are causing problems, and violating their sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. They have not got permission to conduct airstrikes in Syria, and is not obeying international law. I have never liked US and other countries fight against the terrorists while Russia is now taking the lead. There have been so much more progress with Russian airstrikes and the Syria Army has been able to conduct ground strikes, taking hold of some more towns and villages claiming back from terrorists.
US is already causing another problem having delivered million of dollars of arms and weapons for rebels. The delivery safely delivered could fall into the wrong hands, and rebels may not side with Russia. There, I felt so much better having said that.
15th October 2015
President Putin said "US decision not to receive a Russian delegation led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is 'unconstructive'. I believe this position is unconstructive. The weakness of this stance is based on the apparent lack of any agenda. It seems that there is nothing to talk about. Russia leaves the door open for the discussion on Syria with all parties concerned. Yes, there are many mutual suspicions and mutual accusations, but if we don't work towards a solution, it could never be found. We hope we will be able to move along the path of settling problems".
Russia is serious about the talks and serious about working with partner countries, and is ready to move forward and cooperate far more in particular to reach the goal announced by US led coalition over a year ago to destroy the so called Islamic State full of jihadists. US rejected the talks on Syria settlement is an obstruction to peace. Countries must cast aside mutual suspicions and accusations as they are only negative thoughts that can be easily dispelled if we are to concentrate on freeing Syria of jihadists and rebels. This common ground would be giving human rights, democratic rights and freedoms to Syria.
Russia has an order or mission by the Syrian President which presents the overriding control over a cause of actions for humanitarian and other reasons. History has proven again and again that when mankind interferes with a less developed civilisation, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous. We can have a liberal world if mankind has evolved beyond its former pettiness, brutality and violations against mankind. Demonstrating such problems like war, economic iniquity and factionalism can simply be engineered away. Tragedies of the imperial age in which western european nations invaded, destroyed and exploited many peoples of the rest of the world as well as the proxy wars fought by US against communism. The imperialism and warfare was largely justified by an ethnocentric bigotry, an assertion of racial superiority and the judgement of indigenous people as inferior. US could stop using judgement of any kind and stop interacting. The latter sentiment is known as moral relativism, the notion that nothing is inherently good or bad, and can only be judged from inside a culture and not from without or between. This response is intellectually lazy, refusing to consider that intervention can have a mix of effects, and in fact cannot always be avoided no matter the intention. It is nothing we should celebrate. It leads even to fiction, to immediate horrors and tragedies, and is demonstrably impossible to uphold even by those fictional virtue warriors who swear by it. In order to have entire race's survival, there is bewildering moral indifference to suffering, genocide and all manner of tragedies. Some countries' astonishing disregard for human suffering is rendered unconscionable. It leads to environmental collapse. Countries who commit violations against mankind are never punished by United Nations. We can never be detached from human suffering while there are politics. There are obtuse, stochastic treatments when rules are broken. Moral and political philosophy exists in our culture which has a dream of a future without inequality and starvation. We can keep the optimism, but we must buttress it with a more sophisticated moral framework. We cannot regulate away hard moral problems, like when and how to intervene in the affairs of other societies. We cannot afford such mindless, irrational dogma. Our world is an interconnected one with no truly isolated peoples. Our moral world should be even more connected. We should carefully consider our actions and inactions, and we should try to make life better for those who share the same planet even when issues are complicated and solutions imperfect. We should do this even knowing we will fail sometimes. The answer to unsavory ethnocentric judgement of the past is not no judgement, it is better judgement. No bright future is rightly expected by those inextricably tethered to intellectual and moral disregard. There is a great need for Russia to take over Syria and go solo in air space while there are Syrian troops on the ground and they are doing it for peace and mankind with the permission of the Syrian government.
There does not seem to be a Defence Council at the United Nations with videolink and intercom to order any country like US and to remind them of violations of air space during any war. United Nations should think about punishing those who do. There seem to be no strict stance to protect mankind without a defence council.
16th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829364
Russian forces show impressive results in Syria in the extermination of terrorists - Putin.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829212
Syrian President praises assistance of Russia in fight against terrorism - Assad.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829575
US activity in Syria brings no result in the fight against so called ISIL - Medvedev.
Now it is clear that the policies of the Western democracies to intervene and topple the autocratic regimes in Iraq, Libya and Syria have been an unmitigated disaster. The evolution and development of so called Islamist State, and its control of large areas of Iraq and Syria is the worst result of these interventions. The need to organise a coalition to cope with the threat of terrorists is obvious. It seems that the Western democracies are not yet ready to admit to their abject failure of their interventionist policies, not least their attempts to oust President Assad which is a violation of international law. Instead of seeking a coalition, recent communiques from Washington and London criticise Russia. We now have a Russian coalition [legitimate] instead of a US led coalition [illegal]. More countries have given their full support against the so called IS to Russia with its high technology, and sophisticated weaponry. Russia have acted within international law. There will be a political settlement after the war is over, and everyone will sit around the table at United Nations to have a dialogue.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829597
Airstrikes at IS decrease global terrorist threat - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829536
Syria have changed significantly by Russian airstrikes - General Staff.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829584
Syria is ready to have talks on a political settlement - Syria First Deputy Foreign Minister Mikdad.
17th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829660
Colour revolutions ignited chaos in Middle East - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829658
Russia could not but meet Syria's request for help in fight with IS - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829657
Islamic State plans expansion into Europe, Russia and Asia - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829659
We have proposed wider cooperation - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
We have had intervention policies aimed to force democracy on countries such as Middle East and North Africa which have failed. European Union is no exception with its own intervention policy on refugees. This was the prime cause of the migrant crisis in Europe. It is a bad experience that should not be repeated. This experience of refugees fleeing countries by attempts to get them to integrate into Europe is not good, and can destabilise Europe not wanting to support the European Union with its own set of cultures, histories and religions etc. It is very important that refugees should not be made too welcome and too comfortable, that they do not want to go back home and become expats.
18th October 2015
Middle East
The minority Shia communities are increasingly being attacked after so called IS. Most live in oil rich east and complains of discrimination. The recent killings come two days after the start of Ashura commemorations, a holy occasion for Shia Muslims. So called IS called Shia Muslims infidels and heretics. There are Shia rebels in Yemen fighting against Shias.
This reminds me of the Reformation in the Middle Ages when Protestants were declared as heretics. Looks like history is repeating itself with Sunnis and Shias.
It may not be complicated to work out what to do with men of violence in the Middle East with their medieval beliefs and love of beheadings.
Saudi Arabia regime is becoming more liberal especially with its attitudes towards women where they receive no extra penalty if they are caught drinking and driving. Saudi Arabia have got a marvellous record on women's rights.
Ditching history of the Middle Ages should work, and men be reminded that we live in the 21st century, have got good laws and justice system which never existed in the Middle Ages. No one can really punish criminals for cutting their arms, legs or heads off as it is not really justice. It is justice making criminals suffer by putting them in jails if they are proven guilty and to chastise them. Which is why it is important to have prisons, and there is no justification in dismembering any limbs.
It is ignorance to keep living in the Middle Ages, and ignorance living in a 21st century with no changes to the medieval practices.
Those who are not intelligent are not ideologues, and those who are ideologues are not intelligent.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829715
Russia and Arab League to step up efforts to settle crises in region.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829713
Russian diplomat discusses fight against terrorism with Syrian opposition.
21st October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/830478
Assad thanks Russia for helping to avert tragic scenario.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830460
Assad hold talks with Putin in Moscow on Syrian affairs, plans of government troops.
Syria achieved positive results in fight against IS - Putin.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830734
Putin discusses situation in Syria with Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi and Turkish Leaders.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830743
Political settlement in Syria can start only after stage of anti-terror struggle - Peskov.
It was a very unusual visit to Moscow by President al Assad to see President Putin. Assad's presence is evident of trust in Russia, and displayed around the world. It confirmed when Assad thanked Putin for his work in annihilation of terrorism. This inspires hopes for the Syrian people, and is reassuring, so that the conflict will be settled, and that peace and stability will be established in their own country riddled with terrorists. Russia's support of airstrikes are helping to destroy terrorists, and free lands occupied by terrorists, so that refugees are able to return home. It is hoped that the refugees, and the Syrian government will have normalisation very soon. Russian's actions taking stance and steps are strengthening al Assad's power in Syria inspiring hopes that Syria's desire is to put an end to longstanding suffering, and the cruel war. Russia is helping, and has been ready to fight for the preservation of its statehood and restoration of its former security and stability in Syria. Russia have achieved great quick success in their airstrikes to enable Syria to keep sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. This will be a dream come true for many Syrians, and hope there will be no more disintegration to come. And that their nightmare is over.
25th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/831643
President al Assad is ready to hold early elections, only as soon as the civil war is over.
Lavrov said "We do not want to take into account specific interests of Bashar al-Assad, nor specific interests of the opposition. We want to take into account the interests of Syria. And it is important for Syria to have a peaceful environment; to end the war as soon as possible and not let the terrorists get a chance to seize power in Damascus, or in any other part of Syria. It has become more evident that Washington’s target is not to battle against the so-called Islamic State terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia programme, the U.S. refusal to coordinate the counter-terrorism campaign with Russia is "a big mistake".
The certainty of Russia’s goals in Syria is evident - the fight against IS terrorism. So the aim of our appeal to cooperate with the U.S. is also clear and it is the same - the fight against terrorism. The silence of the United States and its refusal to promote this cooperation with Russia make it clear for the international community that the struggle against Islamic State is not a goal for Washington. It is as clear as day that Washington has no interest in the annihilation of terrorists as it has failed in its mission to rid Syria of terrorists. Russia is very keen to help Syria get its country back, and at the request of the Syrian President.
26th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/831800
Extermination of terrorism will facilitate success of political processes in Syria - Assad.
8 Point Plan of Russia's draft proposals on Syrian crisis published by Reuters. There will be a meeting in Vienna on the 14th November possibly to discuss these proposals. After reading these proposals, they sound very rational and reasonable.
14th November 2015
Talks have begun in Vienna with a meeting of foreign ministers about the civil war in Syria. It is a wake up call with the devastating shooting and bombing attacks in Paris. The opportunities for terror has spread in France, and has no doubt, that it is the responsibility of the terrorists belonging to the so called Islamist State.
I have always strongly condemned the terrorist attacks all around the world. The monstrous attacks are the real beginning, and we cannot be complacent or lax about security around Europe. Measures are needed to have tight security, ban guns and knives, framed metal detectors placed in entrances in big stores, concerts, theatres, stadiums etc including stop and search. The Paris attacks although not predicted, was bound to happen if terrorists are driven out of Syria, Libya and Iraq. They have nowhere to go so they pick France as the first country to attack.
It is very important to end the four year war, and we all must cast aside differences, and not be hung up about President al Assad. Our priority is to end all wars, and rid the world of terrorism, as terrorism has spread to Europe, it has made us resolute and stand up for the rule of law. It has helped firmly resolve the crises that we face making us work harder than ever to counter terrorism. It has made it all the more necessary for the international community to unite against extremism. The international community has to mean collective commitment to counter terrorism by casting aside differences etc.
Putin has called on the international community to compile a single list of extremist organisations to make the fight against terrorism more effective.
Multi-party ministerial talks on Syria end in Vienna with agreement.
President Putin hopeful G20 will adopt document on terrorism and refugee crisis.
Russian Foreign Ministry said "We are indignant at the vile terrorist attack against civilians in the and strongly condemn another barbaric crime of extremists. The perpetrators and masterminds of this crime should be punished. This is another bloody attempt to disrupt civil peace and stir up interethnic discord in this friendly to Russia country. Once again we urge all forces in the Middle East and beyond, which are interested in the eradication of IS and other similar criminal organisations, to unite in a common counter-terrorism front on the universal international legal basis, in order to defeat the terrorists as soon as possible, and bring stability to the Middle East region".
The main solution to the refugee crisis is to enable the Syrians make the right strategic decision to return to their home country. It is imperative to restore peace and security, rebuild the economy and infrastructure and settlement, will help to defuse the issue of homelessness.
Terrorist attacks on Paris couldn't be separated from those of Beirut and events in Syria - Assad.
Terrorist organisations mainly ISIS have no future and will end soon - Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah Party.
Some locals have returned to their homes in parts of Syria such as Al Hader, part of Aleppo and some areas conquered by the Russian and Syrian forces with the Kurds who captured Sinjar. A good sign to a new future.
http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/syria/daesh-fight-overshadows-al-assad-removal-1.1620284
Daesh fight overshadows al Assad removal. I would love to know what the political loopholes are as I like to solve them or try to.
UK Muslims seek own path in countering terrorism. There are positive signs that people are seeking to liberate the world from terrorism including religious leaders of different denominations.
16th November 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836569
Terror attacks in Paris require united anti-terror front - Lavrov.
Global anti-terror strategy priority for world parliaments - Russian MP.
International anti-terror coalition is still possible - Putin.
We all have the determination to hold tight to the values of openness, tolerance and democracy. There is no way we cannot have the determination and resolve. We have to fight against this global evil of terrorism. Migrant rights should be stripped of their benefits, if migrants abuse their position, trust and putting lives at risk. We cannot have migrants have possession of firearms or knives, and they should be punished. Migrants with such criminality has no place in society. Measures have to be taken to make sure benefits are not spent on purchasing guns and knives.
Terrorism sponsors to bear responsibility for Paris tragedy - Iran's Foreign Ministry. I agree with everything Iran has said, and I also did give a warning in my blog. No matter how kind the sponsors are, the terrorists will turn on them eventually. And why should we sponsor them anyway if the terrorists are evil?
More tragedies to follow Paris massacre if humanity fails to present common front.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836997
West irresponsible policy leads to strengthening of so calIed Islamic State. Statement also runs into that Russian lawmakers are calling on Parliaments all across the globe to spare no effort to form an international anti-terrorist coalition - Duma.
First of all, I am sorry to hear about the confirmation of the Russian plane crash and offer my belated deep condolences and with pain and sorrow.
The terrorist group responsible is IS group Egyptian attiliate, Sinai province, Ansar Bait al Maqdis Salafist Jihadis group based in Egypt. And is a branch of ISIL - ISIL Sinai Province. It is an extremist terrorist group who swore an oath to Abu Bakr al Bagdadi, the leader of ISIL. Bagdadi is the leader who wanted revenge for the Russian airstrikes and gave the order to Ansar Bait al Maqdis to blow up the plane. The group have bombed the pipelines that carry gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan multiple times. They claimed responsibility for the attack on Israeli troops in September 2012, for the assassination attempt on the minister of interior Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa in September 2013, for an attack on a military intelligence building in Ismailia in October 2013, Cairo bombings in January 2014 and many more.
Abu Bakr al Bagdadi is also known as Amir al Mu'minin. As a caliphate, it has religious, political and military authority. He is also leader of Iraq. There are governorates of Ar Raqqah, Idlib, Deir ez dour and Aleppo. In Iraq, there are six mostly Sunni Arab governorates.
We have the Mujahideen Shura Council where all the ISIL meet in Iraq.
Khorasan Province in Iraq swore an oath to Bagdadi and JMA Chechen leader Abu Omar al Shishani [do not know if he is still alive] also swore an oath to Bagdadi.
Finances - oil revenues, sale of antiques and artifacts, taxation and exhortion, illegal drug trade, donations by Saudi Arabia and Gulf States who wants to support the Sunnis.
18th November 2015
Russia do have a right to self defence regarding the terrorist act on board the Metrojet as it is definitely an attack against Russia. The article of Article 51 of UN Charter envisages the right of individual or collective self defence for any attack in case of an attack against it. This is through available means such as political, military, security services, intelligence etc. The world should unite against financing of terrorist groups. Not only that financing the IS is a criminal activity, it is a crime to undermine Syria's financial and material base which makes the terrorist organisation stronger.
The geo-political consideration has to be taken seriously as ISIL caliphate requires ISIL to take over any country like Saudi Arabia as their legal right which by means any country would be helpless in the takeover from ISIL. Any Middle East country, especially Qatar who has bad relations with Russia, should not stoop so low as to try, and stop Russia take action against the evil terrorist organisation for their own means in order to try and rid Syria of Assad. Or try and use Syria for geo-political reasons or whatever.
Russia will have to be vigilant against threats and terrorism, even against Putin's life while annihilating terrorists from Syria's soil. In the first place Russia was protecting its own people from widespread terrorism which has already spread all over the world. Russia was also helping Syria to be rid of evil terrorists who have been doing all the dirty work for their Middle East sponsors. Attempts to weaken Assad will get nowhere as it is up to the Syrian people to vote against him, and besides it is in the Geneva communique not to remove Assad. No country, I repeat is allowed to remove Assad even they wanted to.
The Arab League or United Nations should have a meeting with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States to reason with them regarding financing and its consequences. And to tell them to back off, taking action against Russia [threats and murder of Russian citizens] for carrying out airstrikes against the evil terrorists which is vital to bring stability and restoration of Syria as a country. That as well. for other countries in the Middle East.
