Russia proposes draft Syria constitution recognizing autonomy for Kurds

I have confirmed the news from Russian, Arabic, and Kurdish sources. This is epic! The Rojava revolution in northern Syria practically no one heard of has, apparently, won.
My country, Bolivia, recognized Rojava autonomy two years ago! https://anfenglish.com/out-there/kck-and-kurdish-women-s-movement-at-wor...

Working together, the Syrian Army and Rojava SDF will mop up Daesh (ISIS) and Al Qaedah. For the various headchoppers, their time is up. Peace will be restored within the year. BEWARE OF TURKISH FASCISM! My personal commentary from just before the news today: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=402854903388315&id=100...

Those of you complaining about Trump should take a careful look at Rojava. Maybe read the charter. https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/charter-of-the-social-contract/

Watch a video showing some of the ethnicities whose rights are protected in Rijava: https://www.facebook.com/ari.murad/videos/1474661199217727/

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As a way to remember some of the pain in Kobane a year ago, and a celebration of victory I post some images from my collection.

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CELEBRATING

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Kids going back to school in Rojava in their own language :-). Sorry its very late for a written essay, but enjoy. It looks like we finally won one!! Thanks to Russia for creating win/win diplomacy. (Only the Turks, Saudis, Daesh, al Qaedah loses Smile

School video:https://www.facebook.com/ari.murad/videos/1572623436088169/

Free Abdullah Öcalan, held prisoner by Turkey. Author of the basic ideology of the Rojava Revolution/

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And an important primer for the Rojava Revolution embedded.

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Alex Ocana's picture

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From the Light House.

Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

The Russians creating Peace & Democracy in Syria...

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"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,
Alex Ocana's picture

@Oldest Son Of A Sailor Actually, the Russians have been helping the Syrians make their own peace. It is unfortunate that Syrians, including the ethnicities in the north, have to mop up tens of thousands of jihadi headchopping mercenaries who have been supported by Turkey, the Saudis, the Qatari, the SOS Clintonian USA, Israel, the UK et al. There are no "moderate rebels" and never has been.

There are so many problems with USA foreign policy, well we know the outlines and tens of whole books have been written about it. As a not-USAian, I figure your internal affairs (health care, school vouchers, abortion etc.) are none of my business. Climate change is everyone's business, but the US policy of subverting, invading and otherwise fucking over our countries is big time our business and has to stop.

Trump is a cartoon character and his appointees are mostly cartoon idiots who can pray all they want, but never be able to deal with the diplomats and countries used to dealing with complex situations to their advantage. A country, like the USA, can't survive on the Hollywood cartoon imagery of foreign affairs against experienced players. The funny thing is, from my POV, is that that is a GOOD THING.

I am a bit surprised with all the talk about revolution, protest etc. that very few seem interested in Rojava. . . can anyone explain that to me, or am I just wrong about the lack of interest?

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Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

@Alex Ocana At The Orange Stain who feel compelled to come over here and read...

You know how they hack elections and are a threat to democracy and all... LOL

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"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alex Ocana I'm interested and have been since someone (I think you...nope, it was Casey O'Neill from Dkos) told me about them. I was afraid that they would get ground between the two stones of Assad and the CIA, but looks like Assad is willing to make some concessions now that Putin/Lavrov have decided this is a good move.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Oldest Son Of A Sailor No wonder the US PTB hate the Russians! The nerve of Putin, creating more of the dreadful peace and democracy they've fought so long and hard - and are fighting still - to eradicate even the concept of!

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

From Wiki:

According to the Constitution, the Russian Federation is divided into 85 federal subjects (constituent units), 22 of which are republics.

and more:

The level of actual autonomy granted to such political units varies but is generally quite extensive. The parliamentary assemblies of such republics have often enacted laws which are at odds with the federal constitution. The republics' executives tend to be very powerful.

My point is that Russia believes in self-determination and accommodates that even within the single country of the Russian Federation (Российская Федерация). In some of these Republics Russian ethnicity is a majority, but none the less they enjoy a semi-autonomous state because of history and ethnic minorities. There are independence movements within some of the Republics, but they are very small. No doubt the Neocons would love to capitalize on them and would be willing to spends billions and billions of dollars, fuel the flames with NGOs and arm insurgents to break up Russia. This will not happen as President Putin is well aware of this risk.

