World Peace “Lennon Ivan Style” – Part 227

World Peace “Lennon Ivan Style” – Part 227

As a continuation from my last blog whereby I believe the root of “World Peace” is centered on peace in the Middle East with the first step being negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians, I would like to remain objective and independent in my views such that I would like to today bring Iraq into my views as they seem to be the closest at this time to a full fledge civil war of rage like wild animals stuck together in a cage. However, it is important to note that Israel and Palestine seem to be awakening from their hatred induced coma state with the potential for peace negotiations to be resumed in the near future in the United States, while Egypt continues to operate in supremacy domination mode whereby the minority Christian military continues to hold on to power while the Muslim majority is fuming at the seams hoping to awaken from this horrible dream. As for the Syrians, both sides are still in anger induced coma state for the mentally insane such that millions of Syrians continue to suffer each and every day. In terms of the Russians and Ukrainians, they seem to have entered into a political war game whereby neither party wishes to concede but rather seems to prefer to enter into a civil war and commit dirty deeds. While Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians, Syrians, Russians and Ukrainians continue along their respective paths toward enlightenment, it is now time for the Iraqis to be enlightened as to the path of quelling their current tensions before any more civil war breaks out which bears the risk of leading to a third and final world war on this earth, after which, there will be no place for anyone left to run. In summary, Observers around the world are stunned by the speed and scope of assaults on every major city in the upper Tigris River Valley, including Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. However, as the ISIS rebels extend their reach across Iraq, the U.S. Air Force was forced to intervene in order to prevent Genocide while Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki relinquished power opening a new political chapter that U.S. officials hope will move Iraq toward a more unified front against Islamic jihadists currently running wild and literally beheading “Infidels” like pigs without shedding a tear as blood spills out of their victims giving everybody creepy chills.

During the week ending on Sunday, January 1, 2017, TURKEY retreated from their aggressive siege of CIZRE, SILOPI, DIYARBAKIR and NUSAYBIN, predominantly KURDISH, which TURKEY had converted into a suburban war zone area as TURKEY was on the defense as they were subject to an internal military “Coup D’État” that failed as gunfire and explosions erupted in which 265 people died, 161 of them civilians, over one month ago. As a result of the failed “Coup D’État”, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency, extended the period during which suspects can be detained without charge to 30 days, closed more than 1,000 private schools and closed more than 1,200 associations. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued cleaning house again this week after nearly three months since the failed “Coup D’État” for which officials continue to blame the disciples of TURKISH cleric Fethullah Gulen.  A wide scale purge led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his governing AKP escalated further this week under the disguise of emergency rule as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s iron fisted rule resulted in a TURKISH parliamentary commission approving draft constitutional amendments to introduce a new executive presidential system giving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more powers. Under the changes, the prime minister's post will be abolished while the president and vice president will have full executive powers. Critics fear the proposed reforms would allow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who already has significant influence over his party and the different levels of government to rule without any checks and balances with complete control. The changes will be put to a referendum that the government expects will be held in the spring of 2017 that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expects will pass on the basis of the same electoral platform used when his party first came to power in 2002 whereby President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames coalition governments for what he calls TURKEY's political instability and economic downfall.

