SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Those old enough to remember when President Clinton's penis was a big news item will also remember the "Peace Dividend," that the world was going to be able to cash now that that nasty cold war was over. But guess what? Those spies didn't want to come in from the Cold, so while the planet is heating up, the political environment is dropping to sub-zero temperatures. It's deja vu all over again.

SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 3:40 am

SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE
by Brian Hughes
September 7, 2015

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The militant group Islamic State (DAESH) has filled power vacuums from Syria to Iraq. As its advances struggle forward due to increasing external resistance, it is continually searching for new recruits and new territory to push its message and power.

One of the most important new regions for this militant message is the Russian Federation’s North Caucasus, a formerly war-torn region that knows its share of terrorist strife and has seen Russia use drastic force to incorporate a pro-Kremlin government and keep the region from gaining radical Islamic independence on its southern flanks. The youngest Chechen generation has slowly become begrudging Russian supporters as the spiral of war mercifully ended and the region has witnessed the economic benefits of a rebuilt and slowly stabilizing economy. Conversely, older generations and the most devout of local Muslims reject Russian influence and continue to strive for separation from not only the Soviet past but from modern Russian governance. In this space of little autonomy and reliance on Moscow, DAESH has tried to initiate an alternative voice of independence, declaring a new Islamic province, ‘Wilayat Qawqaz,’ spanning the North Caucasus region.

DAESH relies heavily on an innovative and polarizing message to recruit and expand its illusory borders. In the North Caucasus, it has relied on sympathy for the so-called fight for Islamic independence and an ardent rejection of Kremlin influence. With this message, it has aligned itself with al-Qaeda’s Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, with four of the six most powerful divisions formally aligning themselves with DAESH after the announcement. While it’s unclear
how the divisions of allegiance with other al-Qaeda affiliates will ultimately affect the region, the declaration of Wilayat Qawqaz and loyalty with some al-Qaeda affiliates clearly demonstrates the brazen and confident nature of DAESH to operate away from its base in Iraq. Interestingly, DAESH did not declare the new Wilayat in any simple or crude way, but advanced the announcement through an impressive technological and media blitz.

The most visual and advanced propaganda tool for this in Russia, released just weeks after declaring Wilayat Qawqaz, is an Android-only app simply titled ‘Caucas,’ (sic) and provides daily news from DAESH offensives in Syria and Iraq. Additionally, it provides Russian translated videos of DAESH leaders, such as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It’s not clear who precisely is behind the app, but it clearly shows that DAESH factions are increasingly interested in the future of the North Caucasus. Although a technologically simple app, it marks the first time a Russian-only DAESH app has been created and maintained daily. Another DAESH media outlet in Russia, Furat Media, made its debut just weeks before the announcement of the new province. Furat appears to be a professionally-managed organization that propagates DAESH viewpoints along with traditional news and wartime updates. Along with a website, Furat utilizes Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr accounts and used these platforms to initially announce the establishment of Wilayat Qawqaz. DAESH factions created outlets to not only announce the establishment of the new province, but to unify its Russian base with up-to-date news coverage from the so-called Caliphate’s front lines.

Thus, the release of these two new media platforms weeks from each other and timed with the declaration of the new Caucasian province signals that DAESH clearly wants to expand its influence into the post-Soviet space, where admittedly there are plenty of radical Islamic terrorists waiting for new support. This marks a bold progression in DAESH’s vision. With thousands of Chechen separatists and terrorists potentially filling the ranks of DAESH, it must consider Russian-speaking initiatives of great importance. These apps, videos, and media outlets have allowed the Arabic-speaking leadership to engage Russian-speaking zealots, communicating daily a dangerous unifying mission to all fighters.

Current estimates of the combined DAESH forces of Wilayat Qawqaz stands at 15,000 combatants. With recruitment becoming the primary focus, those numbers could ultimately swell in the coming years. With terrorist attacks in the North Caucasus dwindling drastically from 2010 to 2014, DAESH has deftly stoked dying embers into a real potentiality for renewed insurgency. It’s unclear what the implications for Russia will be in the coming months as DAESH pushes for general population acceptance of the new Wilayat. While the Chechen population has long strived for independence throughout their history, a large majority now accept a somewhat autonomous role under the Russian Federation. For Russia to recreate a heavy-handed security state inside Chechnya in response to the DAESH threat would only recall echoes of the first and second Chechen Wars of the 1990s and 2000s.

