In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action Against ISIS, Turkey is Now Bombing a Key US Ally, the Only Trustworthy Ground Troops Fighting ISIS

The Kurdish militia, the YPG, coordinates with the US in the few airstrikes we lodge against ISIS. I suppose that means they provide us the enemy's location and maybe conduct maneuvers designed to hold them while bombers are scrambled.

But in Turkish-occupied northern Kurdish enclaves, the PKK -- officially branded a "terrorist" organization (and I think that's a fair label) -- shoots Turkish cops and plants bombs.

What set this off? Well, a couple of weeks ago a suicide bomber killed 20 people in a Turkish town near the Syrian border, but most believe this was an ISIS suicide bomber, having nothing to do with the PKK.

A suspected female Islamic State suicide bomber has set off an explosion near a cultural centre hosting youth activists in a Turkish town near the border with Syria, leaving 32 dead and scores injured.
The blast ripped through the centre in Suruc, just a few miles from the Syrian flashpoint of Kobane - which was itself later hit in a co-ordinated suicide car bombing.
Most of the dead were university students with the Federation of Socialist Youths, who had been planning a mission to help rebuild Kobane, which was retaken by Kurds from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) militants earlier this year.

This has outraged Turkey, and Erdogan, being a politician, promised action. But while he is bombing ISIS, he's also taking the opportunity to bomb the PKK, Turkey's long-standing foe because, hey, why not. YOLO.

Turkey says the YPG sometimes works with the PKK, so now they're bombing our only real ground-troops allies in the fake war on ISIS.

Kurdish militia fighting Islamic State in Syria accused Turkey on Saturday of targeting it at least four times in the past week, calling the attacks provocative and hostile.
Turkey began a campaign of air strikes on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) camps in northern Iraq and Islamic State fighters in Syria last Friday, in what Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called a "synchronized fight against terror."
The campaign has raised suspicions among Kurds that Ankara's real agenda is checking Kurdish territorial ambitions rather than fighting Islamic State.
The president of Iraq's Kurdistan region on Saturday condemned Turkey's bombardment of Zargala, a village there which he said had killed civilians, and called for a return to the peace process between Ankara and the PKK.

Nine were killed in the Zargala. The Kurds claim a pregnant woman is among the dead, which is certainly possible, but I think we've all come to be skeptical of reports of massacres by partisans in Middle East conflicts.

Turkey called an Article 4 (not 5) NATO meeting, which is a request for consultation when a member nation is threatened. NATO backed all of Erdogan's actions, for some reason.

And then PKK got vengeance, by blowing up a Turkish gas pipeline.

Turkey has also agreed to let America use our Incirlik air base to conduct raids (piloted and drone) on ISIS.

Now, you may be worried that amidst this backdrop of complex, ancient hatreds, President Obama might not have a plan capable of dealing with any of this.

But on that, you'd be wrong:

The plan is for Iran to fix everything with its brand-new Nuclear Bomb Rangers.

Correction: Embarrassing error: I wrote that America was letting Turkey use America's Incirlik base. In fact, the base is Turkey's; they're allowing the US to use it.

When I wrote that, I thought "This doesn't make any sense" but I told myself "Oh well, must be one of those bases like Diego Garcia that I haven't heard of."

Ah well. I call Mondays "Matt Yglesias Days." The days for Learning Adventures, each started by embarrassing mistakes.

Posted by: Ace at 12:37 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 I will immediately consult with some interesting Italians.

Posted by: Low Information President at August 03, 2015 12:38 PM (UlJ3l)

2 Well it's the next administration's problem, so time for more golf

Posted by: brak at August 03, 2015 12:39 PM (Tj+s6)

3 Barack Obama is a SCOAMT.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 12:41 PM (kff5f)

4 Mohammedanism is an evil death cult.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 12:41 PM (kff5f)

5 Hardly anybody is paying attention so we'll get another lecture on Bruce-Caitlyn's bravery. For the children.

Posted by: joncelli, Boned like You at August 03, 2015 12:41 PM (RD7QR)

6 Fore!

Posted by: Baracky Da Beotch at August 03, 2015 12:41 PM (fO0en)

7 Burn it down.
Scatter the stones.
Salt the earth where it stood.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 12:41 PM (kff5f)

8 I suspect that TFGs plan is to obliterate an entire battalion of straw men and demonize Republicans.

Posted by: blaster at August 03, 2015 12:42 PM (2Ocf1)

9 The SCOAMT's mid-east strategy is working so well that there are reports it is driving the Kurds to seek sanctuary/alliance with ISIS.

Heckofajob, Bammy.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 12:44 PM (kff5f)

10 Spent a year in Turkey back in the 80's Loved it there.
Today, things have changed. A pity.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 03, 2015 12:44 PM (Z9g7j)

11 THAT'S PRESIDENT MOTHER-FUCKIN' PEACE PRIZE TO YOU!!!!!

Posted by: Tex Lovera at August 03, 2015 12:44 PM (wtvvX)

12 Did I do that?

Posted by: Predident Urkel at August 03, 2015 12:44 PM (jWtyG)

13 Anybody who thought this wouldn't all turn into a giant clusterfuck simply wasn't paying attention.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 12:45 PM (2Ojst)

14 Turkey is bombing the Kurds? No whey!

Posted by: Muldoon at August 03, 2015 12:45 PM (NeFrd)

15 There is nothing too simple for da Zero to fuck up.

Posted by: maddogg at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (xWW96)

16 Choom Boy will make sure his Iranian pals come out on top, no matter what. If a few random Arab states -- and, of course, Israel -- have to be obliterated in the process, hey, it's just a little collateral damage....

Posted by: MrScribbler at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (8PotD)

17 Before I let this happen, I'll dance my life away.

Posted by: Prince at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (Ui7Rt)

18 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action...

Save this phrasing in a text file, because it comes handy often.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (TxJGV)

19 14 Turkey is bombing the Kurds? No whey!
Posted by: Muldoon at August 03, 2015 12:45 PM (NeFrd)

I'm shorting my tuffet certificates.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (2Ojst)

Posted by: GOP at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (HstNY)

21 Persia and Turkey are battling for the Caliphate. Barry has already chosen sides.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (rwI+c)

22 You have to break a few Kurdish eggs to make a Radical Islamic Hegemony.

Posted by: Chef Barackhenaten I at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (cvI9D)

23 Our Nation could have afforded, and can afford now, the steps necessary to close the nuclear bomb ranger gap.

Posted by: SpongeBobSaget at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (ktt8p)

24 Do. Nothing. Stupid.

Posted by: rebel flounder at August 03, 2015 12:47 PM (Vf5rR)

25 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action to denuclearize America, World War 3 broke out.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:47 PM (TxJGV)

26 The Turks have been untrustworthy since the paleolithic age.

Posted by: Uncle Busyhands at August 03, 2015 12:47 PM (Dwehj)

27 14
Turkey is bombing the Kurds? No whey!

