Kurdistan

[Kagemusha]

Look Monty Germans also trained the first forces of independent Finland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4ger_Movement

We have ever since yet to win a single war and likely never will. I blame the krauts.

[Husar]

Maybe. But I think you realized, I was being pedantic specifically regarding

It's a weakness.

Yes, I wasn't entirely serious with my original statement, but your points are still valid and I didn't think too much about it at first.
It's a weakness.

Look Monty Germans also trained the first forces of independent Finland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4ger_Movement

We have ever since yet to win a single war and likely never will. I blame the krauts.

If that happened in 1914, maybe it was bad training by design...

[Gilrandir]

So unless anyone wants to claim that German army training turns fighters into militia rabble ( ), I doubt that is what they are now.

Then the Afghan National Army should be among the best fighting forces in the world right now, having been trained by the US military for 15 years.

Perhaps Germans are better at training locals?

[Pannonian]

Perhaps Germans are better at training locals?

From what I've heard the Germans aren't very good at training the locals in Germany.

[Gilrandir]

From what I've heard the Germans aren't very good at training the locals in Germany.

You mean the ones that became locals a couple of odd months ago?

[Pannonian]

You mean the ones that became locals a couple of odd months ago?

You wot?

[Gilrandir]

You wot?

The immigrants aka refugees aka intruders aka nuisance aka the reason why Brexit should happen asap.

[Pannonian]

The immigrants aka refugees aka intruders aka nuisance aka the reason why Brexit should happen asap.

I was talking about the Bundeswehr, which is notoriously bloated and inefficient.

[Kagemusha]

I was talking about the Bundeswehr, which is notoriously bloated and inefficient.

I bet that is for the best for everybody...

[Kagemusha]

Apparently new clashes have broken out between Iraqi and Kurdish forces at several locations including: Rabiah, Mahmudiya and Makhmour. It seems that the Iraqi forces have been stopped by Peshmerga at all three locations.

[Kadagar_AV]

In all fairness, let us remember that Kurdish women did more and before - anything the west ever did to stop IS.

The Kurds are, like, the only ARAB ethnic group to be non-muslim, and they have endured vs Islam for ages.

Personally I respect any kurdish woman at the front more than I do the western combined military forces.

[Crandar]

Not sure if trolling or being serious.

Anyway, Kurds are not Arabs, their language (Indo-European) doesn't even belong to the same family of Arabic (Semitic), Kurds are Muslims (in average, Turkish Kurds are more religious than the rest of the population) and the women Kurdish fighters belong to the YPG not to the forces of Iraqi Kurdistan, which has hostile relations with the Kurds of Syria.

In other news:

[Husar]

http://www.institutkurde.org/en/inst..._the_kurds.php

Having put up fierce resistance to the Arabo-Muslim invasions, the Kurds ended up joining Islam, without, as a result, becoming Arabized.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440

Today, they form a distinctive community, united through race, culture and language, even though they have no standard dialect. They also adhere to a number of different religions and creeds, although the majority are Sunni Muslims.

http://www.differencebetween.net/mis...s-and-arabs-2/

Both ethnic groups have their own distinct languages. Arabs have the Arabic language, together with a numerical system. Kurds, meanwhile, speak Kurdish.
Kurds are often the minority ethnic group in any country they find settlement (aside from Kurdistan) while Arabs tend to be the major ethnic group in the same area. This results in clashes between the two ethnic groups in those areas.

Totally with you on respecting women in general.

[Kadagar_AV]

wrote stuff

My bad, they are genetically from the same breed as Iranians, closest to Europeans in that region.

With those genes it's no wonder they put up a fight, and a good one at it.

*Yepp, I so totally 100% did this as a mental mine*

[Gilrandir]

Anyway, Kurds are not Arabs, their language (Indo-European) doesn't even belong to the same family of Arabic (Semitic)

While I agree on the stated fact I would caution against making conclusions about ethnic kinship on the grounds of the languages belonging to the same family. For example, Hungarians are totally European in their appearance, but their language is cognate to those used by Syberians ethnicities (Khanty and Mansi) whose appearance is more of the Mongol type.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

My bad, they are genetically from the same breed as Iranians, closest to Europeans in that region.

With those genes it's no wonder they put up a fight, and a good one at it.

*Yepp, I so totally 100% did this as a mental mine*

There is ZIP connecting genes with fighting ability, aside from basic physical characteristics. The relevance of cultural values to fighting ability is quite significant, but culture (however deeply ingrained) is a social construct not a genetic trait.


Though I have heard some USA ex-soldiers wondering if there WERE a gene running through the German portion of the genome that made Germans skilled as panzertruppen, since they were far too good in wargames against the USA given their lack of training time in comparison to USA tankers and armored infantry.

[Kadagar_AV]

There is ZIP connecting genes with fighting ability, aside from basic physical characteristics. The relevance of cultural values to fighting ability is quite significant, but culture (however deeply ingrained) is a social construct not a genetic trait.


Though I have heard some USA ex-soldiers wondering if there WERE a gene running through the German portion of the genome that made Germans skilled as panzertruppen, since they were far too good in wargames against the USA given their lack of training time in comparison to USA tankers and armored infantry.

There is an engineer in all Germans, more or less.

That is what I love about Austria, An Austrian is basically what you get when you remove the rod from a Germans arse.

Same discipline and stuff, just way more relaxed.

As soon as warfare became "systematic" and about engineering, it's no wonder Germans excelled at it.

[Kagemusha]

Iraq forces have resumed their attacks at multiple locations around the Northern Nineveh province. Iraqi forces claim 8 captured Peshmerga. Peshmerga forces claim to have destroyed 2 tanks,3 Humwees and 1 armored Badger vehicle.

[Kagemusha]

Apparently Kurdish forces have held their ground and stopped all the attacks made by Iraqi forces again. Lots and lots conflicting information as always.

Here is a good article about what happened today:

http://theregion.org/article/11854-p...peace-offering

[Gilrandir]

I heard that Barzani resigned. Can't find English language sources on it, though.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Apparently Kurdish forces have held their ground and stopped all the attacks made by Iraqi forces again. Lots and lots conflicting information as always.

Here is a good article about what happened today:

http://theregion.org/article/11854-p...peace-offering

oopsie....

unless the Catalans are bringing in peshmerga troops for an assist?

[Kagemusha]

I heard that Barzani resigned. Can't find English language sources on it, though.

Yes. That is true. He did not extend his presidency any further and is stepping down 1st of November. I think this is a good thing for Kurdistan in the long run. He has been in power for very long time already and dictatorship allegations have been flying around for quite a while.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/1...161347180.html

[Crandar]

The power remains in the dynasty. The really positive side is that Barzani's son is upset that his cousin received the most, so the ensuing "civil war" among the clan may result in their collapse.

"Protesters" controlled by the disgruntled son invaded the parliament and attacked violently MPs and journalists, as a show against the nephew of Barzani.

[Kagemusha]

The power remains in the dynasty. The really positive side is that Barzani's son is upset that his cousin received the most, so the ensuing "civil war" among the clan may result in their collapse.

"Protesters" controlled by the disgruntled son invaded the parliament and attacked violently MPs and journalists, as a show against the nephew of Barzani.

Hopefully the Barzani boys will screw up like the Talabani boys did, but of course hopefully with less of an negative impact. I agree that these warlord dynasties have to go if any real progress is to be made.

It is interesting to see who will be the next president. I think one good option would be this fellow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosrat_Rasul_Ali
He didnt seem to be part of the Talabani boys plot over Kirkuk with Iran and seems to be in quite good terms also with KDP. He seems to have quite large popularity with the general population as well.