Creation of broad antiterrorist front is priority - Lavrov.
IS shows photo of improvised Russian plan bomb and other photos.
Russia's warplanes in Syria start hunting and destroying IS tanker trucks.
Air strikes on IS stronghold of Raqqa kill 33 militants.
Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps and graphs.
Thank you President al Assad for giving your message loud and clear.
The terrorists would think that they can get away with any President stepping down with force. And they would think they would get away without consensus and elections. Consensus and elections are defeating terrorism, and is triumphant that terrorism is being defeated that way.
We hope President al Assad's message will get through to the West, and other countries in order that we do not hear any more about Assad's removal. So we can focus on defeating terrorism further to get rid of terrorists who are like cockroaches, and cleanse Syria of them.
Syria must be made safe and secure before the Syrians can return home to enable them to vote.
Russia has no information on who could attack A321 plane over Sinai.
I gave information at first instance a few days ago, that I am certain it is Ansar Bait al Maqdis. Whether you can confirm findings of the A321 plane crash without forensics, I do not know, but forensics will confirm when the terrorist is caught. Ansar bait al Maqdis has got headquarters in Sinai Peninsula. It has area of operations in the Gaza strip. The leaders being ten of them with recruiters who are Bedouins, Egyptians and people of different nationalities. They are either in the Sinai Peninsula, Western Egypt desert or in the Gaza Strip. They are reported to have escaped from Sinai to Gaza, and Marsa Matrouh as well as Cairo late 2013. Ansar Bait al Maqdis is the most active dangerous insurgent group with expanded operations in the Egypt Western desert who also support Brotherhood of Men. There were 1,000 - 2,000 before merger with ISIL. You will certainly find some Salfists in Gaza who was responsible for the rockets on Israel.
The three main leaders are Waleed Waked [POW], Mohamed Freg and Shadi el Manaei.
All this information I gave you since a few days ago. I hope this qualifies for reward.
21st November 2015
United Nations Security Council of 15 members have unanimously adopted a resolution. It has been agreed that ISIL constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security. The council resolution 'calls upon member states that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures on the territory under the control of ISIL in Syria and Iraq'. It also urges states to intensify efforts to stem the flow of foreigners looking to fight with ISIL, and to prevent and suppress financing of terrorism. The UN approval of international military campaigns combating ISIL is an extraordinary same meeting of minds, and it is an historic milestone in countering terrorism. Countries coordinating military activities with Syria would become effective and efficient, and would progress to attaining peace if there were joint efforts. The resolution has brought the international community closer together, and focus on countering terrorism. Now that the international community is more united than ever. It also helps to put great pressure on terrorists when they know that all world leaders are against them.
Work has already begun in countering terrorism and funding etc by countries as some have dismantled IS cells. Russia have done a great deal within so short a time with their airstrikes making so much progress in destroying everything that ISIL owns. Russia will continue to do so until there is nothing left of terrorists and anything they own.
If there was no religion, there would be no war. If there was no government, there would be no war etc. But we need them all, and we need civilisation, history and culture as well. Most of all we need principles and values, morals and ethics etc which will always be part of our lives.
22nd November 2015
I am sorry to hear about the deaths of Russian Nationals in Mali. The threat from terrorists is felt around the world. Support in the struggle against such security with challenges as international terrorism and extremism is extremely needed. Framework security principles is needed to coordinating with all countries as an effective fight against terrorism, to consolidate anti-terror position of all countries. We need to build joint work to fight against terrorists. Architecture of equal and indivisible security is imperative for the whole world.
Rifts between some countries is evident where terrorists have taken over disabling democracy. Stability and sustainable development are seriously threatened by conflicts, terrorism and criminality. The main factors for the destabilisation of the world are that terrorists are introducing evil of many manifestations motivated by greed [oil revenues], to use opportunities to seize lands, to have power, the thrill of firing guns, being bloodthirsty and not have democracy in any forms.
The terrorists could be taking advantage of backward countries where only a little of democracy is left. Some backward countries who do not meet international standards in politics and humanitarian needs, who do not know what democracy and human rights really mean, needs help.
It is these backward countries that needs help with the architectural framework of doing trade, bring economic growth, security and many more. Without these architectural frameworks such as the Eurasian Union, [so glad that EU got the common sense to think about this], there is no such collective cooperation. They become unequal and divisive creating poverty or more poverty with no facilities.
It has to be a global effort in the fight against evil in many manifestations to restore civilisation all around the world and bring peace. There has got to be global democracy where each country does act in the interests of that country, and not against it. There is no democracy if one is against it, or not use it for the good.
Going against everything by using evil in many manifestations, leads to collapse and breakdowns sending ripples around the world. This destroys the architecture of democracy. There is no such thing as exporting democracy, unless it is a replicated democracy that holds true values and fundamentals of our society.
Where evil in many manifestations are, there will always be regimes and power changes.
25th November 2015
I agree with President Putin condemning the downing of a Russian jet over the Syrian border There is no justification in destroying the Russian jet as it costs money, and is a valuable asset used for fighting against terrorism.
Turkey could have given a warning that a jet would be downed. Turkey did not give a warning, and did not make it clear to Russia that it did not want it to be one kilometre from the Syrian - Turkish borders.
Even though Russian planes did not threaten Turkish territory in any way, and had no intention of straying into Turkish airspace. Turkey's move to shoot down the Russian bomber is done with a variety of reasons including political ones.
President Putin said that the plane crashed in Syrian territory near the village of Yamadi, four kilometres from the Turkish border while the attack took place when the bomber was one kilometer from the Turkish border inside Syrian airspace. There have been tensions between Russia and Turkey. Turkey was not happy about the operation of Russia's air force in Syria against terrorist forces as it has been pressing for the resignation of President al Assad.
Turkey have accused Russia of attacking Turkomen or Turkmen villages who presently got a private war fighting against Assad regime. Turkomen or Turkmen are Syria's third largest ethnic group that has the backing of Turkey. There is proof that Turkish President Erdogan's son is involved in oil smuggling schemes.
Turkey hates Assad and his government, and does not want it to stay in power. Turkey had its own economic interests in Turkey. Crude oil and oil products from Syria had been pouring in a a steady flow so the bombing raids of oil tankers would upset Turkey as the supply would be disrupted, and also have no supplies of oil.
Turkey have asked for NATO's protection before, when terrorists overtook Kobani, and they were concerned about the borders. Turkey asked for extension of the borders by more than one kilometres. There seem to be an aggravation of relations between Russia and Turkey while Russia was trying not to have fallen victim to the internal political situation in Turkey.
President Erdogan feels that problems inside the country are going out of control regarding terrorism which is really his fault as he is a bad decision maker. And is not really doing anything to counter terrorism. Turkey does not seem to take terrorism seriously. It was a planned provocation downing Russian's plane, and it will not stop Russia from carrying out airstrikes against terrorists in many manifestations, and to stop funding for terrorists who are getting oil and oil revenues which is stolen property of Syria..
The Russian authorities are prepared to fundamentally reconsider relations with Turkey, until recently was a rather close partner. It is very difficult for them to agree on countering terrorism at this stage. Russia can only help Turkey see reason and avoid any misunderstandings. Turkey must try and improve communications with Russia stating what they want and do not want to avoid any more attacks on Russian's bombers. The issue of terrorism will not go away without Russia's help.
Turkish leadership purposefully supports Islamisation of country.
Surviving pilot of Russia's plane rules out Turkey airspace violation.
CSTO considers Turkey's attack on Russia's warplane violation of international law.
Canada NATO envoy says Russia is not communicating prior to jet downing. Ambassador said Russia needs to join Western forces in attacking ISIL instead of Turkmen who they think is moderate opposition. Says Moscow should make defeating ISIL more of a priority. They are so wrong and told lies, because Daily Mail has got evidence of a video of what Turkmen did to Russian air force.
This is a very comprehensive story with lots of photographs by The Daily Mail proving Turkmen rebels are not moderate. They are claiming to have shot and killed one of the pilots of the Russian jet and attempted to kill co-pilot. Turkmen rebels have released a video cheering and chanting 'Allah Akbar'. More videos have been made as well as stated in this press. Does not seem like Turkmen rebels are moderate to me. They also destroyed the helicopter Mi8 and killed a marine soldier. That is extreme.
Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing. Putin gave a warning to Turkey not to shoot down any more planes or there will be consequences. Turkey lied when they said they gave warnings, as there is no concrete proof. Peskov said Russia was forced to fly missions close to turkish border where militants tends to be located. Russian operations will continue. Russia has got a job to do, and must finish it to get rid of terrorists. I insist Turkey should communicate and be cooperative in the fight against terrorism.
Turkey's treacherous stab in the back unexplainable - Putin.
While we are trying to get joint efforts and cooperation in annihilating the terrorists. It is not good enough to go into it without being fully committed to it. We have to be fully committed with a full heart and not being half hearted.
Turkey are clearly accomplices in terrorism.
https://www.rt.com/news/323603-isis-oil-smuggling-turkey/
Commercial scale 'oil smuggling into Turkey becomes priority target of anti-ISIL strikes.
Meet the man who funds ISIS who is Bilal Erdogan.
http://tass.ru/en/world/840059
ISIL gunmen receive weapons from Turkey - Syria FM.
Russia ready to coordinate steps to block Turkish - Syrian border - FM.
Syrian army makes considerable progress thanks to Russian air support - Syrian FM.
29th November 2015
Since the downing of Su 24 bomber, we have uncovered the dastardly deeds of Turkey. Turkey has revealed it wants a new Ottoman Empire which is a motive for assisting terrorism. Turkey's assisting terrorism is a lot deeper problem than we thought for Europe and the world. But Turkey have betrayed the Muslims and Christians, and abused their trust by not supporting true and genuine Islam and Christianity.
Turkey have caused security problems for Europe already, by trying to deliver guns made in Turkey without authorisation, and with the intent of spreading terrorism. Like Russia, Europe should impose restrictive measures on Turkey protecting national security and national interests of their own citizens from criminal and other other illegal activities. Cross borders and Seaports needs to be monitored for smuggling, stolen goods and illegal immigration. I very rarely talk about illegal immigration, but got to talk about visa free trips.
Europe have made a huge mess in organising mass migration from war torn countries. There should never have been visa free trips in the first place, as it is open to migrants who think it is free for all. It was a terrible mistake not to have a data of applied visas to keep track of who the individual is and where they are going. Migrants waiting at the office for permission to move abroad, and leaving them lying on the roads or pavements in appalling weather conditions for days on end are unacceptable. Migrants have walked more miles than they should, as they were shunted from one country to another country. Europe should follow Russia's example to suspend visa free trips. The suspension of visa free trips also helps to use restrictive measures on terrorism, smuggling, stolen goods as well as people trafficking.
Relations with Turkey have been so badly damaged, and with more revelations on its close links with terrorism, smuggling, stolen goods [oil, artefacts etc]. Repairing relations with Turkey will not take place until we have annihilated all terrorists and jihadists, and Syria is restored with a new government. It is then Turkey will realise, and will change its attitude, that there never can be a new Ottoman Empire. Turkey will not dare incur the wrath of Russia further if it persist, as it could end up with Turkey v Russia war.
So called ISIL political wrap for enormous oil, currency, arms, cultural heritage objects, donor organs and slave trade - Spokesman for Russian Investigative Committee.
EU signing dirty deal with Turkey is out of line with international law breaching human rights. Visa free deal with Turkey is as a form of collective insanity. It could mean the end of Europe.
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151128/1030914162/merkel-erdogan-deal.html
Deal between Merkel and Erdogan will be end of Europe.
This is a list of so many arrested journalists in Turkey on anti-state charges. Those who are arrested, jailed or beheaded is not in line with European Convention on Human Rights or the case-law of ECHR. This wikipedia give full details on what is law for journalists and a long list of names with locations of imprisonment etc.
I ask the United Nations to intervene, that journalists have a right to freedom of speech, and to print only the truth. I ask the United Nations that all journalists all over the world have immunity from governments, and that any action taken against journalists is a higher crime condemning them to long sentencing and death. Also that while journalists have immunity, any complaints must be investigated by a high authority to dish out any punishment such as abuse of freedom of speech as in the United Nations Charter and resolution etc. We cannot have any government punish any journalists they like without justice.
Russia has grounds to suspect Russian plane was downed to secure oil deliveries.
Erdogan says ready to resign if claims about Turkey's buying oil from IS are confirmed.
Russia recently received additional reports that confirm that oil from IS territories is delivered to the territory of Turkey on an industrial scale - Putin. There have been many reports that God knows who is living off oil wells illegally seized by IS - Lavrov.
3rd December 2015
There is no place for terrorists, extremists and jihadis in this world. The government in Syria and its oppositions members have publicly declared them to be wrongdoing and evil. Some countries have also declared against this wrongdoing and evil against any form of violence and extremism. Other countries at some point have to reach consent on the future of their countries.
Protecting terrorists, extremists and jihadis cannot be justified. The UN Security Council have condemned violence and extremism, and called for countries not to provide assistance, funding, supplying arms, granting of asylum and engagement of business operations such as oil.
Some countries supporting wrongdoing and evil is obstructing the fight against terrorists and extremism. And they are allowing the spread of such wrongdoing and evil with consequences. It also makes it harder and slower for countries already involved in fighting against such wrongdoing and evil.
Turkey have lost credibility, and does not denounce terrorists, extremists and jihadis. Turkey may have been the centre hub of terrorism for Iraq, and Libya as well as Syria, knowing that Turkey wants a new Ottoman Empire. We know some countries have bought illegal cheap oil from Turkey, and they have profited from selling oil at a higher price to other countries.
Countries should denounce any politician as morally corrupt, who has dealings doing wrongdoing and evil.
Until we can defeat terrorism in all forms and manifestations with total unison of all countries in cooperation and coordination. There can never be peace.
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160111/1032922501/daesh-extensive-funding-weapons.html
Jihadist group receives lavish amounts of money from Saudi Arabia and Qatar and modern weaponry from 120 countries around the world.
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160111/1032922125/iran-saudi-resolve-syria-crisis.html
Iran will not allow provocations from Saudi Arabia to adversely effect its efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis. Saudi Arabia has come down to earth with a bump with domestic problems due to falling oil prices. Saudis who were accustomed to wealth, have made the mistake of depending on oil to prop up their economy for a very long time. The only country to depend on oil instead of finding economy elsewhere such as taxes or other sources of income.
12th January 2016
This is what I have in mind for Ukraine which could benefit Syria if Syria wants to make changes to the constitution. I am sure a huge majority of Syrians would be in favour of a Legislative Body [Assembly] with group of legislators who are law abiding citizens and MPs. They would be meeting for a common ground purpose putting ideas and opinions together to create a new constitution. And be free to have discussions. These would include a group of religious and political people to remind each other of values and principles. They would be united in a freedom of assembly regardless of their race, creed and ethnicity and so on.
The population Syria would not want a stiff, stern and stuffy atmosphere of politics where there is no freedom of speech, and where there are no open minded politics. They would not want to be in opposition all the time for fear of being bullied to take sides. It is better not to have opposition, but maybe one or two people can, possibly Clerics. MPs must have a genuine interest in the people, and not being in opposition would remove the barriers of negativities.
There will still have to be dress code and behaviour code to follow as long they are decent. They can have freedom of speech as long it is not abused [rudeness, swearing, expletives etc]. It would be great to have MPs [who are Syrian citizens] of different nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, histories etc to make up the assembly to decide the future of Syria. This new legislative body would help modernise Syria and also modernise politics and religion.
I have not had the chance to peruse the points of the Syrian plan regarding constitution so may get back to you on that one to help Intra-Syrian conference for tomorrow.
The text of the eight-point proposal, titled "Approach to the Settlement of the Syrian Crisis", drawn up by Moscow before international talks on Syria tomorrow.
28th October 2014
John Cantlie reported from Kobani, and I do not think it is an exaggarated report while US target IS with airstrikes. The extreme Sunni militant group has continued to consolidate its presence in Eastern Syria.
IS have taken some towns and cities whether it is in Iraq or Syria using increasingly brutal methods of oppression.
The massacre highlighted the challenge of confronting ISIS in eastern Syria, where the group has taken advantage of its knowledge of tribal dynamics, discord between jihadist groups, and the need for services such as electricity and water to win over the local populace.
We need to effectively root out IS.
There are some rebel fighters who have signed an agreement with ISIS to either fight on the front lines or give up their weapons. The other option is that they can remain in the areas, depending on their history with ISIS, and serve as local forces. They can operate in the police or municipality or just provide services, but they don’t have control over the areas. They try to distance themselves from day-to-day situations. They have an overarching control of the areas, and they have the final say in everything.
