ISIS on the offensive in Iraq

**Tuuvi** · 10-02-2015, 04:08

Erdogan has been bombing the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist group and has been fighting a guerrilla war against Turkey. The Syrian Kurds have been mostly left alone.

**Brenus** · 10-02-2015, 06:41

Somehow I agree with Gilrandir, but I don't think it is just a smokescreen.

In taking part actively in Syria, Putin obliged other countries to determine their policies in conjunction with his. He regained (or gained) the centre point in negotiation and obliged USA to reconsider their stance.
He gave the signal to USA that they are not any more free to bomb, he can do it as well.
Considering there is a meeting today about Ukraine, he will have some political advantage in showing how he has the capacity to intervene.
He showed to CIA that he can hit their "protégés", even better he showed CIA's "protégés" they are not any more out of target.

Now, former USSR was supporting Kurdish fighters in the 50-60's. I don't know if this will or have an impact on Putin's political/geo-strategical decisions.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 10-02-2015, 14:15

Originally Posted by rvg

I disagree. Kurds, while very willing to secede from Syria, have absolutely no interest in dethroning Assad. They mind their own business and stay in Kurdish areas. Since they are no threat to Assad's regime, Russia is unlikely to touch them.

The Kurds set a bad precedent for similar Muslim groups in Russia.

Originally Posted by Tuuvi

Erdogan has been bombing the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist group and has been fighting a guerrilla war against Turkey. The Syrian Kurds have been mostly left alone.

Well, the PKK are not all that easy to separate from the Syrian Kurds they are operating with - Turkey is carrying out bombings in Syria against the PKK, which means they're bombing the Syrian Kurd too. Turkey has the same problem as Russia, the Kurds set a bad precedent.