Posted by: Muldoon at August 03, 2015 12:45 PM (NeFrd)

I could not tell. I just skimmed.

Posted by: rebel flounder at August 03, 2015 12:48 PM (Vf5rR)

28 The Turks and the Kurds have a long-running dispute, running back to the end of World War One. The Kurds were promised a country of their own while Europe and the US were drawing borders and all that. That promise wasn't kept, of course, for a number of reasons. A Kurdish homeland would include a big piece of what is now northern Iraq (including some of the best oil-producing regions, and the cities of Erbil, Mosul, and Kirkuk), a chunk of northern Iran, and a not-insignificant piece of eastern inland Turkey. The Turks were not pleased by the idea of the West propping their feet up on their Ottoman, if you know what I mean.

Besides the Israelis, the Kurds are about the only good guys in the region. They are pro-western, tolerant of Jews and Christians, and generally don't go around hacking heads off people.

A free and independent Kurdistan would be a powerful force for peace in the Middle East, which is why the SCOAMF won't ever let that happen on his watch. He's community-organizing war and discord over there. When all of you band together and elect me President, the creation of a free and independent Kurdistan will be high on my priority list.

Of course, that's going to be a long list.

Posted by: Keith Arnold at August 03, 2015 12:48 PM (iIzG7)

29 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action...

to prevent a nuclear Iran, a middle east nuclear arms race began.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:48 PM (TxJGV)

30 There is a truism in the world:

When things get unstable, Americans die.

And things are pretty fucking unstable right now.

Posted by: VA GOP Sucks at August 03, 2015 12:48 PM (PFy0L)

31 It's horrendous how much more damage Obama can do before January 2017.

Boehner and McConnell, on your heads be it.

Posted by: Decaf at August 03, 2015 12:49 PM (En3WJ)

32 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action...

to pacify the Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt, America lost its firmest Arab partner for peace in the middle east and upended fifty years of diplomatic effort.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:49 PM (TxJGV)

33 No, no, no. We were all assured ISIS would be degraded and destroyed. There's a 60 nation coalition!

Yup, Obama's got this.

/s

Posted by: Marmo, heteronormative person of pallor at August 03, 2015 12:49 PM (QW+AD)

34 Wait, "raised suspicions"

I though that Turkey's desire to use this chaos to kill off Kurds was a well known fact?

Posted by: tsrblke (Tablet) at August 03, 2015 12:49 PM (U8W/7)

35 This reminds me of the union fights in Wisconsin.

Posted by: Scott Walker at August 03, 2015 12:49 PM (Ui7Rt)

36 Just unbelievable.

I'm going to post this again as an FYI:

The best man at John Kerry's daughter, Vanessa, to Iranian-American Brian (Behrooz) Vala Nahed was....the sone of Mohammed Javad Zarif, the current minister of foreign affairs in the Rouhani administration and chief negotiator for the Iran deal.

Small world, huh?
http://allenbwest.com/

Posted by: Lizzy at August 03, 2015 12:50 PM (NOIQH)

37 It's good to be a US ally.

What with all the protection that status offers.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 03, 2015 12:50 PM (VPLuQ)

38 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action...

to retreat from Iraq, the country broke apart and became consumed by war. Slave auctions commenced and mass murder became a daily news story.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (TxJGV)

39 The PKK is the only western ally that has been fighting for independence for Kurdistan for a long time. The Turks meanwhile are a rapid bunch of ass stabbers who like to make rape in their prisons ala "Midnight Express".

Guess which one Obozo likes better?

Posted by: Violent Towel Head at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (D0NZx)

40 38 In Deadly Complication of Obama's Half-Assed Action...

to retreat from Iraq, the country broke apart and became consumed by war. Slave auctions commenced and mass murder became a daily news story.
Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (TxJGV)

Slavery, rape, mass murder, and rape.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (2Ojst)

41 We're going to lose this war.

Posted by: Cloyd Freud, Unemployed at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (9spsc)

42 In fairness, the Turks mistook them for Armenians.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at August 03, 2015 12:51 PM (rwI+c)

43 Would our foreign policy be any more jacked up if we put Lena Dunham in charge?

Posted by: Fritz at August 03, 2015 12:52 PM (UzPAd)

44 It's good to be a US ally.

What with all the protection that status offers.

Our strongly-worded Tweets are second to none.

Posted by: Jen Psocki at August 03, 2015 12:52 PM (Dwehj)

45 There is nothing too simple for da Zero to fuck up.

He could fvck up a solid steel cube.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 12:52 PM (SdfnP)

46 I get amazed that people; even some morons, think Obama is a screw up. This has been his plan from the start. No one could believe some one would hate America and want to do it harm. Wouldn't work for that goal. Right from the start he spoke how McCain wasn't making his Muslim faith an issue. It took the reporter to remind him it was his Christian faith. Can't say one word bad about Muslim anything. Doesn't say one good word about Christian anything.

Posted by: OTB at August 03, 2015 12:52 PM (7lhoQ)

47 Came across a twitter account called:

https://twitter.com/adamactivist92

That is enough to repulse you. He calls himself a journalist but all I can figure out is that he is maybe turkish and hates the kurds and the Yazidi. Calls them terrorists and loves to post photos of dead ones.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 12:52 PM (iQIUe)

48 It's Istanbul not Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works? it's nobodies business but the Turks...

Sorry I couldn't resist...

Posted by: donna at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (hUdMz)

49 Algae will take care of everything.

Posted by: Shallow HAL 9000 at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (VcOqI)

50 "Anybody who thought this wouldn't all turn into a giant clusterfuck simply wasn't paying attention."

He made it clear to Medvedev that he would have more flexibility after the election.

Posted by: Decaf at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (En3WJ)

51 "He could fvck up a solid steel cube."

Climate was running fine when he took office.

Now look at it.