Local forces and residents have more leeway to run their state of affairs on a daily basis. So if you zoom into these areas, ISIS is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. You don’t see them micromanaging the areas. That’s why it’s very difficult for any force from outside to retake these areas. Essentially local forces are in control, and if they accept anyone from the outside, they pay dearly, because ISIS will deploy massive forces to any area that rebels against it. So there is less motivation to fight ISIS or rebel against ISIS, but at the same time a lot of deterrence if anyone thinks of rising up against ISIS.
It depends on the area of expertise that local forces use even against their will. They keep people who are working the telecommunications industry, for example, to fix the lines, to run the telecommunications in the facilities, help them in the provision of gas and electricity to local forces, but ISIS runs all sectors. The proceeds of all sectors go to ISIS. They control the oil fields, the gas plants, the telecommunication factories, foodstuff, water, etc.
Many ISIS members are locals. They use their relatives’ contacts to help them run the infrastructure. ISIS has been communicating with the locals to ask for their needs so they can win hearts and minds. For example, they go to an elderly person in a certain village and ask them what they need, and they respond saying, “We need clean water.” ISIS will then go and provide them with these needs.
We have to remember that ISIS was not born yesterday. They have been operating among tribes for 10 years so they understand tribal dynamics. They tried to link up to tribal figures even before their split from Jabhat al-Nusra.
They targeted younger generations within tribes and tried to lure them through oil deals, so they formed certain partnerships with them. They also pay. They have been buying loyalties for a long time, even when some forces were fighting with FSA or with other groups. They also have organic loyalty. You have emirs who have relatives in specific areas, and they encourage them to be part of ISIS and give them better positions. There is also the ideological aspect. They convince people to join ISIS and be the group that defends their areas.
ISIS operates as one centralized power in the areas under their control, and people like that, and feel as though they are living in safer areas. There are no warlords who control oilfields and take the money for themselves. ISIS at least distributes the oil money to the local population through services.
There were reports that ISIS members would knock on people’s doors and ask them to hand over their daughters for marriage. That’s ridiculous, it did not happen. But they get married to influential people, to the daughters of influential people. They have been doing this as a tactic for a while. They found ways to tie themselves into the fabric of society to marry and have children. So their offspring will continue to be part of the Islamist State.
When a Jabhat al-Nusra member defected and joined ISIS last year, he immediately got all the ISIS members to come to his area, and built them houses or rented houses and got them to marry from the local population. It’s not on a wide scale though. Marriage is still a shallow alliance.
A lot of delegations from eastern Syria are going to Anbar [province in Iraq] to meet the ISIS member who is in charge of tribes, and they try to get closer to them. ISIS is dividing and ruling in these areas, and doing so very effectively.
The Kurds are effectively defending their areas, and that’s because these are the areas they have shed blood for. We also have to understand that ISIS brought the fight to them, as in Iraq. The Kurds hedged their bets, they didn’t go after ISIS in Mosul. It's the same thing in Kobani.
I think it would mean that the Kurds in Syria will have the right to demand some kind of autonomy in the future, in the same way the Kurds in Iraq did in the past, when their area was separated from Iraq for about 10 years, and they governed their areas, which were defended by the U.S. Air Force. So I think it’s a similar dynamic, something they probably didn’t think would happen, but it happened, because ISIS brought the fight to them. They fought very effectively and on their own for at least two weeks, until the airstrikes came. That means that the Syrian Kurds will have an almost guaranteed autonomous region in the future.
ISIS came because of the Syrian conflict, so you have to resolve the Syrian conflict in order to uproot ISIS to protect global security. The problem with the airstrikes is that they are aimless, both strategically and tactically. To the local population, the airstrikes are just background noise. Strategically there should be an endgame for the airstrikes.
I would use the airstrikes and the coalition assembled around it to make sure that there is a regional consensus to deal with the Syrian conflict. Pressure Assad out, because that’s the most toxic element of the conflict. Once you get Assad into a leaving process, then you convince a lot of people to think about joining the process. Unless you do that, people will see any effort that the U.S. are engaged in Syria as illegitimate.
I think the opposition is looking suspiciously at the way the Americans and their allies are striking against ISIS in Kobani, because they think that the YPG are aligned with Assad and his allies, who are benefiting while the rest of the country is left to its own fate. There needs to be a clear strategy to kickstart a political process in Syria that would satisfy as many people as possible.
IS are brainwashing local people and enticing them with new way of false living in order to create and expand an Islamist State. Which is why the Syrian Government Forces and Police offiicals are joining IS.
Again we need to effectively root out IS.
13th November 2014
A billboard of a 19-year-old Kurdish fighter brandishing a machine gun covers part of a bullet-marked building that once housed local Syrian government offices. The building is abandoned and its officials long gone in Ras al Ain.
The Kurds have taken Ras al Ain, and will fight against IS to claim a piece of Syria. I have stated somewhere in this blog that I give my full support for Kurds to take over Northern Syria. If I have not, I say again I give my full support to the Kurds taking Northern Syria if they so wish.
Both secular and Al Qaeda-linked rebel groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad were also chased out more than a year ago.
Assad were also chased out more than a year ago.
Kurdish paramilitary group will help US expel Islamic militants in exchange for a stretch of Northern Syria to build its vision of Utopia.
IS will still have no legal right to a city, town or village, and the High Court of each country will rule against any Islamist State or Caliphate as in the case of Egypt and Libya.
Islamist State or Caliphate is not going to happen at all in Syria or in any parts of the world.
Turkey
Jihadis and the ISIL are cooperating with the fight against PKK Kurdish Party. That is a fact.
Turkey needs help from PKK to fight against Jihadis and ISIL within Turkey.
There has been mounting violence in the country's southeast. The nine year old peace process is growing more fragile.
This vicious circle must end. The conflict can still be solved.
Since 2005, the Turkish government has pursued reforms allowing Kurdish-language education and television.
Mr Erdogan has been accepting of the Kurdish's identity and its culture.
Turkey needs to see this process through. That is the surest way of preventing ethnic and sectarian violence from spilling over its border with Syria.
It would hand Mr Erdogan an accomplishment that eluded his predecessors.
Both sides privately concede that they cannot defeat each other militarily. They have strong leaders who can negotiate, agree and implement any deal.
The PKK insists its secular ideology makes it the natural partner for Turkey’s generally secular political system.
The two need to bring the peace process, which includes sporadic talks, but lacks agreed end goals, to a satisfactory conclusion.
Since Ankara’s main objective appears to be winning the next election, and the PKK’s is to build parallel state structures in Kurdish-speaking areas, both sides seem to think that the peace process can wait and are playing for time.
This has to stop. They need to reach a compromise. The outlines of a deal are clear, a Turkey in which Turks and Kurds of all political persuasions can live alongside each other with full rights and free political participation.
Mr Erdogan should further strengthen the political position of Turkey’s Kurds, including dropping the share of the national vote needed for a party to enter parliament, thus allowing the legal Kurdish movement to take part in elections normally. He should also allow the PKK leader, representatives of PKK fighters, and the Kurdish diaspora to form a joint negotiating team on disarmament and reintegration.
The PKK should renounce all violence. It must recognise that it is not the Kurds’ sole representative. It also needs to clarify whether it is aiming for integration into the Turkish political system, an outcome now broadly accepted by the Turkish majority, or if it is aiming for federal autonomy or independence.
Ending the conflict will require transitional arrangements, such as a conditional amnesty, a process for disposing of PKK weapons inside Turkey and a truth commission.
If the Turk Kurds wants federal autonomy or independence. They will not get it, but can seek elsewhere like Syria to be with their blood brothers and sisters.
The Turk Kurds have lived too long in Turkey not to be politically involved if they wished, which would end further violence.
Little of this has been publicly discussed so far. But too much has been achieved to give up now in the nine year old peace process.
Turkey and PKK must resume peace talks, and lay down the weapons at the same time.
They have nothing to lose, and may have more gains during the peace process.
17th November 2014
http://online.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-poaches-international-aid-for-syrians-1416158609?google_editors_picks=true
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/syria-agrees-truce-plan-principle-30751313.html
Syria has agreed plans to freeze to let aid through, but the problem is that IS is poaching international aid to feed themselves and their families.
19th November 2014
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/11/6392/syria-executive-summary-1119/
Syrian forces have been bombing Aleppo. News about Kurds taking over IS in Kobani.
I have tried to find the link I saw yesterday about Raqqa is now a mini islamist state and invented a new currency.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Egyptian-army-clashes-kill-10-Gaza-civilians-in-Sinai-382239
20th November 2014
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/11/6388/isis-restructures-raqqa-ruling-system/
Here is the link I have been looking for about IS ruling over Raqqa, and that IS have made Raqqa a mini Islamist State. Other newspaper reports have indicated that IS have already minted their own coins.
29th November 2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured Syria, Iraq and other countries in the Gulf region of support in their fight against terrorism.
"The situation in Syria still raised serious concerns, that the major threat in Syria and neighbouring countries was from the Islamic State, and the other extremist organisations, which some Western countries have emboldened through their actions. These efforts must be carried out transparently and without any "covert" agenda", said Putin in an interview with the Turkish al Anadolu news agency, which was cited by Syria's official Sana news agency.
The Russian president stressed that "the efforts to fight this terror threat should be based on the UN Security Council's (UNSC) resolutions and strictly compliant with international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of states".
The Pontiff of Rome, Pope Francis has called for "Religious Freedom and Tolerance" in a speech in Ankara, Turkey. He said such a dialogue could "deepen the understanding and appreciation of the many things which we hold in common".
He also spoke about the Middle East, saying that "for too long [it has] been a theatre of fratricidal wars".
The Pontiff underlined that it was “licit, while always respecting international law, to stop an unjust aggressor”, but added that military intervention would not bring sustainable peace to the region.
“What is required is a concerted commitment on the part of all, based on mutual trust, which can pave the way to lasting peace, and enable resources to be directed, not to weaponry, but to the other noble battles worthy of man: the fight against hunger and sickness, the promotion of sustainable development and the protection of creation, and the relief of the many forms of poverty and marginalisation, of which there is no shortage in the world today,” the Pope said.
Islam was sidelined from the constitutionally secular Turkish republic founded in 1923. But as a nation state was formed, the religion became part of Turkish national identity, something that has sharply accelerated under Mr Erdogan's leadership.
Iran is also an Islamist State.
These two nations are acceptable to the rest of the world as long as there is deep cooperation, and work alongside each other. It is living proof to the world that we can live without violence and live in peace with each other.
We cannot tolerate extremism and jihadi idealogy and extremism is unacceptable.
New mosques are flourishing. The world can accept Islam as long there is no violence, and not a threat to non Muslim minorities scattered all over the globe. Islam is peace.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL6N0TH3YP20141128
This article written by Reuters talks about IS funding for Iraq and Syrian regions. IS would completely run out of money if the European Union, and all world leaders get together with the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to agree and seize terrorist money from IS and other terror group banks.
Terrorist money then could be used for all countries that needs the money to use what they want like paying off debts maybe in defence etc.
These are terror groups that we need to take action on for illegal activities all over the world.
Following Isis on the Forbes top 10 list is Hamas with an income of £638m amd Colombia's Farc - which had links to the Provisional IRA - is ranked third with £383m.
Hezbollah was fourth with £319m, the Taliban was fifth with £255m, followed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates with £96m; Pakistani-based Lashkar e-Taiba with £64m; Somalia's Al-Shabaab with £45m; Real IRA with £32m and, closing the top 10 list is Boko Haram, with £16m.
Former Home Secretary David Blunkett said countries including Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were protecting funders of IS fighters and called for Gulf States to take action against citizens who are funding terror.
Factfile
Forbes Israel top 10 of terror:
1 Isis £1.3bn
2 Hamas £638m
3 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) £383m
4 Hezbollah £319m
5 Taliban £255m
6 Al-Qaeda and affiliates £96m
7 Lashkar e-Taiba £64m
8 Al-Shabaab £45m
9 Real IRA £32m
10 Boko Haram £16m
In the meantime, UK, EU and other countries have created terrorist laws, and made promises to defeat terrorism in many ways. More needs to be done to promote awareness to defeat terrorism through education in schools, on internet and elsewhere. As well as taking more action against terrorism. Taking money from terror groups is one of them.
The Pope has been asking all Muslim Leaders all over the world to speak out, and condemn as strong as possible the barbaric acts of the Jihadi idealogy, and condemn that religion.
The British mosques have already spoken out in UK, and hope they will keep preaching against this evil religion.
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30th November 2014
Differences between Churches and Mosques are no longer nearly as critical as the rifts within them as we are living in a post denominational age.
As a result, the most arduous form of ecumenism today often is not between Churches and Mosques, but rather within one’s own house.
Pope Francis delivered a strong message of unity that was ostensibly about the first sort of ecumenism, meaning the press for better relations among Churches and rites.
Diversity, may seem to create disorder, but that is where faith in the Holy Spirit enters the picture. Under his guidance, [differences] constitute an immense richness, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, which is not the same thing as uniformity.
Pope Francis provided an impressive visual of Unity by pausing in Istanbul's famed blue Mosque alongside the Grand Mufti for a moment of silent prayer. This is hailed as a turning point in Muslim/Christian relations.
Last Saturday, the Pope celebrated a Mass at Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, which was “inter-ritual” in the sense that it brought together Syrian, Armenian, and Chaldean Catholics, as well as members of the Latin rite that’s most familiar to Catholics in the West. Also on hand were a number of Orthodox dignitaries, including Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
That mix of rites and confessions naturally elicited reflections from the Pontiff on unity and diversity. The message had clear relevance, because relations among the various Catholic rites and Churches in the Middle East are notoriously fractious.
They were also celebrating being together, and reunited since Christianity, Orthodoxy and Islam was created thousand of years ago at the same time.
Pope Francis argued that coping with such divisions takes faith.
“Only the Holy Spirit is able to kindle diversity, multiplicity, and, at the same time, bring about unity". When we try and create unity through our own human designs, we end up with uniformity. Unity can only be achieved through being together understanding and cooperating with each other.
“If we let ourselves be led by the Spirit, richness, variety, and diversity will never create conflict, because the Spirit spurs us to experience variety in the communion of the Church".
“The temptation is always within us to resist the Holy Spirit, because he takes us out of our comfort zone and unsettles us. It is always easier and more comfortable to settle in our sedentary and unchanging ways.
Our defensiveness is evident when we are entrenched within our bad ideas and our own false strengths — in which case we slip into Pelagianism (was an early Christian heresy which held that believers could earn salvation through their own efforts, rather than depending on the grace of God.) or when we are ambitious or vain, These defensive mechanisms prevent us from truly understanding other people and from opening ourselves to a sincere dialogue with them.”
The Holy Spirit works inside Islam, inside Christianity, inside Orthodoxy and other Faiths. The Holy Spirit is always there. You can feel it, see it, touch it and moved by it.
All we have to do is open our hearts and minds and the Holy Spirit enflames the heart. The Churches and Mosques are moved by the breath of the Holy Spirit which does not transmit a power. But rather an ability to serve in love, a language which everyone is able to understand.
This language means we all have to be on the same level of understanding, cooperating, loving and wanting peace, wanting only the good, and not accepting evil. We are all capable of loving and that is something we all have in common all over the world. We all have a religion and respect that and that is also something we all have in common all over the world as well.
Having read some excerpts from the Q'uran, Christians find that we have something in common in the Q'uran and Islam find they have something in common in the Bible. The Holy Spirit guides us to a better understanding to interpret clearly and transparently what Q'uran and the Bible each means.
There is only one Islam, one Christianity, one Orthodox and so on. If there is evil in Islam, Islam is divided by good and evil. (Evil is twisted ideology and violence). If there is evil in Christianity, Christianity is divided by good and evil and so on.
Pope Francis leading a joint prayer service with Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar, the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and then joining him for an Orthodox liturgy Sunday morning. Bartholomew called the pope’s visit to the headquarters of his church a “historic moment.”
We will pray together for the Unity of our Churches, for divided Christendom, for Mosques and divided Islam, as well as for peace in the Middle East and around the globe. We try to have close collaboration to face together the acute problems of the present world.”
The two leaders are scheduled to sign a joint declaration Sunday morning, which will pledge the Catholic and Orthodox churches to continue the press for closer ties.
We are all free to pray together any time not as a show for unity, but to be in spirit with each other respecting our own religion, and think of each other......., of peace,....... and unity......
7th December 2014
Activists say Islamic State group fighters have stormed parts of a sprawling army air base in eastern Syria after days of clashes that killed dozens. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the latest attack began Saturday with a suicide car bomb attack on the main entrance of the Deir el-Zour air base. The Islamic State group began a major offensive on the air base, one of the last government-held areas in the province of Deir el-Zour, on Thursday. Activists who support the Islamic State group posted photos on social media showing two military helicopters that they claimed were captured by the jihadis. If jihadis capture the base, they could threaten government-held areas in the provincial capital.
28th December 2014
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said last Saturday it is ready to participate in "a preliminary and consultative meeting" in Russia to find a solution to the crisis. And is willing to meet the country's opposition in Moscow to seek an end to the nearly four year civil war. It is expected to take place in late January and would be informal.