In addition to North Caucasus terrorists, Moscow’s Security Council chief in June stated that there was a real problem with containing the flow of Chechen fighters to Syria and Iraq. While estimates vary, there is some consensus that there are at least 2,000 Russian nationals fighting alongside DAESH. However, it is unclear if the goal of the new media platforms is to bolster the North Caucasian causes or for DAESH recruitment efforts for the Levant Caliphate. Either way, Russia may eventually need to address its national security concerns there, but will be hard-pressed to find a solution that honors the relatively effective soft power approaches Moscow has used since the Chechen ceasefire of 2009. More likely, security will once again be tightened, with human rights restricted, and Russian soldiers free to act on their own discretion. This will only bolster DAESH’s cause and degrade the influence Russia has built in the North Caucasus. For the Kremlin, it marks yet another challenge in an atmosphere of lowered Russian morale, declining support for Vladimir Putin in the southern region, and the realities of a fairly severe economic recession because of Western sanctions. Ultimately, it is unclear if DAESH can truly begin a dangerous and more intense offensive in Chechnya and beyond or if the ultimate goal is advancing just recruitment bases. Either way, there is no doubt that Russia will need to address this new threat as DAESH is proving its technological savvy and media-support efforts are highly effective in spilling influential propaganda and deadly terrorism across any borders.
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 3:48 am

Why is John Kerry referring to ISIS as "Daesh"?
By STEPHANIE CONDON
CBS NEWS
December 4, 2014

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Secretary of State John Kerry gives a joint press with High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini (unseen) after their meeting in Brussels on December 3, 2014. JOHN THYS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

After the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria emerged as a threat, U.S. lawmakers, the press and the public at large discussed whether to refer to the group as ISIS or ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry used both terms, as well as one more for the extremist group: Daesh.

"In less than three months, the international community has come together to form a coalition that is already taking important steps to degrade and defeat ISIL, or Daesh," Kerry said from NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where he met with members of the international coalition united against ISIS.

"Daesh is still perpetrating terrible crimes, but there was a consensus that the momentum which it had exhibited two and a half months ago has been halted," Kerry added.

CBS News' Lara Logan notes that most Arabic-speaking people have always referred to ISIS as Daesh.

"Daesh" is the pronunciation of the acronym for ISIS in Arabic (Dawlat Al Islam fi Iraq Wa al-Sham), CBS News' Jennifer Janisch explains.

Janisch says Iraqis commonly use the name "Daesh" to refer to the group. She notes that it does sound like the Arabic word "daes," which means to crush something under one's foot, and which could be interpreted by ISIS to be pejorative.

Additionally, the Iraqi government has recently begun referring to the group as "dookh" -- the acronym for "Dawlat Al Islamiya Al Khalifa." Since "dookh" sounds similar to the word for "confused," it also could be considered pejorative, said Janisch, who has spoken with sources in Iraq about the various names for the group.

While the Obama administration typically refers to the group as ISIL, Kerry has used "Daesh" before, as has Retired Marine Gen. John Allen, the United States' special envoy to the coalition against the group.

In September, the French government began using the term "Daesh" and urged others to do the same.

"This is a terrorist group and not a state. I do not recommend using the term Islamic State because it blurs the lines between Islam, Muslims and Islamists," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement. "The Arabs call it 'Daesh' and I will be calling them the 'Daesh cutthroats'."

© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:04 am

Is Turkey Waging War on Russia in Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia?
by Ekaterina Blinova
© AFP 2016/
1.12.2015

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What is taking place today is a battle for global dominance, waged by major Western geopolitical players, and what is at stake here is the future of our planet, an anonymous US analyst who goes by the name 'The Saker' told Sputnik; as for Daesh, it is simply a weapon, he adds.

During the Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21), Russian President Putin revealed that Moscow has evidence confirming that the Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by Turkey in order to protect oil deliveries from Daesh (ISIL/ISIS), adding that oil from Daesh-occupied fields has been transferred to Turkey on an industrial scale.

But is it possible that Turkey is selling the stolen oil without Washington's knowledge? Are the Turkish officials who are responsible for oil smuggling acting alone or are they backed by some influential oil market players?

"US intelligence agencies suffer from many weaknesses, but being unable to track money movements is not one of them," The Saker, an anonymous top level American military analyst, told Sputnik in an exclusive interview.


"Furthermore, both the USA and Israel have an extensive network for agents in Turkey. I thus consider it extremely unlikely that anybody in Turkey would be able to move around large sums of money without the US being fully aware of that. Also, consider that Daesh is a top-priority target for US intelligence agencies and that their immense data collection capabilities are also focused on the Daesh side of the equation," he emphasized.

