The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[celedhring]

A couple of kurds run one of my favorite kebab spots in downtown Barcelona, I hope they are sending my hard-earned 5€ to the peshmergas. I will even order extra chick pea salad next time.

[mongers]

A couple of kurds run one of my favorite kebab spots in downtown Barcelona, I hope they are sending my hard-earned 5€ to the peshmergas. I will even order extra chick pea salad next time.

Yeah, as a community they deserve a break;  I think it's time they formalised themselves as an independent state* . Which we should then recognise.



* I don't think it's up to the West to do that or define it, given the historic problem of having set out previous borders there.

[DGuller]

A couple of kurds run one of my favorite kebab spots in downtown Barcelona, I hope they are sending my hard-earned 5€ to the peshmergas. I will even order extra chick pea salad next time.

Yeah, as a community they deserve a break;  I think it's time they formalised themselves as an independent state* . Which we should then recognise.



* I don't think it's up to the West to do that or define it, given the historic problem of having set out previous borders there.

Yeah, now that Turkey is going full retard, my sympathies are fully with the Kurds.  Maybe if they get their own country, it will be just another Stan, but I think that they deserve to have a go at it.

[KRonn]

A couple of kurds run one of my favorite kebab spots in downtown Barcelona, I hope they are sending my hard-earned 5€ to the peshmergas. I will even order extra chick pea salad next time.

Yeah, as a community they deserve a break;  I think it's time they formalised themselves as an independent state* . Which we should then recognise.



* I don't think it's up to the West to do that or define it, given the historic problem of having set out previous borders there.

Agreed on that. Correct this mistake of omission made in dividing up nations after the collapse of the Ottoman empire.

[KRonn]

No surprise that their brutality is provoking people to desperate measures:

Interesting, to see at least some small or beginning resistance to ISIS. I guess we shouldn't be surprised given the brutality and barbarity of ISIS that others are starting to hit back hard.

[Admiral Yi]

Prisoner swap has been proposed.  Downed Jordanian pilot for some failed suicide bomber chick held by the Jordanians.  I think IS gave a deadline of tomorrow sundown local time to agree (comply?).

[alfred russel]

Can someone explain why Turkey doesn't seem on board with the ISIS hate?

[jimmy olsen]

Can someone explain why Turkey doesn't seem on board with the ISIS hate?

They hate Assad more.

[Jacob]

Yeah, without any specific insight I'd guess that to the degree Turkey doesn't mind the ISIS, it's down to the ISIS messing with groups and people Turkey likes even less.

[jimmy olsen]

Kurds are advancing on Mosul and ISIS has responded by launching attacks on Kirkuk.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/30/middleeast/isis-attack/

[derspiess]

Please don't taint them, Tim.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah, without any specific insight I'd guess that to the degree Turkey doesn't mind the ISIS, it's down to the ISIS messing with groups and people Turkey likes even less.

There is also a strong jihadi element in parts of Turkey, previously they were very present in Chechnya, now Syria.

Kobane looks like maybe the Stalingrad of the Kurds.

[The Brain]

Yeah, without any specific insight I'd guess that to the degree Turkey doesn't mind the ISIS, it's down to the ISIS messing with groups and people Turkey likes even less.

There is also a strong jihadi element in parts of Turkey, previously they were very present in Chechnya, now Syria.

Kobane looks like maybe the Stalingrad of the Kurds.

His music sucked anyway.

[Eddie Teach]

Coming from a Lady Gaga fan. 

[KRonn]

Good to see the Kurds freeing Kobani, and making some progress against ISIL. They're really about the only strong ground force able to fight against them as yet. Loved seeing the female fighters in that picture. I read some accounts by Kurdish women fighting; pretty impressive.