However, obstacles remain in finding a path to peace. The militant Islamic State group that controls a third of Syria has not been part of any initiative to end the fighting. Other opposition groups are not unified in their response to the prospect of meeting with Syrian officials in Moscow.
Efforts earlier this year to bring a diplomatic end to the crisis, including two rounds of U.N.-brokered peace talks, made little progress.
Syria's conflict began as peaceful protests by two hundred people against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but quickly spiraled into a civil war that has left an estimated 200,000 people dead.
The U.N. said this month that 12.2 million Syrians now need humanitarian aid, including 7.6 million displaced within Syria and nearly four million more in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
World's Religious Leaders around the world have joined forces to speak against darkness, violence, oppression, corruption, hate, divisions etc. We have a responsibility to spread the word of God, any God that is characterised as only the good and holy God. We must all spread propaganda of the word of God to break Satan's power and darkness as well as evilness. Together we can combat terrorism from extremists, combat violence etc by doing more to eradicate the rogue brutal evil Islam Army from internet, leaflets, magazines, soap box preaching, television advertisements and many more. The more we spread the word of God, the more we overcome the word of Satan. The Light will shine more brighter than ever and consume us all. Through the course of history, the light that shatters the darkness reveals to us that God is Father and that his patient fidelity is stronger than darkness and corruption. God does not know outbursts of anger or impatience or any negativities. Life must be met with goodness and love with hope and faith.
Pope Francis delivered the following Christmas Eve homily at the Vatican and this is what some is said:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Isaiah 9:1). “ An angel of the Lord appeared to (the shepherds) and the glory of the Lord shone around them” (Luke 2:9). This is how the liturgy of this holy Christmas night presents to us the birth of the Savior: As the light which pierces and dispels the deepest darkness. The presence of the Lord in the midst of his people cancels the sorrow of defeat and the misery of slavery, and ushers in joy and happiness.
We too, in this blessed night, have come to the house of God. We have passed through the darkness which envelops the earth, guided by the flame of faith which illuminates our steps, and enlivened by the hope of finding the “great light.. By opening our hearts, we also can contemplate the miracle of that child-sun who, arising from on high, illuminates the horizon. The origin of the darkness which envelops the world is lost in the night of the ages. Let us think back to that dark moment when the first crime of humanity was committed, when the hand of Cain, blinded by envy, killed his brother Abel (cf. Gen 4:8).
As a result, the unfolding of the centuries has been marked by violence, wars, hatred and oppression. But God, who placed a sense of expectation within man made in his image and likeness, was waiting. He waited for so long that perhaps at a certain point it seemed he should have given up. But he could not give up because he could not deny himself ( 2 Timothy 2:13). Therefore he continued to wait patiently in the face of the corruption of man and peoples.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:1). People who were unassuming, open to receiving the gift of God, were the ones who saw this light. This light was not seen, however, by the arrogant, the proud, by those who made laws according to their own personal measures, who were closed off to others".
It has been a very difficult year but we are winning with this great light and the most powerful word of God. Everyone is calling for all Jews, Muslims and others to be all treated as equals who believes only in the good and holy. All countries have been undergoing peace building exercises, and calling for more dialogues as well as more peace talks. Military interventions are NOT the answer to peace, love, faith and hope.
Thankfully most common sense has prevailed and violence have somewhat subsided. We all hope it will all get better and better in the New Year making God's Light shine ever brighter and getting rid of this indescribable darkness. And with more Peace, Love, Faith and Hope.
Have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you all around the world wherever you are. You are all a beacon of this shining light however small you may be.
TODAY is Christmas Day and people will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in various ways but it is equally important to have an idea of the true meaning of Christmas.
The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.
The real Christmas story is the story of God’s becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Saviour!
He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love.
He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love.
6th January 2015
Kurdish fighters backed by Iraqi Peshmerga forces captured the security district including the police HQ, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "IS advanced on the town in September and quickly overran much of it".
Kurds now have seized a key district and now control 80% of Kobane. They have been helped by US air strikes. IS fighters still control the eastern districts of Maqtala and Kani Kordan.
The Observatory, based in the UK, said Kurdish fighters known as the People's Protection Units (YPG) had seized the security area after fierce clashes that started on Sunday night.
"Hopefully within days the (YPG) units will be in control of the whole city. The advance has become faster and the air strikes are more intense." they said.
The US Central Command said there had been eight air strikes on Kobane on Sunday that destroyed 11 IS fighting position.
It is not yet known what the total casualties are.
12th January 2015
This is a comprehensive story about the rise of IS and how to beat it written by a Middle East Professor.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30681224
26th January 2015
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2926678/Kurds-close-driving-Islamic-State-Syrias-Kobani--monitor.html
Victory for Kobani as IS is pushed out today.
29th January 2015
Moscow consultations began last Wednesday by Syrian government delegation to Moscow. They say it is ready to look at a number of the opposition's proposals, but thinks some of them are subject for more detailed discussion that might be held in Damascus.
The opposition has demanded release of political prisoners which is part of a concrete list. They said they agree to set up human rights committee. Majd Niazi, the leader of the opposition party "Syria the Homeland" said that this and other proposals be discussed at further talks. They suggested another meeting be held in Damascus.
Representatives of the Syrian opposition at consultations in Moscow have agreed in general a list of 10 proposals to stop bloodshed in Syria and launch a peace process. Yesterday this list was presented to a Syrian government delegation that has also arrived in the Russian capital city. Consultations between the Syrian authorities and the opposition will last till Thursday.
The opposition have not discussed the fate of President Bashar al Assad.
http://itar-tass.com/en/world/774280
Assad envoy wants dialogue with Syrian opposition as Moscow talks ended today. See more.
http://itar-tass.com/en/world/772504
Moscow says anti-terror fight should be governed by international law. It would help if there was an international agreement on this. See more.
http://rt.com/op-edge/229807-syria-meeting-moscow-talks/
The results at the end of four day talks. See more.
12th February 2015
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution designed to cut the access of Islamic State terrorists and other terrorist groups operating in Syria and Iraq to profits received from illegal trade in oil and antiquities as well as from ransoms received for captured hostages.
All the fifteen members of the UN Security Council voted for the resolution submitted by the Russian delegation.
19th February 2015
Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Alexander Lukashevich was commenting on US plans to train the Syrian opposition to counter IS extremists today.
"Fighting Islamic State terrorist organisation should be in accordance with international law. The inefficiency of the so-called ‘anti-terrorist coalition’ headed by the US is explained by the fact that the coalition was set up bypassing the UN, international law and without Syria’s participation. That is why our position stays the same. We think that fighting IS, which is emerging and expanding in the region, must be in full compliance with norms of international law, in accordance with agreements reached with these or those countries", he said.
http://rt.com/news/233927-us-turkey-train-equip-rebels/
US and Turkey have agreed to train moderate rebels to fight against President Bashar al Assad. They are causing problems, and must observe International Law. US and Turkey cannot fuel the war, and could lead to more extremists.
22nd February 2015
We do need another UN resolution about not recognising Islamic State, condemning brutality and violence, not having a legal government, sharia law and sharia law courts.
24th February 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/779328
Islamic State is born of global culture vacuum Iraqi envoy. See more.
Each year we have seen both a wider global spread of sharia enforcement and an increase in its intensity. Both of these have led to significant suffering for non-Muslims and, indeed, for many ordinary Muslims who just want to get on with their lives. The plight of the Armenian and Assyrian Christians, Yezidis and many ordinary Muslims in the areas of Iraq and Syria now controlled by ISIS has hit world headlines. Yet their plight is simply the tip of a much wider problem that must be addressed.
It is imperative that one of the countries takes the lead among other western countries, and makes stopping the spread of sharia enforcement a key long-term aim of its foreign policy.
An extreme example of a broader issue: the global spread of sharia enforcement. This is something that we have seen increase, both in its geographical spread and its intensity, in 2011, 2012 and 2013– and clearly continued in 2014.
By “sharia enforcement” I mean the attempts by either political or violent means to legally enforce sharia on Muslims and non-Muslim minorities. This is the central aim of both political Islamists and violent jihadists. In many respects but also because it is the single greatest threat to the freedoms and values of the English speaking peoples. There are increases in the severity of sharia enforcement.
There is a widespread use of slavery of hundreds of Christian, Yezidi, and Turkoman Muslim women held by IS who are treated as slaves and raped daily. In the case of Nigeria, school girls are sold as brides or sex slaves to jihadists. This is a major development in the intensification of sharia enforcement. Slavery almost entirely died out in the Islamic world, at least as a formal legal institution, in the Twentieth Century with its abolition in Mauritania in 1981. Yet the regulations on slavery, and on whom may be enslaved, still exist in the traditional textbooks of sharia that have been taught in madrassas for centuries. There have been enforcement of Jizya and sharia based religious cleansing around the world.
If the world leaders are to tackle the problem of jihadists. The best thing to do is to get to the root cause by getting our fellow Muslims to destroy or demolish all sharia based buildings in their own country. We can incorporate Sharia Law into British or American Law etc. But first we need to know the people who are operating Sharia Law, and get rid of them in order to get rid of any trace of jihadists and jihadism.
These measures are much more effective than tackling terrorism and easy to do. No one wants a policy against our fellow Muslims and Christians etc.
26th February 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday in the wake of the talks with a visiting delegation of the Organization’s ministerial contact group on Palestine and East Jerusalem.
Russia is truly interested in a consolidated Islamic world, and appreciates a role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to ensure this unity.
Russia is truly interested in a consolidated Islamic world, and appreciates a role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to ensure this unity.
"We see eye-to-eye with our Arab, Islamic partners on many international relations issues, stressing the unanimity of opinion in the need to secure a democratic international system, supremacy of international law without any double standards.
Our cooperation is in harmony with an ongoing trend to create a polycentric world, with the Islamic world being one of its centers. We are confident that the emergence of new centers in the international system will ensure its sustainability.
We are sincerely interested in a united Islamic world. We appreciate a huge role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation designed to ensure the unity of all Muslims. We are content with our cooperation, which has bright prospects and has already achieved big results.
We are convinced that building successful international relations can only be achieved by keeping up the dialogue based on mutual respect, taking into account the lawful interests of partners on the international arena, abandoning double standards and acting on one’s word. Russia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are unanimous in that".
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also part of the team for Syria, and is one of the mediators in solving the Syrian war.
27th February 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/780021
Moscow concerned coalition may strike at Syrian regions not controlled by IS - Lavrov. See more.
12th March 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/782322
UN Security Council resolution on chlorine use in Syria assigns no blame - Russian Foreign Minister. Some countries have taken action to get rid of chemical weapons, and is still trying to do so. IS however is violating using chlorine gas now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-31839947
The United Nations and a global coalition of aid agencies have accused international powers of failing the victims of the Syrian conflict.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31843501
To combat the values of groups like IS and a regime that does not represent them. A group of young Syrians tries to pass its values of non violence, pluralism and hope to Syrian children. They see themselves not as lost generation but the next generation - Lauren Gelfond Feldinger.
31st March 2015
Russian Muslim Board has proclaimed the Islamic State as an organization violating the basics of Islam, and its members as criminals deserving punishment, as follows from a fatwah (legal pronouncement) the Council of Senior Scholars (Ulema) published last Tuesday.
"The members of the Council have used the Quran, the Sunnah (a code of social and legal customs) and other legal sources to show and prove that all actions by the organization calling itself the Islamic State, from the organization’s establishment and calls for resettlement to atrocities and public executions contradict Islam," the Muslim board says on its website.
"From the standpoint of Muslim laws the participants in such criminal groups deserve punishment by death or complete isolation from society," the Muslim scholars said in their conclusion. The fatwah explains that the guilt of extremist organizations’ members must be proven "in a court of law excluding any doubt regarding complicity in violence, robberies and murders."
Russia’s Muslims believe that "the Islamic State’s followers have erroneously interpreted Islam as a religion of brutality, cruelty, torture, violence and murder of all those who disagree."
In particular, extremists have been trying to distort the basics of Islam, which prohibits the murder of civilians, prisoners and emissaries, such as journalists and members of humanitarian missions.
"The Quran envisages tough punishment for violent actions, such as explosions, murders, hostage-taking and other terrorist attacks. If a terrorist attack claims the lives of innocent people, the sinfulness of such an act merely soars," the fatwah runs.
Also, proclamation of a Caliphate without prior coordination with all Muslims (Shura) by the laws of Islam is regarded as mutiny.
This would bring about the emergence of many competing caliphates and eventually trouble and discord among Muslims," the fatwah warns.
There have been calls to the Islamist State (IS or ISIS) from Muslims all over the world saying they do not recognise the Islamist State followers who have erroneously interpreted Islam as a religion of brutality, cruelty, torture, violence and murder. Muslims all over the world will punish these followers who commit such crimes of humanity and will be tried for war crimes.
World countries is calling for a just and legal government in Syria, and wants all Islamists to condone brutality and violence. The Islamic State is allowed to govern, but must adhere to the UN Resolutions and International Law, and have elections etc. Brutality and violence is unacceptable, and the world is saying "We are not against Islam. There is only one true and real Islam. We cannot violate the basics of Islam by creating a caliphate".
I urge all Islamic extremists to conform, and see a way to a better life for all without religious segregation and divisions. Please talk to us to discuss a way forward peacefully. Jihadist means struggle but no one have to struggle anymore. There is a true real path to Islam leading to peace and full happiness. Islam is peace.
10th April 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/788619
Moscow and Damascus praise document adopted at intra Syrian talks in Moscow.
http://tass.ru/en/world/788461
Syria's opposition plans to send request to UN chief on Geneva-3 conference.
20th April 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/790411
Moscow hopes for political settlement due to Russia's veto in UN Security Council on Syria.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/790860
Russian UN Ambassador - Russia to continue efforts to promote intra-Syrian dialogue.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/791392
Russia set to coordinate efforts for peace settlements in Syria with UN - Foreign Ministry.
Recently to date Iran has been invited to take part in talks.
12th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/792960
UN led consultations on Syria conflict kicked off in Geneva on May 5th 2015. More articles inside this article.
13th June 2015
http://gulfnews.com/opinion/thinkers/russia-and-the-west-are-ready-to-topple-al-assad-1.1534034
Russia and the West are ready to topple al Assad. It would have been a great mistake to topple Assad in the first place without understanding Islam world.
http://aranews.net/2015/06/syrian-islamist-rebels-in-aleppo-reach-agreement-with-isis-to-open-supply-routes/
Syrian Islamist rebels in Aleppo reach agreement with ISIS to open supply routes. They are both rebels against Assad and it is good that they work together and cooperating but these rebels can never be allowed to help run the country as they are violent.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/06/13/Syria-says-Damascus-safer-hails-allies-.html
Syrian government says it has come through worse phases in the four year conflict and is confident its army can hit back with the help of its allies.
http://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/5675936-analysis-why-syria-is-going-to-get-worse/
Analyst saying Syria is going to get worse but I do not think so, and I do not think Al Nusra should be the answer to the new Syria. Interesting reading.
22nd June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/802869
1,000 Russian fighters for Islamist State - Russian Security Council.
They are a disgrace to the country and should not be allowed to return home.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/802972
Russians and Tunisians stands for solving crises in Syria and Yemen via national dialogue.
23rd June 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri discussed developments in Syria in a phone call on Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Lavrov and Shukri "exchanged views on developments in the Middle East with emphasis on the situation in and around Syria," the ministry said, adding that the two diplomats "highlighted the need to continue active political and diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis based on reaching a consensus about ways to settle internal political differences and with respect to that country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity". The diplomats also touched on "some practical issues related to future development of the Russian-Egyptian foreign policy cooperation," it said. The ministry said the call was initiated by Egypt.
24th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/803500
Syrian leader can stop Islamic State terrorist group - Russian Security Official.
25th June 2015
The "massacre in the Syrian town of Kobani on was the result of the Turkish government's years of support for Islamist State Militants, the co-leader of Turkey's pro Kurdish party said.
People's Democratic Party (HDP) joint leader Figen Yuksekdag also told reporters there was a "high probability" that the attackers today had entered Kobani from Turkey.
Turkey have been at war for years with Turkish Kurds who largely inhabit part of Turkey. Turkish Kurds have been fighting for self rule for a long time. Turkey played a part in introducing extremists to try and topple President al Assad. The reason was religious division and sectarianism.