Moving on to IRAQ, IRAQI and US-led ALLIANCE forces continued with their offensive against ISIS on MOSUL. However, ISIS has sent the message to the world that it will do whatever it takes to defend MOSUL as ISIS has chosen the usage of its own people as human shields. Nonetheless, IRAQI and ALLIED forces managed to push ISIS militants back from MOSUL, their last major stronghold in IRAQ, whereby IRAQI forces began a dramatic shift in tactics in their stalled offensive to retake MOSUL advancing on new fronts and bringing police into the battle after ISIS counterattacks inflicted heavy casualties. A shift in tactics was announced by IRAQ’s military with a multi-sided offensive on MOSUL’s northern, eastern and southeastern neighbourhoods in an attempt to choke off ISIS supplies of weapons and new ISIS fighters. In addition, Iraq’s military has begun using heavy artillery in the crowded MOSUL city, in spite of the risk to civilians, and has moved some 4,000 police officers from the capital of BAGHDAD and south of MOSUL to support the fight in the east. The changes follow a series of devastating counterattacks by ISIS that have raised questions about the battle plan and even the military’s capacity to secure other urban centers, including the capital BAGHDAD. However, ISIS militants have been steadily retreating from areas around MOSUL into the city center since the battle first commenced on October 17 with a slow but steady advance by the ALLIANCE due to the usage by ISIS of civilians as human shields. Thus far, IRAQI, KURDISH and ALLIED forces advances have been impressive on their push to retake MOSUL, ISIS's de facto capital in IRAQ where as many as 1.5 million people are believed to still remain. However, progress has been slow as the ALLIANCE forces have faced counterattacks from the ISIS fighters who deployed hundreds of suicide car bombs, as well as mortars and snipers and used MOSUL’s million plus residents as human shields. Unfortunately, ISIS is still a force to be reckoned with, due to its significant wealth amassed in safe havens abroad, such that although the battle for MOSUL will likely lead to the end of the ISIS era in IRAQ, the ISIS wealth abroad will likely lead to ISIS taking the fight to the streets on foreign soil which will necessitate heightened security measures until kingdom come. Therefore, the US-led ALLIANCE needs to be on heightened security alerts world wide as ISIS will look to find any and all possible retributory strikes, the most savage and barbarian possible, in an attempt to save face from a humiliating defeat of its MOSUL base.

Moving on to SYRIA, SYRIAN government forces have retaken full control of ALEPPO for the first time, since the uprising began, after nearly six years of bloody fighting for Syria’s most populous city and SYRIA’s economic hub that has been the most prized and fiercely contested city throughout the Syrian conflict. The evacuation of civilians and fighters from the last rebel-held part of ALEPPO concluded putting virtually all of Syria’s industrial capital back in the hands of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces for the first time since 2012. As a friendly reminder, since the Syrian army’s assault against rebel held ALEPPO began in late September, RUSSIAN and SYRIAN government bombardments have killed more than 1,000 people, including over 250 children while injuring over 5,000. Now, a ceasefire across SYRIA appears to be holding as its brokers, RUSSIA and TURKEY, looked for approval of the plan from the UN security council which all parties hope will override all previous failed peace proposals and finally end the six-year conflict. Despite violations blamed on both sides in different parts of SYRIA, there were no reported civilian casualties such that diplomats were hopeful that the fragile truce would take root, despite all other previous failed attempts. RUSSIA that has invested much political time and energy in ending the fighting after bombing the opposition relentlessly for the past 15 months appears ready, willing and able to support the bilateral pact with TURKEY that will allow aid access to besieged areas conditional on all protagonists putting down their weapons.