"Finally," The Saker added, "the illegal sale of oil is a minor element in a much more important battle between the USA and the Russia-Iran-Syria alliance and, thus, the US would never allow it to interfere with its bigger objectives."

The analyst underscored that corruption has long been an integral part of the US "imperial" system.

"Corruption being one key feature of the US Empire, it is normal for the US deep state to allow its local puppets to engage in profitable war profiteering, but only as long as this does not interfere with the global US strategy," he stressed.


Experts call attention to the fact that the shooting down of the Su-24 could have been Turkish President Erdogan's "act of revenge," given the fact that his family has reportedly been involved in Daesh's oil smuggling business. In his recent interview with Radio Sputnik, Middle East analyst Stanislav Tarasov noted that "Erdogan's family is directly involved in the incident," and suggested that "we could soon learn that President Erdogan himself is directly linked to ISIL."

But was the downing of the Su-24 bomber by the Turkish F-16 fighter a "lone wolf" operation or a preplanned action coordinated by NATO and Washington? If so, what goal does NATO/Washington have in mind?

"The downing of the SU-24 was definitely a major and carefully planned ambush operation which involved a large number of Turkish F-16 [being] constantly held on airborne alert positions. The notion that the Americans did not know about this all along is ridiculous," The Saker elaborated.


"Make no mistake, this was an act of war by the USA and NATO, but executed in such a manner as to provide the real culprits some degree of plausible deniability. The hope was to have Russia over-react and trigger a direct confrontation which could be then blamed on Russia. You have to keep in mind that the Russian force in Syria is a very small one and that it is vulnerable. Even with 60+ combat aircraft and S-400s, the Russian force is much smaller than the Turkish air force, which has well over 200 F-16s. The USA is now using this vulnerability to provoke Russia," the analyst told Sputnik.

The Saker noted that the Turks themselves had violated the Syrian and, especially, Greek airspace hundreds of times "and not just once for 17 seconds." In the wake of the incident, Ankara suggested that the alleged intrusion of the Russian Su-24 into Turkish airspace had lasted a mere 17 seconds.

"The very fact that they actually used this "17 seconds" excuse it by itself is a clear provocation, designed to humiliate Russian and trigger an over-reaction. Thank God Putin and the Kremlin did not take this bait," The Saker underscored.


Interestingly enough, the incident in Syrian airspace had been preceded by an act of sabotage in Ukraine: on November 20, unidentified saboteurs blew up the main power lines in Ukraine leading into Crimea; Crimean Tatar activists blocked access to fallen lines. Given the close ties between Ankara and Crimean Tatars (Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is reportedly of Crimean Tatar descent himself), the question arises, whether the two action were connected in any way?


"I have no information showing any links, but what is clear is that Turkey is waging its own mini-war of influence against Russia, not only in Crimea, but also in the Caucasus and Central Asia," The Saker told Sputnik, commenting on the issue.


"The Turkish 'deep state' appears to be ruled by a revanchist imperial ideology every bit as lunatic and dangerous as the Wahhabi ideology of Daesh & Co. Erdogan apparently wants to re-establish some kind of Grand Ottoman Empire v2 and for him Russia is the biggest obstacle. This is why Turkey is so precious for the USA — it is run by delusional maniacs every bit as dangerous as the Nazis in Kiev or the Wahhabi freaks of Daesh. This is what Russia is confronted by today — a war by the Anglo-Zionist Empire waged by means of various hate-filled regional powers which are used by the USA to destabilize Russia and her allies," the analyst underscored.

Remarkably, in 2001, then-modest academic Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu published a book entitled "Strategic Depth." In his book, Davutoglu suggested that Turkey possesses a unique "strategic depth" due to its historical and geographical position. The would-be Turkish prime minister argued that Turkey should simultaneously exercise its influence in the Middle East, the Balkan region, the Caucasus, and Central Asia as well in the Caspian, Mediterranean and Black Sea zones. According to Davutoglu, Turkey should re-establish its role as a global player, not just a regional power. In some sense, Davotoglu viewed the collapse of the Soviet Union as a historic chance for Turkey to expand its influence in the Caucasus region and Central Asia.

And here enters Daesh…

Given the fact that ISIL has been created and fuelled by a number of states and private donors, which geopolitical players are resisting Russia's attempts to eradicate terrorism in the region and preserve the sovereignty of Syria? Is Russia confronting a bunch of terrorists fed by Saudi and Qatari sheikhs or some well-organized multi-national organizations?