Kurds are now fighting for the north of Syria of Raqqa, the headquarters of IS after taking a town and some villages occupied by IS. I do hope that the Kurds will conquer north of Syria to provide stability and peace to the region and protect Turkey borders. Turkey has got to recognise that Kurds has got to be a part of its lives as they are not extremists, and do not belong to IS. Kurds and Turkish Kurds are heavily populated, so it is a very good reason to have them all to stay together to form an autonomy of Kobane Republic essential to keep the north of Syria citizens safe from IS. Not only that, the Kurds will be able to protect the new borders between new Kobane Republic including Aleppo and Raqqa down to the dividing line, south of north Syria. Turkey will have more room in its own country once the Turkish Kurds leave if they wish. Some refugees from Syria have taken shelter in Turkey, and Turkey is not coping very well to the influx of refugees. It makes sense to change the geography as Syria is too big a country to function properly on its own. Syria is too overwhelmed by warring religious factions to ever have normalisation. I stress it is very important to let Kurds get involved to protect north of Syria. Kurds are kind people especially the peshmergars who looked after Christians and kept them safe. Turkey must compromise, and come to an agreement to let Kurds help rule over only north of Syria when the time comes.
27th June 2015
http://aranews.net/2015/06/un-chief-calls-for-urgent-action-in-syria/
UN Chief calls for urgent action in Syria.
http://www.todayonline.com/world/rights-groups-blast-un-security-council-response-syria-killings
World rights groups blast UN Security Council response to Syrian killings.
UN Security Council Chief could start with having talks with President al Assad to persuade him not to use barrel bombs which is inflicting some of the Syrian population. Assad could be told not to target populated areas unless there was a dire need to do so. Unfortunately, some Syrian government forces are not trained for fighting, as recruitment is getting scarce due to heavy losses of its Syrian soldiers not equipped to deal with IS effectively mentally and physically. Assad have no way of knowing if civilians are supporting IS and appears to have no strategy. If the civilians stay in Syria, they do so at their own peril and considered traitors to the Syrian government.
I do not like the airstrikes from US and Saudi Arabia more than anyone would, but if Kurds welcome it and need their help, then we cannot stop that. Kurds should proceed to take over North Syria to kill as many IS as possible and create Republic of Kobane as an autonomous state while maintaining sovereignty and integrity of Syria. Our aim is to save as many Syrian lives as we can, and get normalisation. It is very important that Kurds could also protect the borders, not only Turkey but Jordan, Lebanon, Israel etc. And we need to block the warring factions including IS from entering North Syria from the south of North Syria by creating new borders along the dividing line. It is possible to include Damascus and Palmrya inside North Syria. Once North Syria is free from any trace of IS, refugees from neighbouring countries can return to rebuild their lives. We have to protect as many Christians as we can as well. We need all the help we can from Kurds. With the help of the Kurds, the sooner North Syria can get back to civilisation, be reunited with the Syrian government and begin dialogue.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33299306
Kurds takes back Kobane in two days.
28th June 2015
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29702440
Who are the Kurds? This article gives a very comprehensive history about the Kurds who should have had a state a long time ago. North Syria could be their permanent home to become a state. There are Kurds scattered living all over mostly North Syria. The article has made a strong case for Kurds to have a state and end their struggles to have one. It also tells you why Turkey is against the Kurds having a state, and why there are bad relations between them. The Kurds would ideally solve the problem of replacing Assad and rejuvenate North Syria.
29th June 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/804668
Damascus is ready to support idea of international coalition against IS to address terrorist threats -Mouallem.
President Putin on Syria
Russia's policy of giving support to the Syrian leadership and people remains unchanged. President Vladimir Putin said on Monday at a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem.
"As we can see, the situation in Syria is developing along a complicated pattern, which is linked first and foremost to the aggression by the forces of international terrorism," he said.
"We understand that in a situation of this kind, success is always compounded with some problems and military mishaps may occur, too."
"Still we're sure that the Syrian people will win in the final run, and our policy of supporting Syria, its leadership and its people remains unchanged," Putin said.
Lavrov on Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday urged to make sure that agreements on a political settlement of the Syrian crisis were further observed.
Speaking with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem at a meeting in Moscow, Lavrov said: "Your visit is a great opportunity to exchange views on the current situation in and around Syria and discuss our bilateral relations".
"The most important thing is to make sure that that the agreements reached on a political settlement by consent of all Syrian groups are further observed," he said.
"Today when the terrorist threat is hanging over the entire Middle East region and far beyond, there should be no more pretexts for delaying the political process," Lavrov said, adding that Russia would continue to support Syria in fighting terror groups.
He stressed that Russia felt "solidarity with the Syrian people fighting against terror groups" and it was "providing all possible assistance to increase [Syria’s] ability to resist the evil" and would "continue doing this".
"We are actively working with other countries of the region, European nations and the United States to see our common policy priorities in the Middle East," Lavrov said.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804544
Syria's current leadership can contribute to fight against IS - Kremlin aide.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804561
Syrian Foreign Minister accuse US of supporting terrorists.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804651
Demands for replacing regime in Syria play into extremists hands - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/world/804813
Lavrov and Kerry to discuss fighting Islamist State in Vienna.
1st July 2015
http://tass.ru/en/russia/805265
Moscow - Middle East "Quartet" supports Egypt's efforts in attaining peace in region.
In February, Sissi signed off on an anti-terrorism law that gives authorities more sweeping powers to ban groups on charges ranging from harming national unity to disrupting public order. The "Terrorist Entities" law enables authorities to act against any individual or group deemed a threat to national security, including people who disrupt public transportation, an apparent reference to protests.
The cabinet also approved a slew of election-related laws, opening the way to setting a date for a long-delayed parliamentary election. Egypt's parliamentary poll was due in March, but was delayed after the Constitutional Court ruled part of an election law unconstitutional. The election is the final step in a political roadmap that the army had announced in July 2013. The draft election laws include legislation on electoral districts. The new law allocated 448 seats to individuals and 120 seats to lists. The previous law had allocated 420 seats to individuals and 120 through winner-takes-all lists with quotas for women, Christians and youth. The laws have to be approved by the president.
Also, Egypt's cabinet approved draft anti-terrorism and election laws, the transitional justice minister said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi had promised a tougher legal system today. The Cabinet said in a statement that the anti-terrorism legislation would provide "quick and just deterrence" against terrorism. It said there were also measures that would dry up the avenues of terrorism funding. The statement said it had approved a "package of draft laws that achieve swift justice and retribution for our martyrs", without providing further details.
2nd July 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and League of Arab States (LAS) Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi have signed an agreement today on opening a LAS mission in Russia. Lavrov stressed that practical cooperation between Russia and LAS "is organizationally strengthening." "The agreement signed today on opening a League’s mission in Russia is another step in that direction," the foreign minister said. Al-Arabi noted that signing the document confirms "plans to further deepen relations between Russia and LAS in all spheres."
The Russian Foreign Ministry strongly condemns all terrorist attacks, including those directed against the Egyptian government agencies, armed forces and law enforcement agencies, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, commenting on the military operation of Egypt’s armed forces on the Sinai Peninsula on last Wednesday. The operation came in response to a series of terrorist attacks targeting the country’s security forces near the towns of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah.
"In connection with these events, we reaffirm our principled stand of strong condemnation of all terrorist attacks, including those directed against Egyptian government agencies, armed forces and law enforcement agencies. We reiterate our firm solidarity with the people and the leaders of Egypt in their struggle against terrorism and extremism and support for their efforts to stabilize the situation in the country".
9th July 2015
http://www.newsweek.com/number-syrian-refugees-now-exceeds-4-million-unhcr-351701
Number of Syrian Refugees now exceeds 4 million - UNHCR.
We now recognise what is the cause of the conflict and what can be done about it. There have been dialogues and talks, and that is ongoing. Hopefully the Syrians will have peace and can return home soon. That is after we can conquer over terrorists, extremists and Daesh.
30th July 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/811531
Russia support proposals by UN envoy for Syrian conflict settlement. This is fantastic progress and a great start to the road to peace. I give my full support to the proposals put forward by UN Ambassador Staffan de Mistura.
6th August 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/05/us-mideast-crisis-iran-idUSKCN0QA1VP20150805
Iran to present Syria peace plan to UN.
11th August 2015
Russian Foreign Minister was saying that a military way of deciding the future lot of Syrian President Bashar Assad only helps the terrorist organisation of Islamic State and Russia does not want influential players to opt for this path.
"Our differences with Saudi Arabia on the Syrian settlement concern only the fate of [President Bashar] Assad," he said. "I would not like any of the influential countries involved in the Syrian crisis settlement to think that the Assad problem can be solved by military means. The only outcome of such military solution would be the seizure of power by Islamic State and other terrorists. I don’t think anyone wants it. We can speak about Syria’s domestic problems but Assad is threatening no neighbouring state, whereas Islamic State is threatening not only Syria, but also Iraq and Saudi Arabia and is publicly declaring its plans and making caliphate maps from Spain to Pakistan," Lavrov said. "So, we must measure the scale of threats. Now the Syrian army, the Iraqi army and the Kurds and units of armed Syrian opposition who rely on the support from outside are already fighting on the territory with terrorists," Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister underscored that the key threat in the region was Islamic State and other extremist groups.
The key task should be to fight against the terrorism threat. "Settling accounts between each other - the Syrians themselves and the Iraqis themselves - should be postponed until the threat is countered," he said.
Saudi Arabia has no plan of its own for the settlement in Syria, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said after talks with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov today.
"As for Saudi Arabia’s written plan or a blueprint for the Syrian settlement, it does not exist. As the foreign minister I would be the first to learn about it. Not all that is mentioned in media is true," the foreign minister said.
Broad outlines regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to build a coalition to fight Islamic State militants have already been laid down and discussions will continue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today after a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir.
"We agree on the need to consolidate efforts in the fight against the common threat posed by Islamic State and other terrorist groups. This is a real threat both for Russia and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries in the region and beyond," Lavrov said.
Russia’s top diplomat recalled that President Vladimir Putin, who met Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, in St. Petersburg in June, urged to think of establishing an international legal framework to create a coalition to combat terrorism in the region.
"We have discussed activities in this area and agreed on practical steps. I am confident that we will continue discussing the initiative. There are some plans of concrete moves towards this goal, and the talks will continue. We have discussed the issue of fighting terrorism and extremism that poses a threat to the whole international community, including Russia and Saudi Arabia, the possibilities for cooperation between security forces to counter this threat". Lavrov and Adel al-Jubeir said.
I praise President Putin's initiative to establish an international legal framework to create a coalition to combat terrorism in Syria, and getting parties to agree on practical steps and making concrete moves.
The first move would be if you do not mind me saying so, is that while we agree we cannot use force and that there is no military solution.
We do need a coalition of intelligence services to root and take out the leaders and deputy leaders of each terrorist groups first. Terrorist groups will be substantially weakened and any poisonous ideology propaganda be destroyed along with other measures to counter terrorism of this kind.
We could even think about creating a new leader possibly by Saudi Arabia to give a false impression of supporting poisonous ideology and pretending to support Islamic caliphates. This will exert influence over the terrorists to some degree. This way, we do not have to use military resources, and would not affect the innocent population of Syria.
We cannot simply have rogue Islamic States and they must be annihilated.
I am impressed with what Russia has done with Kadyrov, the Chechen leader, and this could be a copycat.
17th August 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/814811
Russia, Iran and other countries agree to coordinate efforts to fight Islamic State for stabilisation - Russian Foreign Minister.
11th September 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/820404
Russia to continue weapons supplies to Syria for combating terrorism - Lavrov FM.
18th September 2015
Libya
Libyan Lawmakers have agreed to reunify the country's elected parliament in a step towards a final agreement which aims to end protracted chaos in the North African state, said United Nations.
Two powerful factions who have set up rival governments and parliaments in a battle for control has got 25 Libyan lawmakers, had been boycotting the House of Representatives. The conflict erupted more than a year ago. It is hoped that a unity government is the only solution to the conflict which has pushed Libya to the edge of economic collapse four years after the rebellion of Gaddafi. It has to be confirmed tomorrow that there will be a unity government and a full agreement where a council of ministers headed by a Prime Minister with two deputies will have executive authority. The House of Representatives will be the only legislative body under the UN.
Syria
The fight against terrorism has to be in compliance with legislation, international law with international obligation. Russia is not violating these in any way, and is only providing assistance in technology, mechanics and military threat. Syria at present has the capability to fight on its own, and resents US taking part especially if there are clashes in what Syria is trying to do, and US is doing the same thing which can cause incidents. There is no reason why Russia should evade cooperation with Syria if it is already involved in providing assistance. Russia is playing a major role and bears responsibility for the Syrian issue of terrorism, and to find a political solution in the fight against terrorism.
Terrorists and extremists must know they are becoming increasingly isolated in the fight to claim Syria to have a so called Islamist State. That can be done if the International Community around the world cooperate and condemn terrorism and barbarism etc. They have to express solidarity and offer assistance in dealing with terrorism without violence. Violence on violence does not work. They have to support all actions leading to weakening of the terrorist threat anywhere in the world acting against terrorism on the basis of international law. The opportunities for defeating terrorism is there. One is an international dialogue between political forces, social forces etc. Another one is refusing to do trade especially in oil and gas. It has to be consensual for the sake of global security.
France has got the capabilities to see where the military bases are, so the information should be shared. We have to know where the terrorist leaders are. We have to know where the guns came from eg. importation of guns and weaponry on cross borders. We need more intelligence to observe how we can eradicate terrorists and extremists.
We can work on one region to rid itself of any terrorism to place police there, and people capable of defending against terrorists to protect the region to enable it to become an established community. When one region has done its work, we can then proceed on to the next region. I have to stress that people could be Kurds, Iraqi, Turks or special military forces are only for defending territories, and not in the fight against terrorists.
One option is finish flattening all buildings, so terrorists have no where to live with no water, electric etc. There must be a region that has all rubble, and no life at all so the international community can agree that we can overtake that part of the territory like Homs. The aim is to seize ground and make them security zones ready for the return of Syrians. We could think about electric fences to keep terrorists out. Russia has got to make their presence felt in Syria to let terrorists know that there is a powerful military threat. This would be a strategy to start with, and there is no reason why Russia be the first country to start somewhere.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/19/uk-mideast-crisis-syria-execution-idUKKCN0RJ07220150919
Insurgents killed 56 government troops at captured Abu al Duhur air base in the Idlib province.This news article gives details of who the terrorist groupings are, especially new ones.
http://www.ibtimes.com/syrian-civil-war-russian-refugee-tent-camp-syria-countrys-first-will-accommodate-2103657
Russian refugee tent camp in Syria is Syria's first, and will accommodate thousands. This confirms we urgently need to create security zones for more camps.
30th September 2015
President Putin wasted no time in getting his parliament's permission for Russian forces to take place in bombing raids in Syria today. The Russian leader spoke to UN Assembly, and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight the so called Islamist State. It has the support of some foreign ministers in UN.
It is legal, as the Syrian President have asked Russia for military assistance making Russia's actions legitimate, and is backed by al Assad where the raids are taking place. Other countries including US have not got permission from the Syrian President to carry out bombing strikes which does not conform to international law, and not supported by a resolution of the UN Security Council.
Russia have sent an official demand for US planes to exit Syrian airspace immediately, other countries like France is expected to follow.
Russia has begun a military build up a few weeks ago, and recently asked for broad coalition while in the UN Assembly. The airstrikes today targeted the rebel held areas inside two or three provinces held by the Syrian government.
Russian warplanes have hit towns including Zafaraneh, Rastan, and Talbiseh within the provinces of Homs and Hama. Russia is supporting the Syrian army purely in its legitimate fight with terrorist groups. It was a very good strategy bombing weapon stores, military equipment, communication facilities, arms depots, ammunition and fuel supplies without hitting civilian infrastructure or areas nearby. While at the same time trying to claim back towns from the rebels for the Syrian government.
Once these areas are cleared of rebels, weaponry and arms, it is hoped that these provinces will be declared security zones to begin clearance of rubble etc, and prepare for the Syrians to go home to these security zones.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/824988
Russian Air Force operation in Syria only directed at fight against terrorism.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825043
Russia's bid for leadership to battle terrorism substantiated by actions - Lawmaker.
1st October 2015
Russian involvement in the anti-terrorist operations in Syria is in accordance with international law and based on the official request from the President of Syria. The conflict has deep roots and is the result of many factors such as interstate and domestic political factors, religious and interethnic differences which have been exacerbated by unceremonious foreign intervention in the region's affairs. Russia have got no intention of getting deeply entangled in this conflict, and is only supporting the Syrian army to airstrikes, and will not involve ground operations. Russia's support will have a limited timeframe, and will continue only while the Syrian army conducts its anti-terrorist offensive. Russia has a view of a final and long term solution to the situation in Syria is possible only on the basis of political reform and dialogue between all healthy forces in the country. President al Assad knows this, and is ready for this process, and Russia is counting on his active and flexible position and his readiness to make compromises for the sake of his country and his people. The Syrian government, if I am correct is making arrangements for elections to take place soon probably next year, and that could decide the fate of President al Assad.
Unless there is a peace settlement, the Syrian government has to decide if the security zones if created, will be safe for Syrians to go home.