Just sayin' not judging.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (VPLuQ)

52 Some people will say that Obama has no problem with the enemies of Islam being slaughtered...

Posted by: Garrett at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (cvI9D)

53 If we knew what we were doing, we would be building a U.S. base the size of Delaware in the Kurdish region of Iraq, from which we would arm the Kurds and provide air support.

Any bad feelings that Turkey had over such a base or policy would be met with a diplomatic "Fuck You".

Posted by: jwest at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (P/xrJ)

54
20

Posted by: GOP at August 03, 2015 12:46 PM (HstNY)

I see what you did there. Good one.

Posted by: Gouverneur Morris at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (02oLK)

55 "The campaign has raised suspicions among Kurds that Ankara's real agenda is checking Kurdish territorial ambitions rather than fighting Islamic State."

While the Islamic State jihadis were openly butchering Syrian Christians right there on the other side of the Syrian-Turkish border, the heavily armed Turkish military sat there and sipped tea and calmly watched the proceedings, so close they didn't need binoculars.

To Erdogan, the Islamic State is a feature, not a bug.

Posted by: torquewrench at August 03, 2015 12:53 PM (noWW6)

56 "There is nothing too simple for da Zero to fuck up."

That guy couldn't mastermind a conspiracy to order take-out pizza.

Posted by: Keith Arnold at August 03, 2015 12:54 PM (iIzG7)

57 What does Netanyahu call Obama in private?

Posted by: Shallow HAL 9000 at August 03, 2015 12:54 PM (VcOqI)

58 Yo!

Posted by: Yo! at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (W6iIX)

59 Turkey is bombing the Kurds? No whey!
Posted by: Muldoon

I could not tell. I just skimmed.
Posted by: rebel flounder

The whole thing just curdles my stomach and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (SdfnP)

60 Most of Obama's foreign policy seems to revolve around him sitting on his ass and watching Netflix.

Posted by: El Kabong at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (9oC/Q)

61 Here is something you don't see every day.

https://goo.gl/o6CyYk

Posted by: maddogg at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (xWW96)

62
In fairness, the Turks mistook them for Armenians.

Posted by: Grump928(C)Now that's funny right there.

Posted by: Moderate Salami, weeping for our Republic at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (/Ho8c)

63 Posted by: Keith Arnold at August 03, 2015 12:54 PM (iIzG7)

It doesn't take a mastermind to recede from the world stage.

Posted by: tsrblke (Tablet) at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (U8W/7)

64 5th dimensional chess is not pretty.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (XUKZU)

65 "There is nothing too simple for da Zero to fuck up."

Obama couldn't organize two junior Sailors getting laid in an Olongapo City whorehouse on payday after a six month deployment.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (VPLuQ)

66 The PKK and the PYD are Maoists unlike the Peshmerga who are genuinely the good guys. Why are alleged conservatives like ace supporting a Maoists?

Posted by: Leonora at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (pifhR)

67 what's several thousands of kurds , Israelis and any chosen to die others compared to the hopes of the M.E to be Free to have a Caliphate. self determination for the poor and afflicted Isis to live by the sword with no fear of anyone getting in the way .

I guess leaving a yawning opening in syria-iraq-libya wasn't sucha great idea.

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (nqBYe)

68 That guy couldn't mastermind a conspiracy to order take-out pizza.

Posted by: Keith Arnold

You nearly choked me to death with that one. Good stuff.

Posted by: Moderate Salami, weeping for our Republic at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (/Ho8c)

69 I do not get the hate Turks have for the Kurds. What is the historical background for this? They seem to hate them even more than Greeks, who they've had a rivalry and antagonism with for thousands of years.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (39g3+)

70 Climate was running fine when he took office.
Now look at it.
Just sayin' not judging.

Win 8.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 12:57 PM (SdfnP)

71 Hector,

Are you done eating that rolling tire?

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 03, 2015 12:57 PM (VY8H5)

72
Here's another nutter:

Jamilah
Mamamoo_J
Islamic state to resist the invasion of the Crusaders, killing damn apostate. So they are not terrorists.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 12:57 PM (iQIUe)

73 Grump Wins.

Posted by: Garrett at August 03, 2015 12:57 PM (cvI9D)

74 This may be as bad as what the Brits did in Malaya in the 1950's

Posted by: Yo! at August 03, 2015 12:57 PM (W6iIX)

75
"the PKK -- officially branded a "terrorist" organization (and I think that's a fair label) -- shoots Turkish cops and plants bombs."

They are also officially communists. Partiya Karker�n Kurdistan� or Kurdistan Worker's party. Leninists, Stalinists or whatever. Which is part of the reason I'm fairly surprised Obama isn't reigning in Turkey a bit more on this. The permission to bomb the Kurds was almost certainly an exchange for letting us operate out of Incirlik against Turkey's key ally in the region, ISIS.

Posted by: f2000 at August 03, 2015 12:58 PM (5xwgn)

76 There are no dead Armenians in the desert.

Posted by: Istanbul Bob at August 03, 2015 12:58 PM (2tLz4)

77 Hector, why do you support the take over of former soviet block countries. where is their allowed sovereignty to be free from being dragged back into a political ownership by outsiders?

why support soviet interference for Iran?

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 12:59 PM (nqBYe)

78 "America has also agreed to let Turkey use our Incirlik air base to conduct raids on ISIS"

It's the reverse; turkey agreed to let US use its (turkey's) airbase.

Posted by: Lael at August 03, 2015 01:01 PM (yrklk)

79 Looks like somebody got banninated...

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 01:01 PM (2Ojst)

80 I hope someone can get Hillary's policy perspective on the Kurds because whatever it is, I agree with it!

Posted by: Jeb Bush at August 03, 2015 01:02 PM (TxJGV)

81 There are more acronyms in this post than at your standard military briefing.

I needed to take notes to keep all the players straight.

It's like Russian literature.

Posted by: bonhomme at August 03, 2015 01:03 PM (jhqr1)

82 Posted by: Jeb Bush at August 03, 2015 01:02 PM (TxJGV)

"My opinion on the Kurds is the same as my opinion on Keystone XL. Frankly, I never had to think about these things as SecState"

Posted by: tsrblke (Tablet) at August 03, 2015 01:03 PM (U8W/7)

83 Hector is still pisssed that Tito died. lol

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 01:03 PM (iQIUe)

84 Hillary Clinton's campaign is so dead...

HOW DEAD IS IT?

Planned Parenthood is selling parts of it.