"As for Daesh, it is simply one 'weapon' used by the [US] Empire to destroy its opponents. There is no such thing as 'terrorism' by itself, it is always a weapon used by one (or several) state actors," The Saker explained.


"The sheikhs you mention are just pawns in the hands of the 'deep state' which runs the US Anglo-Zionist 'Empire' and they themselves only have a local influence. Thus, the Saudis or the Qatari are major players in Syria, but already at the Middle-Eastern level they are far less powerful than, say, the Turks or the Israelis. And while they can act as 'private donors' and sponsors of this or that faction of Daesh/al-Qaeda, they can only do that as long as the Americans tolerate that. One could say that the local sheikhs are influential or even powerful puppets, but they still remain fundamentally puppets," the US military analyst told Sputnik.

However, he claims, this is only the tip of the iceberg; the situation in general is far more serious.

"What is taking place today is a world war between, on one hand, the so-called 'West' (the US Empire) and what I call the 'Resistance' i.e., Russia, China, the BRICS, the SCO countries, Latin America, etc. What is at stake here is the future of our planet: it will either be ruled by a single world Hegemon or it will be organized as a multi-polar world. The events in the Middle East are just one 'front' in this worldwide war, and the war in Syria just one "battle" in the Middle Eastern 'front'," The Saker concluded.
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:20 am

Putin Plays Waiting Game as NATO Presses Self-Destruct Button
by sputniknews.com
11/30/15

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Commenting on Turkey's move to shoot down a Russian bomber over Syria last week, conservative commentator Silvio Canto, Jr. warned that divisions within NATO over the incident may end up catastrophically weakening the alliance.

In his piece, published in the arch-conservative online magazine American Thinker, Canto noted that "the Turkey-Russia feud raises a few questions about the future of NATO," with cracks in the alliance over how to respond to Ankara's aggression factually giving Russia an "opportunity to prick the NATO balloon."

Suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has been trying to downsize NATO for some time," the broadcaster noted that the Turkish attack, together with other issues, including the war against Daesh (ISIL), has given the Russian leader an opening: Putin, according to Canto, doesn't have to "blow up NATO…He simply watches NATO blow up itself [by being forced] to work together."


"In the end," the journalist argues, "NATO won't work together, because of weak US leadership and the reality that most countries have no real military resources to bring to the game."

With NATO's power projection capabilities concentrated in the hands of a few countries, Canto likens the alliance to "a baseball team where only a couple of guys can play…the rest can't do much more than watch from the dugout."

Ultimately, the journalist notes that only time will tell how the Russia-NATO crisis which Turkey instigated will play out. However, what is clear, according to Canto, is that "Putin is a master tactician, and he assumes that Obama is weak and the West is weaker. He is betting that he will win because the other side doesn't want to fight. And he is right!"
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:32 am

‘Turkey Part of the Problem Rather Than a Force Fighting Daesh’
by sputniknews.com
12/1/15

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Even though Turkey’s NATO allies have, by and large, stood by Ankara in the wake of its downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber, experts believe the country has “overplayed its hand”, and while it claims to be part of the solution in fighting Daesh (also known as ISIL/ISIS) it’s actually part of the problem.

In the wake of the gunning down of a Russian bomber in Syrian airspace, President Obama has argued that every country has the right to defend itself.

However, Obama’s articulation of Turkey’s “right to defend itself does not really apply in this case,” according to Henri J. Barkey, the Director of the Middle East Program at the DC-based Smithsonian Institute's Wilson Center.


“Russia and Turkey are two friendly countries that have extensive trade, tourism, and other ties,” he wrote in his article for The American Interest magazine. “Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan had vowed to raise the trade volume to $100 billion by 2023. Turkey buys large amounts of gas from Russia. They are both dependent on that trade; Turkey consumes large amounts of energy, and the Russians need the foreign exchange earnings this trade provides.”

Hence, he reasoned, an armed bomber on the fringes of Turkish territory is an unlikely threat to any country, let alone an important member of NATO.


While questioning why Turkey would feel threatened by “that single aircraft” and “why would the Russians, who are already saddled with numerous other problems, threaten a friendly country”, the author concluded that “this was not a case of self-defense but rather one of defending one’s sovereignty”.

He provided several explanations of what might be behind the attack, such as: “the Turks seemed particularly upset at the Russian bombardment of its allies, the anti-Assad Turkmen militia. Turkey has invested a lot of support in this militia; Erdogan publicly admitted that they had been supplying it with arms. Another worrying factor for Ankara was the growing post-Paris consensus to prioritize the fight against the Daesh, also known as the Islamic State, at the expense of the fight against Assad, which has always been Turkey’s primary focus.”