At the moment the terrorists of so called Islamist State is threatening to go nuclear to obliterate millions of people around the world who does not meet their religious ideology that has nothing to do with genuine Islam. This calls for vigilance of all nuclear power stations, and the storage of pure uranium etc globally.
There have been increasing support from countries including OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President IIkka Kanerva who said that he supports creating an international coalition for settling situation in Syria.
Russian lawmaker Pushkov said "Moscow and Damascus may soon increase bilateral inter-parliamentary contacts. The contacts with Syrian lawmakers have not been suspended. I do not rule out that there will be a new phase, a new stage, and we may make these contacts broader and more regular".
France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said "France is prepared to cooperate with Russia in the struggle against Syria's terrorism. We have heard about the Russian initiative, and we are prepared to act jointly with Russia and other countries including Switzerland but on three conditions. Number one condition was the struggle should be conducted exclusively against terrorists and not the opposition in Syria. Secondly, a wide political process is to end with the resignation of President al Assad. And the third condition, is a ban on the use of barrel bombs and chlorine". There will have to be talks about these conditions with Russia.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825089
Russia ready to facilitate build up of Lebanese Army's combat readiness in preparation to defend its own country against terrorists.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825018
So called IS has created extremists quasi state in Iraq and Syria - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/824999
Syria's regular army only force really fighting against so called IS - Federation Council Speaker.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34413050
Russia launches fresh strikes in the provinces of Homs, Hama, as well as Idlib.
2nd October 2015
Russia has got a right to intervene, and at the request from the President of Syria obtaining legal permission to use airstrikes used solely for destroying weaponry, arms, communications and fuel depots.
It is not done that countries like US, UK and few others should politicise Russia's actions against terrorists who are against humanity, history, culture, religion and morals. These countries who are speaking out against Russia's actions does not want to admit their failures of the Iraq, Syria and Libya wars. They have interfered into domestic affairs of sovereign countries while we need non-interference into domestic affairs of sovereign states. This is one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.
Use of military force is necessary if human rights have been violated, if humanitarian crisis is triggered by evil manifestations of entities. The so called Islamist State and any rebels are enemies of genuine Islam, and against the Syrian government. Anyone using arms and weaponry without permission are all enemies of genuine Islam.
Interference from countries includes foreign sponsorships to rebels, airstrikes without the permission from the Syrian government, supporting terrorists and rebels, destroying infrastructure and hitting civilian areas, are violations of international law.
Russia has no intention of doing these things. Russia has rights to protect the Syrian country and ridding terrorists and rebels inside it. Russia is at the core of destroying the most evil of all evils to stop the spread of terrorists and rebels, to stop the spread of weaponry and arms.
Interference is only possible with the permission of the UN if there can be no permission granted by one's country. If the non-interference is part of the constitution in the UN Charter, it would prevent coup d'etat, illegal actions taking place in another country etc. While there is interference by countries, they cannot be normal members of the international society, and such methods of power changes are unacceptable.
We can only interfere by asking if we can have elections, and ask the people of each country to elect a new president. This would speed up power changes by democracy, and not military solution. Peoples have got rights, and it is their rights to call for new elections, and elect a new president personally.
Absence of non-interference policy of the UN Charter has created such messy wars.
We have absence of full cooperation in the world to tackle terrorists and extremists.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825796
West seeking stage discrediting campaign against Russia's actions in Syria.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34419003
BBC News on the situation in Syria today.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/825508
World peace requires strict compliance with nuclear security accords - Russian Foreign Minister.
If we do not get strict compliance with nuclear security accords, there is a danger of spiralling out of control situation, and danger of nuclear security being threatened or compromised by terrorists and extremists.
Syria Foreign Minister Walid al Moallem has said Syria is to join UN groups in bid for further peace talks to establish a way to find peace. He said "that airstrikes alone will not be successful against the so called IS group unless they are coordinated with the Syrian government. Russia's decision to start bombing targets was based on the request of the Syrian government and is effective because it supports Syria's efforts to combat terrorism. We pledged to continue the war against 'terror' while also committing to a political track to end Syria's civil war, now in its fifth year. Syria cannot undertake any democratic political steps related to holding elections, changing the constitution or any others until terrorism continues to mount strikes on our land and to threaten innocent civilians. The government could not ask the Syrians to go to the polls when they can feel safe neither in the streets nor at homes. Damascus still believes in success of a political settlement 'on the basis of well-known parameters' which envisage the preservation of national sovereignty, the unity of the Syrian territory and the people, and better work of current agencies of power. The only way to reach political settlement is to launch a political dialogue within Syria, without any foreign interference. Syria’s future lies in the Syrians’ hands and nobody can strip them of the right."
European Union and some countries have called for a political settlement which is really too early to think about. Everyone should know that we all have the need for destroying all the arms and weaponry etc to make the Syria safe first. I agree with the foreign minister when he said that Syrians cannot vote if the streets are not safe.
Russia have said airstrikes will last few months, and we have to be confident that a political settlement is likely afterwards. But only if Syria terrorists and extremists does not get foreign sponsorships, get free arms and weapons, get help with training, and setting up of communications etc.
The political settlement has got to start with US, UK and some countries who are giving, encouraging and supporting terrorists and extremists to increase humanitarian crisis. Without full broad international support, concerted effort and cooperation, terrorists and extremists will continue to go on the rampage killing Syrians and destroying infrastructure. It means more terror which could spread worldwide if no one can effectively combat terrorism. We now have media war which could trigger more terrorism.
There is a strict compliance to international law, and there is no reason at all to be on the wrong side of international law unless one does not want peace.
It is not about resolving conflict by military means, it is about negotiating table of various political actors for peace settlement only after Syria is stabilised and safe.
5th October 2015
President Bashar al Assad said "it was clear from the very beginning that terrorism in Syria had been provoked from outside to wreak havoc and destabilise the country. The Syrian government had learnt the lessons from the political crisis and a wave of protests on March 2011, and was committed to the efforts to counter terrorism. That a thief could never be a police hand. The alliance supporting terrorism can never succeed in exterminating it. After several months of bombardments by the Western coalition, we saw no results, moreover, the result was just the opposite - the geography of terrorism has only expanded, and the number of people who joined terrorists was only growing.
The coalition of Russia, Iran, Syria and Iraq has no other choice but to win, otherwise the entire Middle East region will be ruined. The coalition consisting of Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq must succeed or the region will be destroyed.
The Syrian authorities, do not trust the United States due to the policy that country and its allies are pursuing in the Middle East.
The damage done to the country’s infrastructure in the five years of the warfare is estimated at more than 200 billion U.S. dollars. As many as 250,000 people have been killed in the conflict and six to seven million more have been driven out of their homes.
I am saying clearly and resolutely, no foreigner can bear responsibility for Syria’s future, for the future of its political system. Only the Syrian people has the right to express its views on these issues, so all these Western comments are useless for us. The Syrian people had paid an excessive price to agree to become a dependent nation 'implementing the will of foreign states'. As for the West’s position, it has begun to change after Europe came to face manifestations of terrorism and refugee influx.
The problem of Syrian refugees will be solved after extermination of terrorism in Syria. To solve the problem of Syrian refugees it was necessary first to defeat terrorism and stop helping terrorists with weapons and financing from Turkey, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Syria’s future will be decided on the basis of political dialogue and nationwide referendum on a new constitution. But dialogue could be started only after defeat of terrorism.
The sixty-year history of his country’s relations with the former Soviet Union and Russia as its successor had demonstrated that Russia had never interfered into Syrian domestic affairs. On the contrary, Russia and other countries of the BRICS group are trying to prevent such interference, and violation of relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council on Syria. These states have always been insisting that matters of Syria’s future political system and its future president are domestic affairs of Syria that are to be decided by the Syrian people".
The political crisis and the wave of protests was started by anti-government activists and rebels who wanted President al Assad ousted of his own legitimate government, and they used guns to try and force al Assad out without success. This is getting commonplace as the same method is happening all over the world including Yemen. All these terrorists have got something in common, they are enemies of genuine Islam, wants to create a caliphate, and they are enemies of Christianity.
I tried to warn Europe about its involvement in setting up 'Friends of Syria' and holding meetings and giving moral support which only encouraged activists and terrorists.
It seemed strange that some world leaders have said they wanted President al Assad to step down or resign. That, they would not say the same thing about US president or any other President. It really got nothing to do with world leaders on whether a president should be replaced. Just because one leader does not like Putin for example, does not justify asking him to resign. I agree with al Assad that it is Syria's problem, and that no country can interfere with Syrian internal affairs just as much as no country can interfere with another country's affairs.
Assad said no foreigner can bear responsibility for his country's future, and the future of its political system. It is only democracy that has a voice, I have to take responsibility for speaking out on behalf of all the people, and sometimes one or two country have no representative. That I have to step in, otherwise the political establishments would not have the benefit of my wisdom and expertise. There are times when I am astonished that some world leaders do not realise some things, or are not getting real in their own affairs that they can neglect their own people or have neglected their own people.
United Nations have done really well the last few months adding resolutions and texts especially on human rights and non-violence. There have been so many improvements that they could create universal policies for all countries including US and the European Union who could think about abandoning their policies in favour for United Nations universal policies. These universal policies does help to deconflict. I do know there are a few of these universal policies that United Nations have created. The problem is, few countries abstains, or do not want a part in it when all the while, we are supposed to have cooperation, security, sharing common ground etc.
We have learnt how much damage has been caused triggering the humanitarian crisis and violations of human rights etc. But there needs to be more awareness and communication about these things as few countries are not in touch in what is going on around the world like Mali for instance.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826167
So called IS is common enemy, response to threat of extremism should be complex and is multifaceted - Lavrov. Nice to know that Lavrov is with me on this.
http://tass.ru/en/world/826207
UN should have council of world's religious leaders - Russia's supreme Mufti. I am glad this was brought up as I did mention in the UNSC blog asking for a need of a council of world's religious leaders a few weeks ago.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826228
Overthrow of regime in Damascus would be crude violation of international law, according to Geneva communique - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/society/826339
Religious literacy needed to fight pseudo-islamic sects - Muslim Leader.
http://tass.ru/en/world/826336
Syria Foreign Minister has no doubts in success of Russian anti-terrorist efforts in Syria. I am confident about Russia working with Syrian government, as the anti-terrorist efforts are also boosted by Russia's high technology equipment and weaponry making their efforts more successful and effective by 100%.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/826384
Russia and Jordan agree that terrorism is a serious threat.
13th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/828580
United efforts in the fight against terrorism with all countries on the basis of international law. Islamic countries can and should become key participants of such coalition - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/828698
Putin attaches great significance to contacts with US on Syria.
Putin said "Everything will be clear and fewer mistakes be made if direct and businesslike contact is established with the view to settling all problems, including those in the financial sphere. Russia is self sufficient country. We do not need someone to fight and conflict with. Give us targets and we work them out".
A lot of people around the world [democracy] would like to see US, France, UK, Saudi Arabia let Russia take over Syria so that there is a calm working atmosphere, logic, and efficiency to get on with the air strikes while the Syrian Army get on with ground strikes. Both can concentrate better in these military matters, and work better in harmony communicating on a daily basis, and knowing exactly what is going on. With Russia and Syria working together, they can effectively get the civil war over much more quickly. There is a saying "Too many cooks spoil the broth".
Syria have always said that US and other countries are causing problems, and violating their sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. They have not got permission to conduct airstrikes in Syria, and is not obeying international law. I have never liked US and other countries fight against the terrorists while Russia is now taking the lead. There have been so much more progress with Russian airstrikes and the Syria Army has been able to conduct ground strikes, taking hold of some more towns and villages claiming back from terrorists.
US is already causing another problem having delivered million of dollars of arms and weapons for rebels. The delivery safely delivered could fall into the wrong hands, and rebels may not side with Russia. There, I felt so much better having said that.
15th October 2015
President Putin said "US decision not to receive a Russian delegation led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is 'unconstructive'. I believe this position is unconstructive. The weakness of this stance is based on the apparent lack of any agenda. It seems that there is nothing to talk about. Russia leaves the door open for the discussion on Syria with all parties concerned. Yes, there are many mutual suspicions and mutual accusations, but if we don't work towards a solution, it could never be found. We hope we will be able to move along the path of settling problems".
Russia is serious about the talks and serious about working with partner countries, and is ready to move forward and cooperate far more in particular to reach the goal announced by US led coalition over a year ago to destroy the so called Islamic State full of jihadists. US rejected the talks on Syria settlement is an obstruction to peace. Countries must cast aside mutual suspicions and accusations as they are only negative thoughts that can be easily dispelled if we are to concentrate on freeing Syria of jihadists and rebels. This common ground would be giving human rights, democratic rights and freedoms to Syria.
Russia has an order or mission by the Syrian President which presents the overriding control over a cause of actions for humanitarian and other reasons. History has proven again and again that when mankind interferes with a less developed civilisation, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous. We can have a liberal world if mankind has evolved beyond its former pettiness, brutality and violations against mankind. Demonstrating such problems like war, economic iniquity and factionalism can simply be engineered away. Tragedies of the imperial age in which western european nations invaded, destroyed and exploited many peoples of the rest of the world as well as the proxy wars fought by US against communism. The imperialism and warfare was largely justified by an ethnocentric bigotry, an assertion of racial superiority and the judgement of indigenous people as inferior. US could stop using judgement of any kind and stop interacting. The latter sentiment is known as moral relativism, the notion that nothing is inherently good or bad, and can only be judged from inside a culture and not from without or between. This response is intellectually lazy, refusing to consider that intervention can have a mix of effects, and in fact cannot always be avoided no matter the intention. It is nothing we should celebrate. It leads even to fiction, to immediate horrors and tragedies, and is demonstrably impossible to uphold even by those fictional virtue warriors who swear by it. In order to have entire race's survival, there is bewildering moral indifference to suffering, genocide and all manner of tragedies. Some countries' astonishing disregard for human suffering is rendered unconscionable. It leads to environmental collapse. Countries who commit violations against mankind are never punished by United Nations. We can never be detached from human suffering while there are politics. There are obtuse, stochastic treatments when rules are broken. Moral and political philosophy exists in our culture which has a dream of a future without inequality and starvation. We can keep the optimism, but we must buttress it with a more sophisticated moral framework. We cannot regulate away hard moral problems, like when and how to intervene in the affairs of other societies. We cannot afford such mindless, irrational dogma. Our world is an interconnected one with no truly isolated peoples. Our moral world should be even more connected. We should carefully consider our actions and inactions, and we should try to make life better for those who share the same planet even when issues are complicated and solutions imperfect. We should do this even knowing we will fail sometimes. The answer to unsavory ethnocentric judgement of the past is not no judgement, it is better judgement. No bright future is rightly expected by those inextricably tethered to intellectual and moral disregard. There is a great need for Russia to take over Syria and go solo in air space while there are Syrian troops on the ground and they are doing it for peace and mankind with the permission of the Syrian government.
There does not seem to be a Defence Council at the United Nations with videolink and intercom to order any country like US and to remind them of violations of air space during any war. United Nations should think about punishing those who do. There seem to be no strict stance to protect mankind without a defence council.
16th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829364
Russian forces show impressive results in Syria in the extermination of terrorists - Putin.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829212
Syrian President praises assistance of Russia in fight against terrorism - Assad.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829575
US activity in Syria brings no result in the fight against so called ISIL - Medvedev.
Now it is clear that the policies of the Western democracies to intervene and topple the autocratic regimes in Iraq, Libya and Syria have been an unmitigated disaster. The evolution and development of so called Islamist State, and its control of large areas of Iraq and Syria is the worst result of these interventions. The need to organise a coalition to cope with the threat of terrorists is obvious. It seems that the Western democracies are not yet ready to admit to their abject failure of their interventionist policies, not least their attempts to oust President Assad which is a violation of international law. Instead of seeking a coalition, recent communiques from Washington and London criticise Russia. We now have a Russian coalition [legitimate] instead of a US led coalition [illegal]. More countries have given their full support against the so called IS to Russia with its high technology, and sophisticated weaponry. Russia have acted within international law. There will be a political settlement after the war is over, and everyone will sit around the table at United Nations to have a dialogue.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829597
Airstrikes at IS decrease global terrorist threat - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829536
Syria have changed significantly by Russian airstrikes - General Staff.
http://tass.ru/en/world/829584
Syria is ready to have talks on a political settlement - Syria First Deputy Foreign Minister Mikdad.
17th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829660
Colour revolutions ignited chaos in Middle East - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829658
Russia could not but meet Syria's request for help in fight with IS - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829657
Islamic State plans expansion into Europe, Russia and Asia - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829659
We have proposed wider cooperation - Russian Defence Ministry, Antonov.
We have had intervention policies aimed to force democracy on countries such as Middle East and North Africa which have failed. European Union is no exception with its own intervention policy on refugees. This was the prime cause of the migrant crisis in Europe. It is a bad experience that should not be repeated. This experience of refugees fleeing countries by attempts to get them to integrate into Europe is not good, and can destabilise Europe not wanting to support the European Union with its own set of cultures, histories and religions etc. It is very important that refugees should not be made too welcome and too comfortable, that they do not want to go back home and become expats.