In my opinion, Turkey’s participation in the military battle against ISIS is a positive addition to the ALLIANCE albeit Turkey’s negative stance against the PKK which in my opinion is currently unwarranted and deteriorating. However, with the recent majority victory by the governing AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it appears that Turkey’s future is heading for more war and bloodshed. Unfortunately, the governing AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have chosen the path of war with the PKK as opposed to diplomacy via the KURDISH HDP political party which secured close to 11% during recent Turkish elections. Therefore, in my opinion, the governing AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will learn the hard way that nobody on the outside world looking in is stupid but rather everyone chooses to close their eyes and allow Turkey to continue with its ethnic cleansing campaign of the KURDS in exchange for Turkey signing a deal with the European Union (EU) to stem the flow of refugees arriving in Greece. In exchange for reducing human trafficking and improving living conditions for 2.5 million refugees within its borders, Turkey will receive Euro 3 billion in financial aid in return, the possibility of visa-free travel for its citizens, and a reopening of EU membership talks. In my opinion, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the governing AKP will learn the hard way that the current failed “Coup D’État” exposes the deep discontent within the TURKISH military ranks as the governing AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan persist with their quest to annihilate the HDP and the KURDS as the AKP is converting itself into a majority fascist regime with its house cleaning exercises whereby virtually all dissidents have been fired. In my opinion, the recent European parliament vote to halt TURKEY’s EU accession backed by a resolution condemning the TURKISH government’s disproportionate repressive measures after the failed “Coup D’État” in July was long overdue as TURKEY has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt, with its repressive measures over all opposition, that TURKEY does not share common values, morals, principals, ethics and views as the EU such that TURKEY does not fit into the EU mould. However, in my opinion, TURKEY still represents a major player on the European economic stage such that the EU will nonetheless have to negotiate deals with TURKEY as an independent NON-EU member country regarding the huge refugee crisis. In my opinion, in exchange for reducing human trafficking and improving living conditions for 2.5 million refugees within its borders, TURKEY should only receive Euro 1.5 billion, half of the initial proposed 3 billion, in financial aid along with visa-free travel for its citizens who do not pose any significant risks outside of TURKISH borders. However, with TURKEY’s hardline stance against all opposition groups with the so-called “national mobilization against all terrorist organizations” which in effect identifies virtually all opposition groups as terrorists, TURKEY cannot conform to the EU protocol regarding civil rights and liberties which protects all minorities from persecution to the extent they follow democratic laws, regulations and principals. Furthermore, TURKEY will deviate even further away from European political protocol with TURKEY’s anticipated referendum, expected to be held in the spring of 2017, whereby proposed reforms would allow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to rule without any checks and balances with complete control. However, it is important to note that it is TURKEY’s turbulent past that has in essence created this new AKP paranoid schizophrenic ideology. That is, the recent fourth “Coup D’État” that failed overshadows the previous three devastating military coups that successfully occurred during TURKEY’s 95 year political history. However, the overall price of victory was high for TURKEY’s fourth “Coup D’État” that failed with over 240 people killed and more than 2,200 others injured. Furthermore, the TURKISH government blames the failed “Coup D’État” attempt on FETHULLAH GULEN who is the leader of a widespread and influential religious movement known as HIZMET, which owns foundations, associations, media organisations and schools in TURKEY and abroad. Ironically, FETHULLAH GULEN who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999 seems to be behind this new AKP paranoid schizophrenic ideology that I refer to as the “GULEN BI-POLAR DISORDER”. In my opinion, given that FETHULLAH GULEN was once a strong ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the AKP’s struggle to end the military’s influence in TURKISH politics in the late 2000’s that went sour, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the governing AKP have been psychologically traumatized by the potential for FETHULLAH GULEN to come to power. Furthermore, there is still bad blood between the AKP and FETHULLAH GULEN from a corruption investigation in December 2013 that saw renowned business people and senior bureaucrats close to the AKP arrested by FETHULLAH GULEN loyal police officers that gave way to an all-out war between the AKP government and the FETHULLAH GULEN HIZMET movement. In my opinion, this AKP paranoid schizophrenic ideology that I refer to as the “GULEN BI-POLAR DISORDER” has resulted, as of today, with more than 100,000 people fired or suspended and 37,000 more arrested in an unprecedented crackdown which the TURKISH government has deemed necessary to root out all coup supporters from the state apparatus.