Posted by: Hank at August 03, 2015 01:03 PM (LpJen)

85 I hope someone can get Hillary's policy perspective on the Kurds because whatever it is, I agree with it!

-
Hillary!'s policy perspective is that one hand washes the other.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at August 03, 2015 01:03 PM (XUKZU)

86 Looks like somebody got banninated...

Posted by: Insomniac

Sure does.

Posted by: Moderate Salami, weeping for our Republic at August 03, 2015 01:04 PM (/Ho8c)

87 Kerry was recently in Egypt. They absolutely hate him there.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 01:04 PM (iQIUe)

88 about 18 months from now I expect our foreign policy wreckage will wash ashore on some island somewhere, and we'll be able to see exactly what happened.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 01:04 PM (TxJGV)

89 thank g-d for Turkey helping by killing Kurds , the actual fighters -fighting all those raping, murderous head choppers enslaving thousands of undesirable peoples of the world.

#bringbackourgirls!

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 01:05 PM (nqBYe)

90 The plan is for Iran to fix everything with its brand-new Nuclear Bomb Rangers.

----

I'm okay if it's Turkey! I like bomb-roasted Turkey.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:05 PM (VAsIq)

91 "Hillary Clinton's campaign is so dead...

HOW DEAD IS IT?

Planned Parenthood is selling parts of it."'

Hank...
Go to the window, and collect your winnings.

Shut it down

It's over.

Put the Moose out front.

Goin' home now.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 03, 2015 01:05 PM (VPLuQ)

92 87 Kerry was recently in Egypt. They absolutely hate him there.
Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 01:04 PM (iQIUe)

Wow, looks like me and the Egyptians have something in common. As an aside, if the Demotards run Biden, how are they gonna keep his fingers out of his nose during the debates?

Posted by: maddogg at August 03, 2015 01:06 PM (xWW96)

93 Is there anything that this SCOAMT can touch that he won't fk up?

Posted by: OurCountryIsScrewed at August 03, 2015 01:06 PM (DlmoZ)

94 I'm sure our best bud Iran can help us straighten this now right... right?

Posted by: joe at August 03, 2015 01:06 PM (KUaJL)

95 Ah well. I call Mondays "Matt Yglesias Days." The days for Learning Adventures, each started by embarrassing mistakes.

Eh, you're making the false assumption that Yglesias actually learns from his mistakes.

Posted by: joncelli, Boned like You at August 03, 2015 01:07 PM (RD7QR)

96 you forgot "unexpectedly."

Posted by: Miss Helpful at August 03, 2015 01:07 PM (CgOBQ)

97 one wonders why we have been so ineffective ridding the world of ISIS, then one realizes before we bomb targets we ask Half the mideast "allies" if/when we may bomb.

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 01:08 PM (nqBYe)

98 MuslimBrotherhood down for the struggle!

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 01:09 PM (nqBYe)

99 Posted by: Christopher Taylor at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM (39g3+)

Neighbors, historic enemies. Kurds were foot soldiers for ottomans (Turks) who were used to suppress Arabs. Normal tribalism and racism is why they don't get along.
Plus post Ottoman Empire the Kurds wanted a large part of what are now turkey and Iraq for their homelands. Turks were opposed. Been a cold / warm war between the two since then

Posted by: mynewhandle at August 03, 2015 01:09 PM (Iz401)

100 Man with trolls. Somebody cut down a tree full of 'em?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 03, 2015 01:09 PM (LA7Cm)

101 I'm beginning to suspect that this ~~Communist agitator~~ "community organizer" doesn't know what the eff he's doing.

And neither do those whose puppet he is.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:09 PM (oKE6c)

102 Eh, you're making the false assumption that Yglesias actually learns from his mistakes.

Posted by: joncelli

If I did, I'd be the smartest man in the world by now!

Posted by: Matty Glesias at August 03, 2015 01:10 PM (VAsIq)

103 oh hell nevermind. it's all good i'm sure these new allies will be a big improvement over such as the Kurds
.not.

back outside to finish the weed wacking.

Posted by: willow at August 03, 2015 01:10 PM (nqBYe)

104 It could get worse. Who can't imagine Obozo bombing the Kurds at some point?

Posted by: East Bay Jay at August 03, 2015 01:11 PM (7v8o1)

105 Dont worry about the Incirlik mistake Ace, because we built it, we maintain it and we run the air traffic in it. It's our base in all but name only, and I believe it really was our base until a In Deadly Complication of Carter's Half-Assed Action in giving the Turks control over it, we now have to ask the Turks for permission to use it.

Posted by: MTF at August 03, 2015 01:11 PM (TxJGV)

106 A little slow on this story I think. The other hitch is there are Americans who are fighting alongside the Kurds in those areas.

Whow knows. Maybe those Americans are on Obama's hit list.

Posted by: Drider at August 03, 2015 01:11 PM (6Xbsz)

107 "Kerry was recently in Egypt. They absolutely hate him there."

It has gotten to the point where the official communiques from the U.S. government about foreign policy have a distinctly Soviet whiff of unreality about them.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is recently back from Saudi Arabia, where Ashcart briefed his counterparts on the Iran deal, and the press release claimed with a straight face that the Saudis were "welcoming" the deal and "reiterated their support" for it.

Yeah, the Saudis like the Iran deal so much that they're now actively working with Pakistan to acquire nuclear weapons of their own. They're positively _delighted_ with the deal.

Posted by: torquewrench at August 03, 2015 01:12 PM (noWW6)

108 We have always been at war with the Kurds

Posted by: Winston Smith, Obama voter at August 03, 2015 01:12 PM (TxJGV)

109 I do not get the hate Turks have for the Kurds.
What is the historical background for this? They seem to hate them even
more than Greeks, who they've had a rivalry and antagonism with for
thousands of years.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at August 03, 2015 12:56 PM

Not being an expert -- why should I be different? -- but having paid a little attention to history, I get the feeling Turks generally hate anyone except other Turks, and a lot of them are on shaky ground.

They're touchy bastiges: they have -- or had -- a law against dissing Kemal Attaturk in public. Could get you jailed, or at least beaten pretty good.

Posted by: MrScribbler at August 03, 2015 01:12 PM (8PotD)

110 In my third term, I'm gonna get France and Germany back to warrin' with each other.

Historic!

Posted by: Presn't Obama at August 03, 2015 01:13 PM (VAsIq)

111 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:13 PM (SdfnP)

112 Maybe those Americans are on Obama's hit list.

Posted by: Drider

Are they proud traditional Americans? Then yes.