18th October 2015
Middle East
The minority Shia communities are increasingly being attacked after so called IS. Most live in oil rich east and complains of discrimination. The recent killings come two days after the start of Ashura commemorations, a holy occasion for Shia Muslims. So called IS called Shia Muslims infidels and heretics. There are Shia rebels in Yemen fighting against Shias.
This reminds me of the Reformation in the Middle Ages when Protestants were declared as heretics. Looks like history is repeating itself with Sunnis and Shias.
It may not be complicated to work out what to do with men of violence in the Middle East with their medieval beliefs and love of beheadings.
Saudi Arabia regime is becoming more liberal especially with its attitudes towards women where they receive no extra penalty if they are caught drinking and driving. Saudi Arabia have got a marvellous record on women's rights.
Ditching history of the Middle Ages should work, and men be reminded that we live in the 21st century, have got good laws and justice system which never existed in the Middle Ages. No one can really punish criminals for cutting their arms, legs or heads off as it is not really justice. It is justice making criminals suffer by putting them in jails if they are proven guilty and to chastise them. Which is why it is important to have prisons, and there is no justification in dismembering any limbs.
It is ignorance to keep living in the Middle Ages, and ignorance living in a 21st century with no changes to the medieval practices.
Those who are not intelligent are not ideologues, and those who are ideologues are not intelligent.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829715
Russia and Arab League to step up efforts to settle crises in region.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/829713
Russian diplomat discusses fight against terrorism with Syrian opposition.
21st October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/830478
Assad thanks Russia for helping to avert tragic scenario.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830460
Assad hold talks with Putin in Moscow on Syrian affairs, plans of government troops.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830465
Syria achieved positive results in fight against IS - Putin.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830734
Putin discusses situation in Syria with Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi and Turkish Leaders.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/830743
Political settlement in Syria can start only after stage of anti-terror struggle - Peskov.
It was a very unusual visit to Moscow by President al Assad to see President Putin. Assad's presence is evident of trust in Russia, and displayed around the world. It confirmed when Assad thanked Putin for his work in annihilation of terrorism. This inspires hopes for the Syrian people, and is reassuring, so that the conflict will be settled, and that peace and stability will be established in their own country riddled with terrorists. Russia's support of airstrikes are helping to destroy terrorists, and free lands occupied by terrorists, so that refugees are able to return home. It is hoped that the refugees, and the Syrian government will have normalisation very soon. Russian's actions taking stance and steps are strengthening al Assad's power in Syria inspiring hopes that Syria's desire is to put an end to longstanding suffering, and the cruel war. Russia is helping, and has been ready to fight for the preservation of its statehood and restoration of its former security and stability in Syria. Russia have achieved great quick success in their airstrikes to enable Syria to keep sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. This will be a dream come true for many Syrians, and hope there will be no more disintegration to come. And that their nightmare is over.
25th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/831643
President al Assad is ready to hold early elections, only as soon as the civil war is over.
Lavrov said "We do not want to take into account specific interests of Bashar al-Assad, nor specific interests of the opposition. We want to take into account the interests of Syria. And it is important for Syria to have a peaceful environment; to end the war as soon as possible and not let the terrorists get a chance to seize power in Damascus, or in any other part of Syria. It has become more evident that Washington’s target is not to battle against the so-called Islamic State terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia programme, the U.S. refusal to coordinate the counter-terrorism campaign with Russia is "a big mistake".
The certainty of Russia’s goals in Syria is evident - the fight against IS terrorism. So the aim of our appeal to cooperate with the U.S. is also clear and it is the same - the fight against terrorism. The silence of the United States and its refusal to promote this cooperation with Russia make it clear for the international community that the struggle against Islamic State is not a goal for Washington. It is as clear as day that Washington has no interest in the annihilation of terrorists as it has failed in its mission to rid Syria of terrorists. Russia is very keen to help Syria get its country back, and at the request of the Syrian President.
26th October 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/831800
Extermination of terrorism will facilitate success of political processes in Syria - Assad.
12th November 2015
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3313472/Text-Russias-draft-proposals-Syrian-crisis.html
8 Point Plan of Russia's draft proposals on Syrian crisis published by Reuters. There will be a meeting in Vienna on the 14th November possibly to discuss these proposals. After reading these proposals, they sound very rational and reasonable.
14th November 2015
Talks have begun in Vienna with a meeting of foreign ministers about the civil war in Syria. It is a wake up call with the devastating shooting and bombing attacks in Paris. The opportunities for terror has spread in France, and has no doubt, that it is the responsibility of the terrorists belonging to the so called Islamist State.
I have always strongly condemned the terrorist attacks all around the world. The monstrous attacks are the real beginning, and we cannot be complacent or lax about security around Europe. Measures are needed to have tight security, ban guns and knives, framed metal detectors placed in entrances in big stores, concerts, theatres, stadiums etc including stop and search. The Paris attacks although not predicted, was bound to happen if terrorists are driven out of Syria, Libya and Iraq. They have nowhere to go so they pick France as the first country to attack.
It is very important to end the four year war, and we all must cast aside differences, and not be hung up about President al Assad. Our priority is to end all wars, and rid the world of terrorism, as terrorism has spread to Europe, it has made us resolute and stand up for the rule of law. It has helped firmly resolve the crises that we face making us work harder than ever to counter terrorism. It has made it all the more necessary for the international community to unite against extremism. The international community has to mean collective commitment to counter terrorism by casting aside differences etc.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836226
Putin has called on the international community to compile a single list of extremist organisations to make the fight against terrorism more effective.
http://tass.ru/en/world/836480
Multi-party ministerial talks on Syria end in Vienna with agreement.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836261
President Putin hopeful G20 will adopt document on terrorism and refugee crisis.
Russian Foreign Ministry said "We are indignant at the vile terrorist attack against civilians in the and strongly condemn another barbaric crime of extremists. The perpetrators and masterminds of this crime should be punished. This is another bloody attempt to disrupt civil peace and stir up interethnic discord in this friendly to Russia country. Once again we urge all forces in the Middle East and beyond, which are interested in the eradication of IS and other similar criminal organisations, to unite in a common counter-terrorism front on the universal international legal basis, in order to defeat the terrorists as soon as possible, and bring stability to the Middle East region".
The main solution to the refugee crisis is to enable the Syrians make the right strategic decision to return to their home country. It is imperative to restore peace and security, rebuild the economy and infrastructure and settlement, will help to defuse the issue of homelessness.
15th November 2015
http://www.syriaonline.sy/?f=Details&catid=12&pageid=19505
Terrorist attacks on Paris couldn't be separated from those of Beirut and events in Syria - Assad.
Syria was the last country overtaken by terrorists after Lebanon, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.
http://www.syriaonline.sy/?f=Details&catid=12&pageid=19513
Terrorist organisations mainly ISIS have no future and will end soon - Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah Party.
Some locals have returned to their homes in parts of Syria such as Al Hader, part of Aleppo and some areas conquered by the Russian and Syrian forces with the Kurds who captured Sinjar. A good sign to a new future.
Daesh fight overshadows al Assad removal. I would love to know what the political loopholes are as I like to solve them or try to.
18 month Syrian Transition Plan
The 18 month plan to establish a new Syrian government was called 'very challenging but possible' UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura said at a news conference in Vienna. 17 nations overcame their differences on how to end Syria's civil war and elect a new government by 2017.
A ceasefire should be in place within six months as so much progress has been made with Russian air strikes and Syrian Army.
Kerry said "It is time to deprive the terrorists of any single kilometer in which to hide. There can be no doubt that this crisis is not Syria's alone to bear". Russia have said something similar before with the aim to take all lands back from the terrorists to give back to the Syrian people.
Timeline for the peace plan;
- 1 month or by Dec 14 2015, Diplomats will reconvene to review progress
- Jan 1 2016, UN will seek to convene Syrian government and opposition in formal negotiations
- 6 months or by May 14 2016: Ceasefire between Syrian government and opposition groups, process for drafting new constitution
- 18 months or by May 14 2017: Free elections administered by UN held under the new constitution.
http://gulfnews.com/news/europe/uk/uk-muslims-seek-own-path-in-countering-terrorism-1.1620327
UK Muslims seek own path in countering terrorism. There are positive signs that people are seeking to liberate the world from terrorism including religious leaders of different denominations.
16th November 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836569
Terror attacks in Paris require united anti-terror front - Lavrov.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836839
Global anti-terror strategy priority for world parliaments - Russian MP.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836894
International anti-terror coalition is still possible - Putin.
We all have the determination to hold tight to the values of openness, tolerance and democracy. There is no way we cannot have the determination and resolve. We have to fight against this global evil of terrorism. Migrant rights should be stripped of their benefits, if migrants abuse their position, trust and putting lives at risk. We cannot have migrants have possession of firearms or knives, and they should be punished. Migrants with such criminality has no place in society. Measures have to be taken to make sure benefits are not spent on purchasing guns and knives.
http://tass.ru/en/world/836986
Terrorism sponsors to bear responsibility for Paris tragedy - Iran's Foreign Ministry. I agree with everything Iran has said, and I also did give a warning in my blog. No matter how kind the sponsors are, the terrorists will turn on them eventually. And why should we sponsor them anyway if the terrorists are evil?
http://tass.ru/en/opinions/836847
More tragedies to follow Paris massacre if humanity fails to present common front.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/836997
West irresponsible policy leads to strengthening of so calIed Islamic State. Statement also runs into that Russian lawmakers are calling on Parliaments all across the globe to spare no effort to form an international anti-terrorist coalition - Duma.
17th November 2015
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/russia-confirms-sinai-crash-was-the-work-of-terrorists/2015/11/17/496286f4-8d05-11e5-ae1f-af46b7df8483_story.html
First of all, I am sorry to hear about the confirmation of the Russian plane crash and offer my belated deep condolences and with pain and sorrow.
The terrorist group responsible is IS group Egyptian attiliate, Sinai province, Ansar Bait al Maqdis Salafist Jihadis group based in Egypt. And is a branch of ISIL - ISIL Sinai Province. It is an extremist terrorist group who swore an oath to Abu Bakr al Bagdadi, the leader of ISIL. Bagdadi is the leader who wanted revenge for the Russian airstrikes and gave the order to Ansar Bait al Maqdis to blow up the plane. The group have bombed the pipelines that carry gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan multiple times. They claimed responsibility for the attack on Israeli troops in September 2012, for the assassination attempt on the minister of interior Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa in September 2013, for an attack on a military intelligence building in Ismailia in October 2013, Cairo bombings in January 2014 and many more.
ISIL has territorial claims and international presence in Iraq and Syria, ISIL uses many of those countries' existing governorate boundaries to subdivide its claimed territory. It calls these divisions wilayah or provinces. As of June 2015, it had established official branches in Libya, Egypt [Sinai Peninsula], Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Algeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the North Caucasus. Outside Iraq and Syria, it controls territory only in Sinai, Afghanistan and Libya. ISIL also has members in Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Israel, but does not have official branches in those areas.
Abu Bakr al Bagdadi is also known as Amir al Mu'minin. As a caliphate, it has religious, political and military authority. He is also leader of Iraq. There are governorates of Ar Raqqah, Idlib, Deir ez dour and Aleppo. In Iraq, there are six mostly Sunni Arab governorates.
We have the Mujahideen Shura Council where all the ISIL meet in Iraq.
Khorasan Province in Iraq swore an oath to Bagdadi and JMA Chechen leader Abu Omar al Shishani [do not know if he is still alive] also swore an oath to Bagdadi.
Finances - oil revenues, sale of antiques and artifacts, taxation and exhortion, illegal drug trade, donations by Saudi Arabia and Gulf States who wants to support the Sunnis.
18th November 2015
Russia do have a right to self defence regarding the terrorist act on board the Metrojet as it is definitely an attack against Russia. The article of Article 51 of UN Charter envisages the right of individual or collective self defence for any attack in case of an attack against it. This is through available means such as political, military, security services, intelligence etc. The world should unite against financing of terrorist groups. Not only that financing the IS is a criminal activity, it is a crime to undermine Syria's financial and material base which makes the terrorist organisation stronger.
The geo-political consideration has to be taken seriously as ISIL caliphate requires ISIL to take over any country like Saudi Arabia as their legal right which by means any country would be helpless in the takeover from ISIL. Any Middle East country, especially Qatar who has bad relations with Russia, should not stoop so low as to try, and stop Russia take action against the evil terrorist organisation for their own means in order to try and rid Syria of Assad. Or try and use Syria for geo-political reasons or whatever.
Russia will have to be vigilant against threats and terrorism, even against Putin's life while annihilating terrorists from Syria's soil. In the first place Russia was protecting its own people from widespread terrorism which has already spread all over the world. Russia was also helping Syria to be rid of evil terrorists who have been doing all the dirty work for their Middle East sponsors. Attempts to weaken Assad will get nowhere as it is up to the Syrian people to vote against him, and besides it is in the Geneva communique not to remove Assad. No country, I repeat is allowed to remove Assad even they wanted to.
The Arab League or United Nations should have a meeting with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States to reason with them regarding financing and its consequences. And to tell them to back off, taking action against Russia [threats and murder of Russian citizens] for carrying out airstrikes against the evil terrorists which is vital to bring stability and restoration of Syria as a country. That as well. for other countries in the Middle East.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/837511
Creation of broad antiterrorist front is priority - Lavrov.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/us-egypt-crash-islamicstate-photo-idUSKCN0T725Q20151118#osP1EH64l8MKrWUr.97
IS shows photo of improvised Russian plan bomb and other photos.
http://tass.ru/en/defense/837584
Russia's warplanes in Syria start hunting and destroying IS tanker trucks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34855513
Air strikes on IS stronghold of Raqqa kill 33 militants.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27838034
Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps and graphs.
19th November 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/837661
Thank you President al Assad for giving your message loud and clear.
The terrorists would think that they can get away with any President stepping down with force. And they would think they would get away without consensus and elections. Consensus and elections are defeating terrorism, and is triumphant that terrorism is being defeated that way.
We hope President al Assad's message will get through to the West, and other countries in order that we do not hear any more about Assad's removal. So we can focus on defeating terrorism further to get rid of terrorists who are like cockroaches, and cleanse Syria of them.
Syria must be made safe and secure before the Syrians can return home to enable them to vote.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/837825
Russia has no information on who could attack A321 plane over Sinai.
I gave information at first instance a few days ago, that I am certain it is Ansar Bait al Maqdis. Whether you can confirm findings of the A321 plane crash without forensics, I do not know, but forensics will confirm when the terrorist is caught. Ansar bait al Maqdis has got headquarters in Sinai Peninsula. It has area of operations in the Gaza strip. The leaders being ten of them with recruiters who are Bedouins, Egyptians and people of different nationalities. They are either in the Sinai Peninsula, Western Egypt desert or in the Gaza Strip. They are reported to have escaped from Sinai to Gaza, and Marsa Matrouh as well as Cairo late 2013. Ansar Bait al Maqdis is the most active dangerous insurgent group with expanded operations in the Egypt Western desert who also support Brotherhood of Men. There were 1,000 - 2,000 before merger with ISIL. You will certainly find some Salfists in Gaza who was responsible for the rockets on Israel.
The three main leaders are Waleed Waked [POW], Mohamed Freg and Shadi el Manaei.
All this information I gave you since a few days ago. I hope this qualifies for reward.
21st November 2015
United Nations Security Council of 15 members have unanimously adopted a resolution. It has been agreed that ISIL constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security. The council resolution 'calls upon member states that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures on the territory under the control of ISIL in Syria and Iraq'. It also urges states to intensify efforts to stem the flow of foreigners looking to fight with ISIL, and to prevent and suppress financing of terrorism. The UN approval of international military campaigns combating ISIL is an extraordinary same meeting of minds, and it is an historic milestone in countering terrorism. Countries coordinating military activities with Syria would become effective and efficient, and would progress to attaining peace if there were joint efforts. The resolution has brought the international community closer together, and focus on countering terrorism. Now that the international community is more united than ever. It also helps to put great pressure on terrorists when they know that all world leaders are against them.
Work has already begun in countering terrorism and funding etc by countries as some have dismantled IS cells. Russia have done a great deal within so short a time with their airstrikes making so much progress in destroying everything that ISIL owns. Russia will continue to do so until there is nothing left of terrorists and anything they own.
If there was no religion, there would be no war. If there was no government, there would be no war etc. But we need them all, and we need civilisation, history and culture as well. Most of all we need principles and values, morals and ethics etc which will always be part of our lives.
22nd November 2015
I am sorry to hear about the deaths of Russian Nationals in Mali. The threat from terrorists is felt around the world. Support in the struggle against such security with challenges as international terrorism and extremism is extremely needed. Framework security principles is needed to coordinating with all countries as an effective fight against terrorism, to consolidate anti-terror position of all countries. We need to build joint work to fight against terrorists. Architecture of equal and indivisible security is imperative for the whole world.