Moving on to IRAQ, the recent successful attacks on ISIS by IRAQI security forces in MOSUL, has clearly sent the message to ISIS that it is just a matter of time until the ISIS Empire in MOSUL dies. However, the IRAQI led troops on the ground are essentially forced to fight ISIS style, which is slow and brutal for any other type of heavy artillery attack on ISIS, will result in significant collateral damage in terms of human casualties. Unfortunately ISIS has managed to set new rules of war, with complete and utter disregard for the laws of war as promulgated by the GENEVA convention, which is essentially that there are no rules other than the dirtiest player in the game wins. Thus, the world finds itself going backwards to the days of Barbarian, Neanderthal, Self-Centered, Egotistical, Narcissistic, Masochistic, Sadistic, Idiosyncratic, Sociopathic and Psychopathic maniacs. Furthermore, with recent advances by IRAQI and ALLIED troops, collateral damage has escalated as the death toll among IRAQI security forces has far exceeded previous battles against ISIS, largely due to the size of MOSUL and the number of ISIS fighters concentrated in MOSUL. In my opinion, were it not for the U.S. led coalition strikes on ISIS with more than 7,650 blasts fired, IRAQI security forces would not have been able to advance as ISIS fighters have clearly demonstrated that they will be fighting to death. Given that ISIS is fighting in never surrender death mode, casualties have been and will continue to be high amongst IRAQI security forces as even the greatest trained military formations find themselves helpless as ISIS chooses suicide bomb vests to intentionally inflict mass casualties of IRAQI security forces deaths. However, in my opinion, assuming that the KURDISH peshmerga, IRAQI army, SHIITE militia and some SUNNI militia forces continue to overlook their differences and stick together, ISIS will inevitably be decimated in IRAQ, although ISIS will likely survive as an incognito terrorist organization throughout the world. In my opinion, with ISIS inevitably nearing its downfall in IRAQ, IRAQI security forces need to be prepared for a different kind of war against ISIS, shifting away from ground offensives to intelligence work and surgical airstrikes to counter an expected move by ISIS away from holding territory and back to a more terrorist role of a dispersed underground terror organization. In my opinion, ISIS is already laying the groundwork for a new terrorist strategy of hiding in remote areas, carrying out attacks in IRAQ and abroad and resorting to organized crime to bankroll future operations.

Moving on to SYRIA, the latest news that the SYRIAN government forces have recaptured the entire former rebel stronghold of east ALEPPO in an offensive that has left bodies in the streets and sparked global outrage initially sucked out all of the air from ALEPPO for some sort of power sharing arrangement. However, there now seems to be a glimmer of hope for peace, as a ceasefire across SYRIA appears to be holding as its brokers, RUSSIA and TURKEY look for approval of the plan from the UN Security Council. In my opinion, RUSSIA has invested much political time and energy in ending the fighting after bombing the opposition relentlessly for the past 15 months. Therefore, RUSSIA now appears to be the only viable negotiator to broker a deal as RUSSIA is the only party respected by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces who relied heavily on RUSSIA for foreign military support along with Iran and Shiite militias like Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Therefore, RUSSIA along with TURKEY are probably the best two parties to negotiate a ceasefire deal on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) respectively because it seems that RUSSIA and TURKEY are both respected by all parties. Meanwhile, the US seems to have lost its relevance to the SYRIAN conflict as RUSSIA, President Bashar al-Assad, Iran and Hezbollah have zero interest in hearing anything more from the USA who advocated from the outset the removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power as a pre-condition to any negotiations. Nonetheless, in my opinion, the current situation in ALEPPO is deplorable as innocent civilians are living in a literal hell on earth as the entire city is covered in blood with diminishing food, necessities and basic supplies while innocent civilians continue to die. Ultimately, it is because of this battle for ALEPPO that ISIS is able to survive as the ASSAD regime with the support of RUSSIA and IRAN has managed to slaughter their way back to legitimacy. Unfortunately, the seizure of virtually all of Aleppo by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and his Allies signals a turning point in the nearly six-year conflict back to where it all began except that the death, destruction and carnage can never be erased and ALEPPO will carry the scent of blood for generations to face.

In summary, I refer to “World Peace Lennon Ivan Style – Part 227” as the belief that ISIS is evil such that the MOSUL victory is critical to ISIS decimation but ASSAD seizure of ALEPPO may lead to peace as RUSSIAN and TURKISH brokered ceasefire across SYRIA appears to hold albeit tensions from both sides that occasionally boil over and explode.

Spirit of John Lennon – Kurdish Guerrilla Song:

January 1, 2017