Russia is a well armed nation. If you ask Russians what they think of this you get an interesting reply. Their self identity is that they end wars, they don't start them. This is in obvious contrast to you-know-who. Every young Russian is taught in grade school that Russia must defend itself from challenges from the West. Russia has been attacked by France, Germany, England, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland and another dozen countries. Protected by two oceans, can we relate to that at all?

I'm not surprised that Russia is sympathetic to a Kurdish state. I think that geopolitical this is a very difficult line to walk as Turkey is extremely threatened by the concept of a Kurdistan. Perhaps a Kurdish state can be carved out of Northern Syria and Northern Iraq. It will be up to Russia to make this palatable to Turkey.

Again, I'm going to state this: The greatest prize in the world for the West would be friendship with Russia. The biggest obstacle is US's obsession with military hegemony and the totally false narrative about Russia and President Putin created by the West.

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Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.

Alex Ocana's picture

Excellent points about the way Russia has organized its political groupings. Thanks Smile for posting.

@The Wizard

Perhaps a Kurdish state can be carved out of Northern Syria and Northern Iraq.

One point is that the northern Syrians (Rojava, SDF, YPG, YPJ) don't want to carve out a separate state. They have said specifically in their chrter that they wish to be a self-governing (autonomous? federal?) entity within the Syrian State. In this they have major, sometimes violent differences with the KRG (Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq) who are looking towards independence.

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From the Light House.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alex Ocana How about the Iraqi Kurds take the position they want in Iraq, and let the Syrian Kurds take the position they want in Syria.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Bisbonian's picture

@The Wizard "Their self identity is that they end wars, they don't start them. "

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@The Wizard The Turkish government is really really fucking pissing me off lately. Almost as much as my own.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@The Wizard It's rough for me, because actually I'm really impressed by the Turkish *people*. They are awesome protesters/activists, and are very proud of supporting secular democracy (which I think for them dates from the early twentieth century). Their book-reading protest was magnificent. Their bravery in the face of military crackdown reminds me of the people at Standing Rock.

But Erdogan and the Turkish parliament have been pissing me off mightily, especially since they basically cut a deal with ISIL and didn't effectively close the Turkish border against them and cut off their supply lines, but rather allowed them to flank the Turkish Kurds, who were fighting the Islamic State w/everything they had. And the US just fucking smiled and nodded at this treachery.

Jesus Christ, why does anybody over there ever listen to us at all?

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Lookout's picture

when we (the US) are not involved.

The great irony to me is that we holler democracy - but we want to overthrown duly elected governments (I think Assad won with 80% of the vote). Or we sit by silently and let others do it for us like in Brazil.

T-rump is the appropriate figure head for this corrupt corporate oligarchy. He represents what we have become.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

This is good news all around.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Alex Ocana's picture

@dkmich Did I say this before? Looking at the situation maps every day for a couple of years, it has become clear that if the Syrian Army and the SDF (Rojava) join together with air support from wherever they can get it, Daesh is caught in a pincer and will be gone in a short while. They are already in disarray and have shot their last wad in Deir Ezzor.

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From the Light House.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alex Ocana Maybe that's why the powerful in the US have such an appetite for a nuclear war with Russia. Maybe they are actually losing, and the desire to throw nukes is a desperate political convulsion.

You understand, it's hard to comprehend that fact when in the belly of the beast. From here, it looks almost impossible that they should ever lose any conflict. I'm still blown away that they didn't get Hillary when they wanted her.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alex Ocana Daesh desperately needs the US army in the Middle East fighting them, because it's the only source of credibility they've got. Like a military version of Hillary needing Trump.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Alex Ocana's picture

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal What I might see as being an idea is for the SAA and SDF with Russian air support replacing "USA Coalition" and Turkey join to get rid of Daesh, the rest of the headchoppers infecting Syria. I realize that a revolution surrounded by enemies needs to find their friends where they can, but having the USA special forces embedded with the SDF makes them APPEAR to be USA proxy forces instead of an indigenous liberation movement. Bolivia actually has recognized Rojava as an autonomous area of Syria, so from my point of view as a Bolivian, if Rojava invites the USA, its at least legally defensible at some level. The Russians "safe zone" would be the areas controlled by the Syrian Arab Army, but at least they are invited by the legitimate government.

