Middle East Conflict Megathread (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, etc)

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Not very far from few Sunni Muslim communities, though. I know there are few who kind of...well, like that.

There are Sunni groups that do condemn non-Sunnis or even Sunnis that do not hold to their viewpoints yes. But again, it's an over generalization. Not all Sunnis go out and takfir people.

There are all sorts of people among Sunnis and Shias, really.

Yes, true enough.

[MERIZoC]

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge about Kurdish, but why their chance would be zero solid if they siding with Assad and Russia?

Assad has made it clear on several occasions that he won't tolerate any Kurdish break-away separatism on his authority. For the Kurds, siding with Assad would simply mean returning to the Status Quo Ante, which is the opposite of what the SDF wants.

TEV-DEM has made it clear it is not interested in separatism

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Assad has made it clear on several occasions that he won't tolerate any Kurdish break-away separatism on his authority. For the Kurds, siding with Assad would simply mean returning to the Status Quo Ante, which is the opposite of what the SDF wants.

TEV-DEM has made it clear it is not interested in separatism

So...more like an autonomous status? That seems a little bit better. I say little bit, because of course there are still voices of full independence.

[Aulus Maximus]

TEV-DEM has made it clear it is not interested in separatism

So...more like an autonomous status? That seems a little bit better. I say little bit, because of course there are still voices of full independence.

AFAIK TEV-DEM wants a federalization of Syria with Rojava having an own state constitution.

[Socialist Czechia]

So...more like an autonomous status? That seems a little bit better. I say little bit, because of course there are still voices of full independence.

AFAIK TEV-DEM wants a federalization of Syria with Rojava having an own state constitution.

And Assad is surely not a such optimistic fool (after almost decade of civil war) to expect simple return to status quo, just like that.
Reforms will be necessary, whether he likes it or not. So, Kurds and the government should find solution possible for both sides.

Because compromise is, when neither side is happy.

[The Sauganash Union]

Is there any particular reason why American foreign policy seems to oppose Arab nationalist and Shia dictatorships because of their oppressiveness, but is totally okay with the even more oppressive Sunni Gulf states?

[Aulus Maximus]

Is there any particular reason why American foreign policy seems to oppose Arab nationalist and Shia dictatorships because of their oppressiveness, but is totally okay with the even more oppressive Sunni Gulf states?

Oil

[Socialist Czechia]

Is there any particular reason why American foreign policy seems to oppose Arab nationalist and Shia dictatorships because of their oppressiveness, but is totally okay with the even more oppressive Sunni Gulf states?

Duh, because there is a lot more Sunnis than Shias. Realpolitik.

It's funny though, that Islamic Republic of Iran is considered a total evil, since Khamenei's paradise is still incredibly democratic compared to nightmarish oppression of Wahhabist regime.

[Aulus Maximus]

Is there any particular reason why American foreign policy seems to oppose Arab nationalist and Shia dictatorships because of their oppressiveness, but is totally okay with the even more oppressive Sunni Gulf states?

Duh, because there is a lot more Sunnis than Shias. Realpolitik.

It's funny though, that Islamic Republic of Iran is considered a total evil, since Khamenei's paradise is still incredibly democratic compared to nightmarish oppression of Wahhabist regime.

Iran also has a bigger lobby to elimenate Israel from the map than Saudi Arabia does. This might be the reason as well.

[Socialist Czechia]

Duh, because there is a lot more Sunnis than Shias. Realpolitik.

It's funny though, that Islamic Republic of Iran is considered a total evil, since Khamenei's paradise is still incredibly democratic compared to nightmarish oppression of Wahhabist regime.

Iran also has a bigger lobby to elimenate Israel from the map than Saudi Arabia does. This might be the reason as well.

if I remember correctly (oh, I do), Wahhabists bought ballistic missiles from PRC some decades ago and had northern missile base (you can figure out why).
And actually also tried to get nuclear warhead (although Wahhabists rather tried to buy some not develop it)-

[Aulus Maximus]

Iran also has a bigger lobby to elimenate Israel from the map than Saudi Arabia does. This might be the reason as well.

if I remember correctly (oh, I do), Wahhabists bought ballistic missiles from PRC some decades ago and had northern missile base (you can figure out why).
And actually also tried to get nuclear warhead (although Wahhabists rather tried to buy some not develop it)-

Saudi Arabia develops drones together with Israel and sells them to said country through technology from South Africa. They don't have official ties but they do a lot of things behind the curtain. Israel often said that Saudi Arabia is a guarantee of stability of the Middle East as well. It isn't a lie as well that they have a common goal against Iran as well.

[Socialist Czechia]

if I remember correctly (oh, I do), Wahhabists bought ballistic missiles from PRC some decades ago and had northern missile base (you can figure out why).
And actually also tried to get nuclear warhead (although Wahhabists rather tried to buy some not develop it)-

Saudi Arabia develops drones together with Israel and sells them to said country through technology from South Africa. They don't have official ties but they do a lot of things behind the curtain. Israel often said that Saudi Arabia is a guarantee of stability of the Middle East as well. It isn't a lie as well that they have a common goal against Iran as well.