Posted by: Pres'nt Obama at August 03, 2015 01:14 PM (VAsIq)

113 I do not get the hate Turks have for the Kurds. What is the historical background for this? They seem to hate them even more than Greeks, who they've had a rivalry and antagonism with for thousands of years.

It goes back to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of Turkey as a Republic (HA!) dominated by Turks.

In the fall of the Empire, most of the non-Turkish areas fell out of their control, except Kurdistan. Turkey didn't let them form their own nation, and the Kurds haven't been able to force Turkey to accept them as a sovereign nation.

Turks don't get along with anyone. They dominate ethnic groups and destroy their culture. The Kurds are no exception.

Posted by: bonhomme at August 03, 2015 01:14 PM (jhqr1)

114 "The other hitch is there are Americans who are fighting alongside the Kurds in those areas."

I fully expect that, as America descends further and further into the abyss of globalist left-wing insanity, that all U.S. citizens who are known to have traveled abroad to fight the Islamic State will eventually end up being forcibly extradited to Islamosphere countries to stand trial for "war crimes".

Posted by: torquewrench at August 03, 2015 01:14 PM (noWW6)

115 OT, but -
Senator Tim Kaine is a fucking coward.

You can't even get a person on the phone. Your choices are "leave a voicemail" or get hung up on by the automated phone system when you attempt to talk to someone.

At least I got to register my disapproval for Warner's upcoming vote to use my tax dollars to subsidize unborn baby torture with an actual human being.

Posted by: Chi at August 03, 2015 01:14 PM (V0mbF)

116 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:14 PM (VAsIq)

117 I can't wait for the next new episode of I Am Cait!

Posted by: LIV concerned with important stuff at August 03, 2015 01:15 PM (HstNY)

118 Turkey?
I'll take a drumstick.
Is there any stuffing besides what I take from the president on a regular basis?

*hic*

Posted by: John Boehner at August 03, 2015 01:15 PM (c7vUv)

119 Just a sidenote-Diego Garcia is owned by the Brits. You can't kill the crabs the size of trash can lids because they're under the protection of the Crown. You can, however, poke them with a stick and watch them destroy said stick while doing a hilarious shuffle.

Posted by: pookysgirl at August 03, 2015 01:16 PM (IJeUX)

120 I read that Alan Dershowitz considers the Second Amendment "An Absurd Thing."

Like most of Alan's political persuasion, he can't see the balance
between the pen and the sword. We have the 2nd to protect the 1st from
overbearing individuals who insist that their views are the only views
that need to be enforced. As a Jew you would think that he of all
Americans would be able to understand that rather simple
relationship between our most basic natural rights.

Posted by: PPs43 at August 03, 2015 01:16 PM (gs8t9)

121 No whey!

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:13 PM (SdfnP)

You're just milking this puns thing for all its worth, aren't you?

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:16 PM (kff5f)

122 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:17 PM (4WhSY)

123 I can't wait for the next new episode of I Am Cait!

Posted by: LIV concerned with important stuff

I identify as Caitlyn Jenner--can I get some huge amounts of money?

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:17 PM (VAsIq)

124 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura

People are just going to churn more discord with these puns.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (VAsIq)

125 Ah well. I call Mondays "Matt Yglesias Days." The days for Learning Adventures, each started by embarrassing mistakes.

Oh, oh, that's good.

Posted by: alexthechick - Team Joker Money Pile Being Hit By SMOD at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (mf5HN)

126 Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Cheesy puns are a cottage industry around here

Posted by: AltonJackson at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (ZQfW9)

127 122 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:17 PM (4WhSY)
====================

You guys are getting pretty saucy

Posted by: Winston Smith, Obama voter at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (TxJGV)

128 124 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura

People are just going to churn more discord with these puns.
Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (VAsIq)

Casein point.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (2Ojst)

129 I read that Alan Dershowitz considers the Second Amendment "An Absurd Thing."

He even repeated the "well-regulated militia" lie all leftists of 15+ years ago were so fond of.

Posted by: bonhomme at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (jhqr1)

130 104 It could get worse. Who can't imagine Obozo bombing the Kurds at some point?
Posted by: East Bay Jay at August 03, 2015 01:11 PM (7v8o1)

I didn't know Kurds were pro-American.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:19 PM (oKE6c)

131 As a Jew you would think that he of all
Americans would be able to understand that rather simple
relationship between our most basic natural rights.
____________

Hey man, if I ever like, need a gun because there's like another holocaust or something I'll find one.

Posted by: Harvey Weinstein, Movie Mogul and Deep Thinker at August 03, 2015 01:19 PM (2tLz4)

132 You've exposed yourself with that correction, Ace.

Smart military blog my ass.

Posted by: The Spelling Police at August 03, 2015 01:19 PM (F9l4e)

133 They may be sons-of-bitches, but they're *our* sons-of-bitches....go ahead and bomb them.

Posted by: Presn't Obama at August 03, 2015 01:20 PM (VAsIq)

134 "I read that Alan Dershowitz considers the Second Amendment 'An Absurd Thing.'"

In a world with any sense of justice, that wretched individual would be forced to walk around with a large placard permanently identifying him as "Alan Dershowitz, Defense Counsel To O.J. Simpson".

Posted by: torquewrench at August 03, 2015 01:20 PM (noWW6)

135 People are just going to churn more discord with these puns.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (VAsIq)

People are going to milk this for all it's worth.

Posted by: Carlos Marcello at August 03, 2015 01:20 PM (oFCZn)

136 Here we go with the cheesy puns.

It's Open Line Punday!

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:20 PM (SdfnP)

137 Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Dairy do that?

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:22 PM (oKE6c)

138 People are going to milk this for all it's worth.

Posted by: Carlos Marcello

Honestly, I've soured on the whole thing.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:22 PM (VAsIq)

139 Dairy do that?

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:22 PM (oKE6c)

egg-cellent.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:22 PM (kff5f)

140 Cheesy puns are a cottage industry around here
Posted by: AltonJackson at August 03, 2015 01:18 PM (ZQfW9)

Yeah, we continue until we milk the original pun dry.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:23 PM (oKE6c)

141 Honestly, I've soured on the whole thing.

There's been a few here that could be skimmed.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:23 PM (4WhSY)

142 Honestly, I've soured on the whole thing.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at August 03, 2015 01:22 PM (VAsIq)

I think we've already skimmed the best of the dairy puns.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:23 PM (kff5f)

143
The Obama Doctrine

1. Give a bunch of weapons and aid to Muslim group #1.

2. Give a bunch of weapons and aid to their sworn enemies, Muslim group #2.

3. ???