And now we have Trump proposing "safe zones", the leaked maps of which show Turkey to be controlling all of NW Syria west of the Euphrates, the USA all of Rojava East of the Euphrates. Trump (Clinton, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Conservatives, Progressives et al) are fucking idiots. THERE ALREADY ARE SAFE ZONES - most of Rojava is safe as it is, Damascus, even Aleppo are safe. Millions of refugees (IDPs) already live there safe and sound.

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From the Light House.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alex Ocana I look at the fight between the US and Daesh as a complicated puppet show with horribly real casualties. The details of the situation are extremely complicated, and my knowledge is obviously incomplete. But it really looks to me like both US forces and Daesh are two hands of the same conglomerate--the CIA and the Saudis backing one "side" while the Pentagon/traditional military forces of the US back the other, and Turkey, well, Turkey seems to back one side or the other depending on the situational needs of the moment.

It goes without saying for me that the US' business in that region is a bloody, dirty business which will accrue few if any benefits to the majority of people living there, and that we need to get the hell out of there. Having Russia be a player in that region is also imperialism and also colonialism, but as your diary points out, they seem to be willing to run the region with something more approaching justice and decency than the US is--I doubt this is because of any intrinsic morality/kindness in the Russian neocolonialists, but more because their aim is to build and maintain a strong Russian empire which maintains Russia's position in the world as a superpower. Bad as that aim is, it's a lot better than the aim of most of their counterparts on the US side, which seems to be: "Burn the world down and dance on the ashes, that's how you prove you're the biggest baddest motherfucker in the valley."

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal Recced - but is Russia colonizing that region? I thought that the majority of the people wanted to remain with Russia in the first place, or am I getting areas mixed up? I certainly could very well be - fighting an infection making me feel very weird and had very little sleep again...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

blazinAZ's picture

the US policy of subverting, invading and otherwise fucking over our countries is big time our business and has to stop.

Thanks for another important essay, Alex.

Good news for a change!

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

sojourns's picture

I've been rooting for the Kurds ever since I first learned about their plight during the first Iraq war.

This is something. The Untied States doesn't broker peace deals; not since Carter. The U.S. brokers "do as we say and everything will be alright" deals.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

mhagle's picture

"Peace on earth, good will towards men" in action. The real deal.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

riverlover's picture

Now imagine how the USA has hounded all who were here before Whites into reservations on shit land and interfere with their own policing and governance.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Alex Ocana's picture

I love this tactic:

Jihadists believe that if they are killed, they go directly to Paradise. “Each of them,” YPJ commander Rûken Jîrik told us, “wears a key to paradise around his neck, and a spoon on his belt in order to eat with Muhammad. When they go into battle, they’re pumped full of amphetamines, and the crazy ones behind them drive them forward.” Willing to commit suicide, “they have no fear of death, as they think they are going to Paradise.” But “if they’re killed by a woman, they think they won’t go to Paradise,” Melsa told us. “They’re afraid of women,” said another fighter. “When we fight, we trill loudly, so they’ll be sure to hear our voices.”

- From "Revolution in Rojava by Michael Knapp, Anja Flach, and Ercan Ayboğa

One very noticeable thing differentiating SDF from Daesh, Al Nusra et al from watching the more or less daily battle videos: The SDF fighters, men and women together, are highly disciplined, careful, communicate with minimal talking and working together seamlessly. Their propaganda show, and it is backed up by independent journalists, that they are welcomed by the villages and towns they liberate, even the Arab ones, and are shown sharing their lunch with kids, helping tie their shoes and being kind. Sorry I can't embed this very short video clip, but its touching:

https://twitter.com/DefenceUnits/status/821716539045015552

Daesh, on the other hand, just love individual frontal assaults, screaming their heads off with their "Allah ah Akhbar" and depend on physical fear and intimidation. They have the heavy weapons which are a focus of their propaganda films, as well their beheading, mass executions, locking women in cages for sale in the slave market. . .

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From the Light House.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

the Saudis and Daesh also lose.

Good.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver