On Oct 12, 2014, at 12:14 PM, Michael Smith <mjs at smithbowen.net> wrote:
> > - Obama: Press Turkey to Stop Massacre of Syrian Kurds
>
> I'm completely baffled by this. How could anyone imagine that
> the Turks would ever lift a finger to help the Kurds? They're a
> good deal more likely to do the opposite.
>
> I presume Obama must know this, and his exhortations to the
> Turks have some other purpose than their stated goal. But
> I have the sense that many people signing onto this bandwagon
> don’t understand who's on what team in the region.
Perhaps, although the recent round the clock coverage of Kobane in the commercial and social media has had to have had some educational effect. Of course, petitions almost never cause governments to change course. But they’re useful as an elementary means of engaging people on an issue and encouraging them to further develop their understanding. I think Michael Naiman most often deserves credit rather than blame for his initiatives in this area.