But even with all the above in mind, Barkey states that “Turkey may now realize that it has overplayed its hand.”

“Erdogan, who initially said there was nothing to apologize for, is now saying that if they knew it was a Russian plane they would probably have acted differently. Erdogan likely changed his tune because Putin didn’t lose any time in retaliating against Turkish interests: Turkish convoys in Syria delivering supplies to the opposition have been bombed, Turkish businessmen have been denied entry at the Moscow airport, tourism packages are being cancelled, and Moscow is contemplating other measures, including the elimination starting January 1, 2016 of the visa-free travel program.”


However, the most worrisome thing, he says, is the increasing arsenal, including the S400 advanced air defense systems Russia has brought into Syria.

“This, more than anything else, will make life harder for allied aircraft over Syria and is clearly something Washington wishes would never have happened.”

‘Turkey claims to be part of the solution in fighting ISIL, but often it’s been part of the problem.’

His view is echoed by Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“As Turkey and Russia dispute the incident, it is casting a spotlight on one of the most troubling developments in the evolving struggle in the Middle East: When it comes to fighting the Islamic State and extremism more generally, Turkey—and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—has become a significant part of the problem, rather than part of the solution,” he wrote in his article for the magazine Politico.

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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listens to statements at the COP21, United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Le Bourget, outside Paris, Monday, Nov. 30, 2015

“For the uninitiated, Erdogan’s statement must have seemed heartening. But close observers of Turkey know better: Over the past five years, American policymakers, Turkey watchers, terrorism experts and a slew of journalists have come to understand that while Ankara can play a constructive role in combating extremism and resolving the Syrian conflict, it has chosen not to.”


And as that conflict spreads and jumps borders, the Turks’ myopia on jihadism in Syria may very well come back to haunt them and their Western allies, he states.

Over time, the author says, extremism became a veritable instrument of Turkish statecraft—and also, not surprisingly, a threat within Turkey’s borders.

“The choices that Erdogan and top Turkish officials have made contributed to the vortex of violence and extremism that is Syria’s reality. Erdogan has never paid a price for these choices either at home, where he has hollowed out Turkish political institutions to ensure his grip on power, or abroad, where Turkey’s NATO allies are forced to pretend, by dint of circumstance and geography, that Ankara shares their goals.”


With all of that in mind, Cook criticizes the attitude of Turkey’s Western partners towards its policy.

“And it’s not just enabling jihadis or agreeing to fight the Islamic State without really fighting the Islamic State; at home, Erdogan has crushed the Turkish press, clamped down on social media, rerun an election earlier this year because the initial result wasn’t good enough and made sure his son-in-law was appointed energy minister,” he says.


“Yet Americans say nary a word about Erdogan’s thuggish approach to domestic and foreign policy. Germany’s Angela Merkel even showed up in Ankara in October with a bunch of goodies to help the Turkish leader’s party regain a parliamentary majority.”

“It’s good to be Erdogan. In the interest of alliance unity and solidarity, he will get a further pass from his NATO allies now that the plane incident has raised tensions between Ankara and Moscow,” he states.

However, he finally concludes, “as long as Washington determines not to call out the Turkish government for its bad behavior, Ankara will continue to sow chaos.”
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:35 am

Putin: Russia Has Evidence Su-24 Shot Down to Protect Daesh Oil Deliveries
by sputniknews.com
11/30/15

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Discussing the matter with world leaders during the Paris climate talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has evidence that the Su-24 was shot down by Turkey to protect oil deliveries of the ISIL terrorist group, also known as Daesh, and that oil from IS-controlled fields is being exported to Turkey on an industrial scale.

"We have every reason to believe that the decision to shoot down our aircraft was dictated by the desire to ensure the safety of supply routes of oil to Turkey, to the ports where they are shipped in tankers," Putin said.

Discussing the matter with world leaders during the Paris climate talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that most colleagues agree there was no need to attack the Su-24 bomber, as it was not threatening Turkey.

Putin also stressed that whether or not the order to shoot down the aircraft came directly from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it was still a "huge mistake."

"We have heard from the Turkish side that this decision was not made by the president, it was made by other people. For us, it does not matter much, the important thing is that two of our servicemen died as a result of this criminal move," he told reporters.

In response, Erdogan denied that his country buys oil from Daesh, and called Putin's comments "slander."

