1) the new war has fallen off the front page, replaced by Ebola, gay marriage, elections. 2) what's happening with the Syrian Kurds isn't useful to any big configuration in the U.S. It's not useful to the USG because the situation points up the fact that key U.S. ally Turkey is playing a double game. It's not useful to the anti-war movement because the key complaint of the Kurds is that the U.S. isn't doing more to attack ISIS in their area. 3) Congress is in recess. If Congress were in session now, there would probably be some squawking about what's happening to the Syrian Kurds and that would generate some press coverage.
Robert Naiman Policy Director Just Foreign Policy www.justforeignpolicy.org naiman at justforeignpolicy.org (202) 448-2898 x1
On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 11:00 AM, Marv Gandall <marvgand2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Surprising how little attention the heroic defence of Kolbani by the
> Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) has drawn in progressive circles in
> the West. The YPG is is the only secular left-wing organization in the
> Middle East (or anywhere else, for that matter) currently leading a popular
> armed struggle. It’s been the most effective fighting force resisting the
> fanatically reactionary Islamic State despite being starved by the Turkish
> and US governments of the heavy weaponry it needs to avert a massacre.
>
>
> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-03/kurds-fight-alone-as-coalition-holds-fire-against-jihadist-tanks.html
>
> Young women reportedly comprise one-third of the YPG militia.
>
>
> http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/syria-19-year-old-kurdish-woman-fighter-kills-herself-rather-falling-into-isis-hands-1468420
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