4. MOAR DEAD JEWS!!

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:23 PM (jBuUi)

144 All to foster gouda wheel among the Horde.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, pronounced Muh-Hone at August 03, 2015 01:23 PM (RwwCT)

145 People are just going to churn more discord with these puns.
Posted by: Turd Ferguson

People are going to milk this for all it's worth.

Don't have a cow man!
-B. Simpson

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:24 PM (SdfnP)

146 I think we've already skimmed the best of the dairy puns.

That'd be, what, 2%?

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:24 PM (4WhSY)

147 Dershowitz is a hired gun. On most issues, he will say what you pay him to say.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 01:25 PM (iQIUe)

148 I think we've already skimmed the best of the dairy puns.
That'd be, what, 2%?

Golf clap.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (SdfnP)

149 I recently read somewhere that Zero also gave the green light to Turkey to go ahead and bomb the Kurds even if it's known that US vets are among them.

Posted by: Marmo, heteronormative person of pallor at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (QW+AD)

150 You've exposed yourself with that correction, Ace.

Smart military blog my ass.

Posted by: The Spelling Police

Need a Midol?

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (VY8H5)

151 If I hear another dairy pun, I swear ice cream...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (wtvvX)

152 Obama has amended his Primary Directive from

Don't Do Stupid Shit

to

Do Every Kind of Stupid Shit Possible, Even Shit No One Ever Thought of Before

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (jBuUi)

153 The Kurds were doing much too well against the Saudi Proxy I.S. ...
That had to be checked by Obama's most powerful Islamist extension....Turkey...

Posted by: Mr Wizard at August 03, 2015 01:26 PM (eOpVe)

154 Incirlik? What's that?

Posted by: Crazy Joe Biden at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (TxJGV)

155 Okay, most of my cow-orkers make my trigger finger itch.

But someone brought in cinnamon rolls today... Even better than hydrocortizone cream...

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (kff5f)

156 Once again Obama has a pair of aces and eights and he loses to a Jack high nothing.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (vyAun)

157 I'm not sure I'm getting these yolks.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (oFCZn)

158 Maybe we should do this thing where we don't interfere in the middle east

Posted by: Ben H at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (gJEsZ)

159 "If I hear another dairy pun, I swear ice cream..."

So true. If I come up with one, I'll be sure to rennet by you.

Posted by: Feh at August 03, 2015 01:28 PM (OkW5D)

160 I lactose kind of smarts to come up with another dairy pun.

Posted by: Marmo, heteronormative person of pallor at August 03, 2015 01:28 PM (QW+AD)

161 I'm not sure I'm getting these yolks.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 03, 2015 01:27 PM (oFCZn)

I dunno, I'm cracking up over here.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:28 PM (kff5f)

162 Obama IS Preznit Inside Straight

Posted by: Tex Lovera at August 03, 2015 01:29 PM (wtvvX)

163 I lactose kind of smarts to come up with another dairy pun.

You're just being intolerant.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:29 PM (4WhSY)

164 These puns are udder nonsense.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 01:29 PM (2Ojst)

165 As reported earlier, one of my best friends has an Asshole Husband whom I hate.

Today, I saw his twitter feed for the first time. And what did he just do?

HE RETWEETED AN OBAMA ("@POTUS") TWEET!

In all seriousness, and with praise.

I just about projectile vomited on my screen.

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (jBuUi)

166 So true. If I come up with one, I'll be sure to rennet by you.

Sounds like a sherbet to me.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (2l5vw)

167 This place is a cottage industry for puns.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (oFCZn)

168 These puns are udder nonsense.

Posted by: Insomniac at August 03, 2015 01:29 PM (2Ojst)

Don't be an old goat.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (kff5f)

169 Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:17 PM (4WhSY)

It's a cottage industry.

Posted by: rebel flounder at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (Vf5rR)

170 I'm getting soured on the whole thing.

Posted by: Marmo, heteronormative person of pallor at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (QW+AD)

171 STOP THESE JOKES, OR ELSIE!!!

Posted by: Tex Lovera at August 03, 2015 01:31 PM (wtvvX)

172 146 I think we've already skimmed the best of the dairy puns.

That'd be, what, 2%?
Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:24 PM (4WhSY)

They're pretty terrible, on the whole.

Posted by: Hawkins1701 at August 03, 2015 01:31 PM (63IFd)

173 P.S.
Don't state as fact what Daily Mail prints when the alleged event isn't verified by anyone but the people who are using it as propaganda to justify their bombing...

Posted by: Mr Wizard at August 03, 2015 01:31 PM (eOpVe)

174 Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:30 PM (jBuUi)

You need a better quality friend.

Or, at least, your friend needs a better quality husband.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:31 PM (kff5f)

175 No whey these puns are funny.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:31 PM (vyAun)

176 From the meetings of my last Cabinet Meeting....

Hey! Anybody got Cathy McMorris-Rogers phone number? Her rack is Vice-Presidential worthy.

Go back to whatever you were talking about.

Posted by: Crazy Joe Biden at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (TxJGV)

177 158 Maybe we should do this thing where we don't interfere in the middle east
Posted by: Ben H

How to Avoid Arming Muslims with This One Weird Trick!

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (jBuUi)

178 Embarrassing error: I wrote that America was letting Turkey use America's Incirlik base. In fact, the base is Turkey's; they're allowing the US to use it.

Yeah.... but I bet we're paying a HUGE amount to rent the damn place...

Posted by: BB Wolf at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (qh617)

179 You're just milking this puns thing for all its worth, aren't you?

It's a cottage industry.

Posted by: wrg500 at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (FEAjO)

180 177
158 Maybe we should do this thing where we don't interfere in the middle east

Posted by: Ben H

How to Avoid Arming Muslims with This One Weird Trick!

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (jBuUi)

This is Nacho Do-Nothing-Stupid foreign policy.

Posted by: rebel flounder at August 03, 2015 01:34 PM (Vf5rR)

181 STOP THESE JOKES, OR ELSIE!!!

Posted by: Tex Lovera

Homo.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 03, 2015 01:34 PM (VY8H5)

182 Obama, you wouldn't see a terrorist if he ran pasteurize.

(ok, really stretching here.)

