I keep hearing he's gunning for the Kurds in the northeast of Syria. Is this just bald racism or is there some stated reason

  • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    10 days ago

    I had some reactionary Turks in my family by marriage for a while and I asked decades ago when I was in Turkey why they were against the Kurds having their own deal/more autonomy etc and the answer was, resoundingly, that to surrender the territory or control of it would "weaken" Turkey. they saw the entire Kurdistan movement as a "western plot" to "divide and conquer" the Turks.

    of course, these were the sort of people who liked the US military being huge because it meant our country was strong and that's why Turkey allied with the US, was because the US has strength and that's all that matters. so, like nakedly fash.

    • supafuzz [comrade/them]
      ·
      10 days ago

      the sort of people who liked the US military being huge because it meant our country was strong and that's why Turkey allied with the US, was because the US has strength and that's all that matters

      like talking to a pakled

      • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        10 days ago

        lol, you're not wrong. it is a simple and coherent analysis of power, which made it difficult for the US libs to engage with. they had wanted them to like America because we were the good guys. this was during the bush years and maybe 4 years post-Mission Accomplished. the Turkish guys didn't like Bush much, but it was understandable to them that sometimes the big man has to fuck shit up and remind people who is in charge.

        it was wild shit and I didn't ask any political questions for a while on the trip after that lol.