"We buy from Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Nigeria. We won't accept such slanders," he told reporters in Paris.


He also added that he will resign from office if the allegations can be proven.

"The accusation that Turkey allegedly buys crude oil from the Islamic State is unacceptable, and to say it is amoral. You can't just say things, you need to present evidence," he said. "If documents exist — let's see them. If this fact is proven, I will not stay in my position."

Putin also said that the Syria conflict was to be a main topic of bilateral meetings during the summit, with hopes that anti-terror cooperation with France, in particular, will "go further" than with other countries.

He said that despite the downing of the Su-24 by Ankara, Moscow will continue to strive for a broad, international coalition to combat the terrorist group, adding that he regrets the deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey.

"I think that this is regrettable for all of us," Putin said. "And for me personally it's a real pity, because I myself did much to build up relations with Turkey over the course of a long period of time."


Speaking with US President Barack Obama, Putin stressed that there is a general agreement on Syria's future, and that new elections are necessary.

As the climate talks continue through the week, the White House has confirmed that Obama will meet with President Erdogan on Tuesday.
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Re: SOCIAL MEDIA TERRORISM: DAESH’S NEW CAUCASIAN PROVINCE

Postby admin » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:42 am

Time to Kick Turkey Out of NATO? Ankara Playing Dangerous Games With ISIL
by sputniknews.com
11/27/15

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For decades Ankara has used its NATO membership to achieve its own goals, which very often do not coincide with the interests of the Alliance, Czech-based freelance journalist and analyst Martin Berger emphasizes.

Ankara's recent provocative action toward Russia has prompted deep concerns among NATO member states: it is clear that not one of them is interested in escalating tensions with Russia.

"The members of NATO fear that the 'impulsive actions' of Turkey's President will force them into a new major conflict, and NATO is not prepared to fight it yet. These 'impulsive actions' may trigger the response that is required by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty," Czech-based freelance journalist and analyst Martin Berger writes in his article for New Eastern Outlook.


In order to resolve the dangerous crisis which erupted in the wake of the downing of an Su-24 bomber by a Turkish fighter jet, the West is now searching for those "guilty" of the attack. And it is obvious that the guilty party is Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan, Berger stresses.

"Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and the chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Sigmar Gabriel expressed harsh criticism of Turkey after the downing of Russia's Su-24 bombers by labeling it an 'unpredictable player'," the analyst points out.

Citing French media sources, Berger calls attention to the fact that since the Muslim Brotherhood "came to power" in Turkey, the country has become a serious headache rather than a reliable partner of the Western bloc.

Furthermore, under Erdogan's rule Ankara has spoiled Turkey's relations with Israel. On the other hand, during the Arab Spring the Turkish leader had first sided with Assad but then "stabbed him in the back" allowing Islamists from around the world to flood Syria through the Turkey-Syrian border, Berger narrates. He adds that Ankara has never missed an opportunity to demonstrate its disdain toward the Kurds, which have long been fighting against Islamic State and even went so far as to attack them.

In light of this the analyst quotes the former NATO commander of Europe, Ret. General Wesley Clark, who once said about Turkey:

"Let's be very clear: ISIL is not just a terrorist organization, it is a Sunni terrorist organization. It means it blocks and targets Shia, and that means it's serving the interests of Turkey and Saudi Arabia even as it poses a threat to them. All along there's always been the idea that Turkey was supporting ISIL in some way… Someone's buying that oil that ISIL is selling, it's going through somewhere. It looks to me like it's probably going through Turkey, but the Turks have never acknowledged it."


Commenting on Ankara's recent provocative strike on the Russian Su-24 bomber, Berger notes that Turkey's protégés, much-talked-about "defenseless" Turkomans, not only killed the Russian pilot as he descended, but also blasted a Russian helicopter (with a US-made TOW missile) that was sent to rescue the Su-24 crew.

The analyst cites retired US Major General Paul Vallely, who lambasted Ankara for an apparent attempt to revive the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The American general believes that due to Ankara's fishy cooperation with Islamic State, Turkey should be kicked out of NATO.

"For decades, Turkey has used NATO membership in order to achieve its own objectives, which, as a rule, do not coincide with the interests of the alliance," Berger underscores.


"In the early 2000s, Turkey chose to demonstrate its support of Islamism, which has always been a more serious threat to the West than the Soviet Union," the analyst notes, adding that NATO should get in an alliance with Russia against the Islamist threat, including that posed by the Turkish leadership.
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