Posted by: Marmo, heteronormative person of pallor at August 03, 2015 01:34 PM (QW+AD)

183 It's a cottage industry.

Posted by: wrg500 at August 03, 2015 01:32 PM (FEAjO)

Thanks. I did not want to be the last guy to make the same tired joke.

Posted by: rebel flounder at August 03, 2015 01:35 PM (Vf5rR)

184 It's time to put this thread out to pasture...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at August 03, 2015 01:36 PM (wtvvX)

185 Most of Obama's foreign policy seems to revolve around him sitting on his ass and watching ~~Netflix~~ foreign language gay pron.

Posted by: El Kabong at August 03, 2015 12:55 PM (9oC/Q)

Fixed it for you

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 01:36 PM (493sH)

186 You need a better quality friend.

Or, at least, your friend needs a better quality husband.

Posted by: AllenG

The second option. The friend is OK; her husband is not.

Crossing my fingers for a breakup.

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:36 PM (jBuUi)

187 Thanks. I did not want to be the last guy to make the same tired joke.

You must be new here...

Posted by: Spiders, blue-footed boobies, and the zombie London Boys at August 03, 2015 01:37 PM (2l5vw)

188 I looked up the reference above about John Kerry's daughter.

She sure is a handsome filly.

Posted by: Old Hob at August 03, 2015 01:38 PM (VRc/p)

189 Obama Administration running a secret methamphetamine lab at NIST ...

Congress is among the investigators probing a July 18 explosion of a suspected methamphetamine lab at the National Institute of Standards Technology near Washington, D.C.

The explosion injured a NIST security officer, according to local police investigating the incident along with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. The security officer was treated for injuries and released from a local trauma center. He then resigned from NIST effective July 19, police say. They add that evidence recovered from the explosion is consistent with production of the illicit synthetic drug methamphetamine.

"The fact that this explosion took place at a taxpayer-funded NIST facility, potentially endangering NIST employees, is of great concern," says Rep. Lamar S. Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the Science, Space Technology Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith is asking Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to supply as much information as possible to his panel about the explosion before the end of July. NIST is part of the Commerce Department.

Posted by: Werner Heisenberg at August 03, 2015 01:38 PM (e8kgV)

190 Obama is only person proud that he paid only 15% above sticker price on a new car. At least he got the under coat protection and extended warranty.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:38 PM (vyAun)

191 Time to mooooove on.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:38 PM (oKE6c)

192 It could get worse. Who can't imagine Obozo bombing the Kurds at some point?

-
Good thing we don't have that reckless snowbilly one heartbeat away from the presidency or, worse, Reagan still in office.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at August 03, 2015 01:39 PM (XUKZU)

193 95 Ah well. I call Mondays "Matt Yglesias Days." The days for Learning Adventures, each started by embarrassing mistakes.

But I don't think Yglesias is ever embarrassed. Every time he gets whomped in the face by a rake handle, he staggers off and says he meant to do that.

Posted by: OregonMuse at August 03, 2015 01:40 PM (j1VIK)

194 Incirlik is a NATO base, but it requires the consent of Turkey to launch hostile missions.

Posted by: Karen Ashley at August 03, 2015 01:41 PM (e8kgV)

195 But I don't think Yglesias is ever embarrassed. Every time he gets whomped in the face by a rake handle, he staggers off and says he meant to do that.

Posted by: OregonMuse at August 03, 2015 01:40 PM (j1VIK)

Or blames the rake for being there.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:41 PM (kff5f)

196 Obama went to a business opportunity meeting and came away buying two Amway starter kits.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:42 PM (vyAun)

197 Okay, the DFW morons will appreciate this. Just got a text from Tenthette:

"I think Garland is Spanish for 'Hell on Earth.'"

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:42 PM (kff5f)

198 Christopher Hitchens is rolling over. He wore two flags on his lapel: the Kurdish and the Danish. I miss him, and the world needs his work right now. I can imagine his outrage at both this turn of events with the Kurds and the Iran deal.

Posted by: rrpjr at August 03, 2015 01:43 PM (s/yC1)

199 We have Armenian friends. Last time we visited, after a few drinks, Rubic sang a song about the genocide the Turks commited against the Armenians. The Armenians haven't forgotten. Why we want to be "allies" with such animals is beyond me. The Kurds would be a much more reliable ally in the region.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 03, 2015 01:43 PM (Lqy/e)

200 Or blames the rake for being there.
Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:41 PM (kff5f)

Racist rake!

Posted by: rrpjr at August 03, 2015 01:44 PM (s/yC1)

201 It's time to put this thread out to pasture...

Shoot it and throw it on the grill.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:45 PM (SdfnP)

202 Shoot it and throw it on the grill.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:45 PM (SdfnP)

Oh, well done.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:45 PM (kff5f)

203 Funny how the Dems go on and on and on and on about "diversity" and "white privilege" and "smashing the patriarchy," and now that they're casting about for alternatives to the crashing Hillary, the best they can come up with are:

- Bernie Sanders
- Joe Biden
- Mike O'Malley
- Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO)
- Jon Stewart

Hmmm, what three attributes do all five potential Dem candidates share?

- White.
- Male.
- Straight.

Hypocrisy, thy name is leftism!

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:46 PM (jBuUi)

204 Obama traded his paycheck for magic beans and ate them thinking they would get him high.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:46 PM (vyAun)

205 Okay, the DFW morons will appreciate this. Just got a text from Tenthette:
"I think Garland is Spanish for 'Hell on Earth.'"

Two places I don't go: East of 75, and south of 635.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:47 PM (SdfnP)

206
Drove my neighbors kid to kindergarten and got lost. So we arrived late and I could only find parking in front of the Turkish Embassy. Told her we had to run run run before the Armenians blew it up. She had no idea what I meant. I love how kids are so compliant sometimes.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 01:48 PM (iQIUe)

207
The good thing is we all know a military and diplomatic strategy to deal with this stuff and we're Morons.

The bad thing is neither Obumbles nor the next prez will do a damn thing about it and the extermination will continue. "Never again" of course are just words to them.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at August 03, 2015 01:48 PM (ODxAs)

208 Obama is just one more payment away from receiving a huge lump sump of money from a former Nigerian prince.

Posted by: Cruzinator at August 03, 2015 01:48 PM (vyAun)

209 122 We have always been at war with the Kurds

No whey!

Posted by: rickb223

Don't butter him up.