I am just saying, that not so long ago, before Islamic Republic was declared an enemy of the world, Wahhabists had some bombic plans involving Jews too

[Baltenstein]

Saudi Arabia develops drones together with Israel and sells them to said country through technology from South Africa. They don't have official ties but they do a lot of things behind the curtain. Israel often said that Saudi Arabia is a guarantee of stability of the Middle East as well. It isn't a lie as well that they have a common goal against Iran as well.

I am just saying, that not so long ago, before Islamic Republic was declared an enemy of the world, Wahhabists had some bombic plans involving Jews too

And Israel was one of the very, very few countries that supported Iran against Iraq back during the First Gulf War, because they thought they would make a good counter-weight against Saddam. Everybody double-crosses everybody in the Middle East, nothing new here.

[Chikotsu]

TEV-DEM has made it clear it is not interested in separatism

So...more like an autonomous status? That seems a little bit better. I say little bit, because of course there are still voices of full independence.

really it's bound up in the ideology of the PYD/YPG/J/etc. this sort of obscures the detail but you could understand it as being less about a particular political framework than the 'rojava revolution' as a whole

[Auze]

And Israel was one of the very, very few countries that supported Iran against Iraq back during the First Gulf War, because they thought they would make a good counter-weight against Saddam. Everybody double-crosses everybody in the Middle East, nothing new here.

Double crossing in alliances: One of the oldest middle eastern traditions. It is the area were conquest was invented, after all.

[Salus Maior]

I am just saying, that not so long ago, before Islamic Republic was declared an enemy of the world, Wahhabists had some bombic plans involving Jews too

And Israel was one of the very, very few countries that supported Iran against Iraq back during the First Gulf War, because they thought they would make a good counter-weight against Saddam. Everybody double-crosses everybody in theMiddle East, literally everywhere nothing new here.

It's also a favored European pastime. And Asian, really.

[Baltenstein]

And Israel was one of the very, very few countries that supported Iran against Iraq back during the First Gulf War, because they thought they would make a good counter-weight against Saddam. Everybody double-crosses everybody in theMiddle East, literally everywhere nothing new here.

It's also a favored European pastime. And Asian, really.

Yeah but in this day and age, the Middle East is the undisputed champion. If it was an actual sports discipline, Middle Eastern countries might actually win a few cups for a change.

[MERIZoC]

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

[United Muscovite Nations]

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

The Arab is the most trustworthy race of mankind. Their innate sense of justice and virtue should be admired by all, and rewarded with a state from Morocco to the Gulf.

[The Sauganash Union]

It's also a favored European pastime. And Asian, really.

Yeah but in this day and age, the Middle East is the undisputed champion. If it was an actual sports discipline, Middle Eastern countries might actually win a few cups for a change.

The Middle East and Western Asia have it down to a science.

Just look at the Mujaheddin.

[Salus Maior]

It's also a favored European pastime. And Asian, really.

Yeah but in this day and age, the Middle East is the undisputed champion. If it was an actual sports discipline, Middle Eastern countries might actually win a few cups for a change.

Well, true. Because it's a hotspot of conflict. Like, say, Europe in the 19th century.

[The Sauganash Union]

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

The Arab is the most trustworthy race of mankind. Their innate sense of justice and virtue should be admired by all, and rewarded with a state from Morocco to the Gulf.

lol

[Baltenstein]

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

So you're saying...what? That the players in the Mid-East (note: this includes outside factions too, like the US or Russia) don't backstab each other all the time? Because they totally do.

Yeah but in this day and age, the Middle East is the undisputed champion. If it was an actual sports discipline, Middle Eastern countries might actually win a few cups for a change.

Well, true. Because it's a hotspot of conflict. Like, say, Europe in the 19th century.

Good times, good times.

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

The Arab is the most trustworthy race of mankind. Their innate sense of justice and virtue should be admired by all, and rewarded with a state from Morocco to the Gulf.

Signed: Somebody who isn't familiar with Realpolitik very much.

[Pilarcraft]

Ah yes, the trope of the treacherous Arab/Jew/Persian never gets old.

Perhaps we should all be posting the meme with the grotesque caricature rubbing his hands, just to drive the point home?

The Arab is the most trustworthy race of mankind. Their innate sense of justice and virtue should be admired by all, and rewarded with a state from Morocco to the Gulf.

is this satirical? please let this be satirical

[Auze]

The Arab is the most trustworthy race of mankind. Their innate sense of justice and virtue should be admired by all, and rewarded with a state from Morocco to the Gulf.

is this satirical? please let this be satirical

Looking at who posted it, yes, it is.