Rifts between some countries is evident where terrorists have taken over disabling democracy. Stability and sustainable development are seriously threatened by conflicts, terrorism and criminality. The main factors for the destabilisation of the world are that terrorists are introducing evil of many manifestations motivated by greed [oil revenues], to use opportunities to seize lands, to have power, the thrill of firing guns, being bloodthirsty and not have democracy in any forms.
The terrorists could be taking advantage of backward countries where only a little of democracy is left. Some backward countries who do not meet international standards in politics and humanitarian needs, who do not know what democracy and human rights really mean, needs help.
It is these backward countries that needs help with the architectural framework of doing trade, bring economic growth, security and many more. Without these architectural frameworks such as the Eurasian Union, [so glad that EU got the common sense to think about this], there is no such collective cooperation. They become unequal and divisive creating poverty or more poverty with no facilities.
It has to be a global effort in the fight against evil in many manifestations to restore civilisation all around the world and bring peace. There has got to be global democracy where each country does act in the interests of that country, and not against it. There is no democracy if one is against it, or not use it for the good.
Going against everything by using evil in many manifestations, leads to collapse and breakdowns sending ripples around the world. This destroys the architecture of democracy. There is no such thing as exporting democracy, unless it is a replicated democracy that holds true values and fundamentals of our society.
Where evil in many manifestations are, there will always be regimes and power changes.
25th November 2015
I agree with President Putin condemning the downing of a Russian jet over the Syrian border There is no justification in destroying the Russian jet as it costs money, and is a valuable asset used for fighting against terrorism.
Turkey could have given a warning that a jet would be downed. Turkey did not give a warning, and did not make it clear to Russia that it did not want it to be one kilometre from the Syrian - Turkish borders.
Even though Russian planes did not threaten Turkish territory in any way, and had no intention of straying into Turkish airspace. Turkey's move to shoot down the Russian bomber is done with a variety of reasons including political ones.
President Putin said that the plane crashed in Syrian territory near the village of Yamadi, four kilometres from the Turkish border while the attack took place when the bomber was one kilometer from the Turkish border inside Syrian airspace. There have been tensions between Russia and Turkey. Turkey was not happy about the operation of Russia's air force in Syria against terrorist forces as it has been pressing for the resignation of President al Assad.
Turkey have accused Russia of attacking Turkomen or Turkmen villages who presently got a private war fighting against Assad regime. Turkomen or Turkmen are Syria's third largest ethnic group that has the backing of Turkey. There is proof that Turkish President Erdogan's son is involved in oil smuggling schemes.
Turkey hates Assad and his government, and does not want it to stay in power. Turkey had its own economic interests in Turkey. Crude oil and oil products from Syria had been pouring in a a steady flow so the bombing raids of oil tankers would upset Turkey as the supply would be disrupted, and also have no supplies of oil.
Turkey have asked for NATO's protection before, when terrorists overtook Kobani, and they were concerned about the borders. Turkey asked for extension of the borders by more than one kilometres. There seem to be an aggravation of relations between Russia and Turkey while Russia was trying not to have fallen victim to the internal political situation in Turkey.
President Erdogan feels that problems inside the country are going out of control regarding terrorism which is really his fault as he is a bad decision maker. And is not really doing anything to counter terrorism. Turkey does not seem to take terrorism seriously. It was a planned provocation downing Russian's plane, and it will not stop Russia from carrying out airstrikes against terrorists in many manifestations, and to stop funding for terrorists who are getting oil and oil revenues which is stolen property of Syria..
The Russian authorities are prepared to fundamentally reconsider relations with Turkey, until recently was a rather close partner. It is very difficult for them to agree on countering terrorism at this stage. Russia can only help Turkey see reason and avoid any misunderstandings. Turkey must try and improve communications with Russia stating what they want and do not want to avoid any more attacks on Russian's bombers. The issue of terrorism will not go away without Russia's help.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/839086
Turkish leadership purposefully supports Islamisation of country.
http://tass.ru/en/defense/839304
Surviving pilot of Russia's plane rules out Turkey airspace violation.
http://tass.ru/en/world/839354
CSTO considers Turkey's attack on Russia's warplane violation of international law.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/canada-nato-envoy-says-russia-not-communicating-prior-to-jet-downing-353853011.html
Canada NATO envoy says Russia is not communicating prior to jet downing. Ambassador said Russia needs to join Western forces in attacking ISIL instead of Turkmen who they think is moderate opposition. Says Moscow should make defeating ISIL more of a priority. They are so wrong and told lies, because Daily Mail has got evidence of a video of what Turkmen did to Russian air force.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3333117/Downed-Russian-pilot-picked-Syrian-army-envoy.html
This is a very comprehensive story with lots of photographs by The Daily Mail proving Turkmen rebels are not moderate. They are claiming to have shot and killed one of the pilots of the Russian jet and attempted to kill co-pilot. Turkmen rebels have released a video cheering and chanting 'Allah Akbar'. More videos have been made as well as stated in this press. Does not seem like Turkmen rebels are moderate to me. They also destroyed the helicopter Mi8 and killed a marine soldier. That is extreme.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/25/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-erdogan-idUSKBN0TE0QT20151125#kQku8QHBgC0CdoPC.97
Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing. Putin gave a warning to Turkey not to shoot down any more planes or there will be consequences. Turkey lied when they said they gave warnings, as there is no concrete proof. Peskov said Russia was forced to fly missions close to turkish border where militants tends to be located. Russian operations will continue. Russia has got a job to do, and must finish it to get rid of terrorists. I insist Turkey should communicate and be cooperative in the fight against terrorism.
26th November 2015
http://tass.ru/en/politics/839500
Turkey's treacherous stab in the back unexplainable - Putin.
While we are trying to get joint efforts and cooperation in annihilating the terrorists. It is not good enough to go into it without being fully committed to it. We have to be fully committed with a full heart and not being half hearted.
The fight against terrorism is very important because we do not want a false and poisonous Islamist State. We are fighting because we want to save true and genuine Islam and Christianity. We do not want to see the true and genuine Islam or Christianity destroyed by jihadists and extremists.
The armed criminals doing illegal trade, land grabbing etc are threatening global peace and security, and is using false religion as an excuse to overthrow Syrian government. Turkey is undermining international efforts in the fight against evil by protecting some terrorists.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/839561
Turkey are clearly accomplices in terrorism.
27th November 2015
https://www.rt.com/news/323603-isis-oil-smuggling-turkey/
Commercial scale 'oil smuggling into Turkey becomes priority target of anti-ISIL strikes.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-25/meet-man-who-funds-isis-bilal-erdogan-son-turkeys-president
Meet the man who funds ISIS who is Bilal Erdogan.
ISIL gunmen receive weapons from Turkey - Syria FM.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/840018
Russia ready to coordinate steps to block Turkish - Syrian border - FM.
http://tass.ru/en/world/839917
Syrian army makes considerable progress thanks to Russian air support - Syrian FM.
29th November 2015
Since the downing of Su 24 bomber, we have uncovered the dastardly deeds of Turkey. Turkey has revealed it wants a new Ottoman Empire which is a motive for assisting terrorism. Turkey's assisting terrorism is a lot deeper problem than we thought for Europe and the world. But Turkey have betrayed the Muslims and Christians, and abused their trust by not supporting true and genuine Islam and Christianity.
Turkey have caused security problems for Europe already, by trying to deliver guns made in Turkey without authorisation, and with the intent of spreading terrorism. Like Russia, Europe should impose restrictive measures on Turkey protecting national security and national interests of their own citizens from criminal and other other illegal activities. Cross borders and Seaports needs to be monitored for smuggling, stolen goods and illegal immigration. I very rarely talk about illegal immigration, but got to talk about visa free trips.
Europe have made a huge mess in organising mass migration from war torn countries. There should never have been visa free trips in the first place, as it is open to migrants who think it is free for all. It was a terrible mistake not to have a data of applied visas to keep track of who the individual is and where they are going. Migrants waiting at the office for permission to move abroad, and leaving them lying on the roads or pavements in appalling weather conditions for days on end are unacceptable. Migrants have walked more miles than they should, as they were shunted from one country to another country. Europe should follow Russia's example to suspend visa free trips. The suspension of visa free trips also helps to use restrictive measures on terrorism, smuggling, stolen goods as well as people trafficking.
Relations with Turkey have been so badly damaged, and with more revelations on its close links with terrorism, smuggling, stolen goods [oil, artefacts etc]. Repairing relations with Turkey will not take place until we have annihilated all terrorists and jihadists, and Syria is restored with a new government. It is then Turkey will realise, and will change its attitude, that there never can be a new Ottoman Empire. Turkey will not dare incur the wrath of Russia further if it persist, as it could end up with Turkey v Russia war.
30th November 2015
http://tass.ru/en/world/840255
So called ISIL political wrap for enormous oil, currency, arms, cultural heritage objects, donor organs and slave trade - Spokesman for Russian Investigative Committee.
http://sputniknews.com/world/20151130/1030972345/ankara-refugees-agreement-media.html
EU signing dirty deal with Turkey is out of line with international law breaching human rights. Visa free deal with Turkey is as a form of collective insanity. It could mean the end of Europe.
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151128/1030914162/merkel-erdogan-deal.html
Deal between Merkel and Erdogan will be end of Europe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_arrested_journalists_in_Turkey
This is a list of so many arrested journalists in Turkey on anti-state charges. Those who are arrested, jailed or beheaded is not in line with European Convention on Human Rights or the case-law of ECHR. This wikipedia give full details on what is law for journalists and a long list of names with locations of imprisonment etc.
I ask the United Nations to intervene, that journalists have a right to freedom of speech, and to print only the truth. I ask the United Nations that all journalists all over the world have immunity from governments, and that any action taken against journalists is a higher crime condemning them to long sentencing and death. Also that while journalists have immunity, any complaints must be investigated by a high authority to dish out any punishment such as abuse of freedom of speech as in the United Nations Charter and resolution etc. We cannot have any government punish any journalists they like without justice.
http://tass.ru/en/politics/840500
Russia has grounds to suspect Russian plane was downed to secure oil deliveries.
http://tass.ru/en/world/840520
Erdogan says ready to resign if claims about Turkey's buying oil from IS are confirmed.
Russia recently received additional reports that confirm that oil from IS territories is delivered to the territory of Turkey on an industrial scale - Putin. There have been many reports that God knows who is living off oil wells illegally seized by IS - Lavrov.
3rd December 2015
There is no place for terrorists, extremists and jihadis in this world. The government in Syria and its oppositions members have publicly declared them to be wrongdoing and evil. Some countries have also declared against this wrongdoing and evil against any form of violence and extremism. Other countries at some point have to reach consent on the future of their countries.
Protecting terrorists, extremists and jihadis cannot be justified. The UN Security Council have condemned violence and extremism, and called for countries not to provide assistance, funding, supplying arms, granting of asylum and engagement of business operations such as oil.
Some countries supporting wrongdoing and evil is obstructing the fight against terrorists and extremism. And they are allowing the spread of such wrongdoing and evil with consequences. It also makes it harder and slower for countries already involved in fighting against such wrongdoing and evil.
Turkey have lost credibility, and does not denounce terrorists, extremists and jihadis. Turkey may have been the centre hub of terrorism for Iraq, and Libya as well as Syria, knowing that Turkey wants a new Ottoman Empire. We know some countries have bought illegal cheap oil from Turkey, and they have profited from selling oil at a higher price to other countries.
Countries should denounce any politician as morally corrupt, who has dealings doing wrongdoing and evil.
Until we can defeat terrorism in all forms and manifestations with total unison of all countries in cooperation and coordination. There can never be peace.
11th January 2016
Jihadist group receives lavish amounts of money from Saudi Arabia and Qatar and modern weaponry from 120 countries around the world.
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160111/1032922125/iran-saudi-resolve-syria-crisis.html
Iran will not allow provocations from Saudi Arabia to adversely effect its efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis. Saudi Arabia has come down to earth with a bump with domestic problems due to falling oil prices. Saudis who were accustomed to wealth, have made the mistake of depending on oil to prop up their economy for a very long time. The only country to depend on oil instead of finding economy elsewhere such as taxes or other sources of income.
12th January 2016
This is what I have in mind for Ukraine which could benefit Syria if Syria wants to make changes to the constitution. I am sure a huge majority of Syrians would be in favour of a Legislative Body [Assembly] with group of legislators who are law abiding citizens and MPs. They would be meeting for a common ground purpose putting ideas and opinions together to create a new constitution. And be free to have discussions. These would include a group of religious and political people to remind each other of values and principles. They would be united in a freedom of assembly regardless of their race, creed and ethnicity and so on.
The population Syria would not want a stiff, stern and stuffy atmosphere of politics where there is no freedom of speech, and where there are no open minded politics. They would not want to be in opposition all the time for fear of being bullied to take sides. It is better not to have opposition, but maybe one or two people can, possibly Clerics. MPs must have a genuine interest in the people, and not being in opposition would remove the barriers of negativities.
There will still have to be dress code and behaviour code to follow as long they are decent. They can have freedom of speech as long it is not abused [rudeness, swearing, expletives etc]. It would be great to have MPs [who are Syrian citizens] of different nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, histories etc to make up the assembly to decide the future of Syria. This new legislative body would help modernise Syria and also modernise politics and religion.
I have not had the chance to peruse the points of the Syrian plan regarding constitution so may get back to you on that one to help Intra-Syrian conference for tomorrow.
The text of the eight-point proposal, titled "Approach to the Settlement of the Syrian Crisis", drawn up by Moscow before international talks on Syria tomorrow.
1. List ISIL (Islamic State) as a terrorist organisation by the UNSC (U.N. Security Council).
2. Agree on the additional list of terrorist groups.
3. Adopt a UNSC resolution in support of the efforts against ISIL and other terrorist groups, providing legal framework for cooperation of all participants of counter-terrorist actions among themselves and with respective governments.
4. Block channels of supply of ISIL and other terrorist groups; stop illegal trade in oil by ISIL in accordance with UNSCR 2199; prevent control of oil fields by terrorists.
5. When considering the issue of a ceasefire in Syria, operations against ISIL and other terrorist groups must be excluded.
6. Launch under the auspices of the UN special envoy political process on the basis of the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012 between the Syrian Government and a united delegation of the opposition groups. The composition of the opposition delegation has to be agreed beforehand, including on the basis of readiness of respective groups to share the goals of preventing terrorists from coming to power in Syria and of ensuring sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Syria, as well as secular and democratic character of the state.
7. The Syrian parties at the proposed conference are invited to agree on the following steps.
- Launch a constitutional reform, to take up to 18 months, to guarantee sustainable security and fair balance of interests, rights and obligations of all ethnic and confessional groups in structures of powers and state institutions.
- For the purpose, to form a constitutional commission to embrace the entire spectrum of the Syrian society, including domestic and outside opposition. The president of Syria will not chair the constitutional commission; a candidature of its head will be agreed by all the participants.
- Draft constitution will be submitted to a popular referendum. After its approval an early presidential elections will be called.
- Parliamentary elections planned to take place in the spring of 2016, will be, in the light of a constitutional reform, postponed and will be held simultaneously with the presidential election on the basis of the new constitution of Syria.
- Syrian Government will be formed on the basis of a party/electoral block which receives a majority of the popular vote and will possess full executive authority.
- Popularly elected president of Syria will have the functions of commander-in-chief of the armed forces, control of special services and foreign policy.
8. Convene a Syrian Support Group (SSG) to help prepare the conference and assist Syrian parties during its work in reaching a mutual consent. The SSG could include members of P-5, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Iraq, Lebanon, Germany, Italy, UN Special Envoy, Arab League and OIC, European Union.
I agree that IS or ISIL should be listed as a terrorist organisation. That there should be a list of terrorist groups working with or without IS or ISIL preferably called Daesh. Adopt a resolution to counter terrorism and providing legal framework for cooperation against terrorism. [That may already have been in place]. Block all channels of supply, stop illegal trade, and prevent control of oil fields. Ceasefire will happen when towns, villages and cities have been claimed back from Daesh and other terrorist groups. Point six could be reviewed and perused to an article I wrote on constitution today [above] about shaping the future of Syria. Not sure about needing a referendum after I wrote the article on constitution. Elections can be done anytime when the government and the people are ready, depending how long it takes to get the ballot papers ready and so forth. Syrian government to be formed on the basis of law abiding citizens. The new President of Syria to have function in Commander of chief, control of special services and foreign policy if he or she is fit for offices of function keeping in mind not to abuse these offices of function or to abuse trust and is clear that there is no military solution. The government must be free to dismiss or sack the President of Syria for not carrying such out duties. The President of Syria must be able to ensure all Syrian citizens are kept safe and secure and give them quality of life just above poverty.
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