Here we go with the cheesy puns.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at August 03, 2015 01:17 PM (4WhSY)

If I could just put my two cents in here -- I had originally intended on putting in ten cents, but discovered I lactate.

Posted by: cthulhu at August 03, 2015 01:49 PM (EzgxV)

210 Two places I don't go: East of 75, and south of 635.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 01:47 PM (SdfnP)

Yeah... apparently she's at a McD's in Section 8 land...

Though, on the up-side, I bet this experience does more to convince her to get her CHL and start carrying than anything I can say.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:49 PM (kff5f)

211 Meanwhile a lion has washed up on R�union island.

Posted by: No wait. That's just a mop at August 03, 2015 01:50 PM (3fTXW)

212 Apparently "Matt Yglessias Days" are also days when Ace puts up one post and then goes to get groomed for the rest of the day.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:52 PM (kff5f)

213 Considering that in Turkey they turned water cannons on gay parades, I would have thought that they would be on Prezzy Rainbows condemned list. Unless it's okay for Muslims to do that. I get confused as to which special rights group gets top preference for the left in this country

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 01:53 PM (493sH)

214 I/T

Today on our local talk radio they were interviewing Uncle Ted Nugent. Naturally they asked him about Cecil the lion. His response was great. He said every interview people ask him that, and every interview he says he will answer as soon as the interviewer tells him the identity of all the Marines who were killed in Chatanooga. So far, he says, all anybody knows is how many were killed. He said he doubts anybody could find Zimbabwe on a map, but the lion is more important to them then the murder of Marines in their own country.

Posted by: Chilling the most at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (zW5rQ)

215
I'm so tired of hearing about this lion.
Lions die, lions kill other cute furry animals too.

Posted by: Yo! at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (W6iIX)

216 If the dems run Jon Stewart for president, we might as well not show up.

He'll win bigger than Obama.

Posted by: jwest at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (P/xrJ)

217 I get confused as to which special rights group gets top preference for the left in this country

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 01:53 PM (493sH)

"I'll side with Islam"
~Barrack Hussein Obama

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:55 PM (kff5f)

218 Breaking!

An Odontologist from Tallahassee Just Stabbed an Anteater with a Knitting Needle!

Summon the lynch mob!

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:55 PM (jBuUi)

219 Posted by: Chilling the most at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (zW5rQ)

Wow. He hit that one out of the park.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:56 PM (oKE6c)

220 I can't believe that things are this f****d-up and Jamie Gorelick isn't involved. Or at least hasn't made a few hundred $million.

Posted by: begebilder at August 03, 2015 01:56 PM (+jijM)

221 Posted by: jwest at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (P/xrJ)

Trump v Stewart might be even more entertaining that Trump v Sanders.

I'll allow it.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:56 PM (kff5f)

222 "I'll side with Islam"
~Barrack Hussein Obama
Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:55 PM (kff5f)

I always suspected he had a Muslim or two on the side.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 01:56 PM (oKE6c)

223 I'm so tired of hearing about this lion.
Lions die, lions kill other cute furry animals too.

Posted by: Yo! at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (W6iIX)

The left was getting its panties in a wad over thinking that Cecil's brother was killed too. I saw a story that he's alive. Found munching on a giraffe. #giraffelivesmatter

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 01:56 PM (493sH)

224 Oh, well done.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:45 PM (kff5f)

Such a rare comment.

Posted by: wrg500 at August 03, 2015 01:57 PM (FEAjO)

225 216 If the dems run Jon Stewart for president, we might as well not show up.

He'll win bigger than Obama.
Posted by: jwest

And in case anyone doubts that a comedian could actually win a major election, I give you...

Al Franken.

It is possible. Very possible.

Posted by: zombie at August 03, 2015 01:58 PM (jBuUi)

226 "Trump v Stewart might be even more entertaining that Trump v Sanders."

The sad part is, we all know it.

If Stewart ran, it wouldn't matter who we put up. There are not enough voters who pay attention and care to make a difference.

Posted by: jwest at August 03, 2015 01:58 PM (P/xrJ)

227 HitchBOT, the cheerful hitchhiking robot beheaded in Philly. Probably would have been shot in Baltimore. What did the Canadians expect in the city of brotherly love, love?

Posted by: Colin at August 03, 2015 01:58 PM (tlI5H)

228 He said he doubts anybody could find Zimbabwe on a map, but the lion is more important to them then the murder of Marines in their own country.

Posted by: Chilling the most at August 03, 2015 01:54 PM (zW5rQ)

Nugent - 2016

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 01:59 PM (493sH)

229 nood

Posted by: Yo! at August 03, 2015 02:00 PM (W6iIX)

230 What did the Canadians expect in the city of brotherly love, love?

Posted by: Colin at August 03, 2015 01:58 PM (tlI5H)

I thought that that was San Francisco.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 02:00 PM (oKE6c)

231 OT, but my home computer gave up the ghost on Saturday night, right when I was writing a comment on the ONT thread. So the Horde was deprived of some priceless wisdom. Actually, I don't remember what the hell the comment was about.

My sister can get me a refurbished computer for $100 from her workplace, but I'll probably have to wait a few weeks. And of course, I will because: $100 computer. Gee how will I spend my evenings? I'll have to read books or something.

Posted by: Donna V. (sans ampersands) at August 03, 2015 02:01 PM (u0lmX)

232 224 Oh, well done.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Derringer Bandit at August 03, 2015 01:45 PM (kff5f)

Such a rare comment.

Posted by: wrg500 at August 03, 2015 01:57 PM (FEAjO)

Gazing into my crystal ball, I foresee this line of japery having little future.....

Posted by: A medium at August 03, 2015 02:01 PM (EzgxV)

233 I didn't know Kurds were pro-American.
Posted by: Jay Guevara
--------------

We must insist that you stop using the term "American". We find it offensive.

Posted by: Univ. of New Hampshire at August 03, 2015 02:01 PM (9mTYi)

234 The left was getting its panties in a wad over thinking that Cecil's brother was killed too. I saw a story that he's alive. Found munching on a giraffe. #giraffelivesmatter

#GiraffesLivesDON'TMatter

Posted by: rickb223 at August 03, 2015 02:01 PM (SdfnP)

235 Hillary Clinton's campaign is so dead...
HOW DEAD IS IT?
Jericho the Lion is killing off her brood.

Posted by: Fritz at August 03, 2015 02:03 PM (UzPAd)

236 Meanwhile a lion has washed up on Reunion island.

****

Cecil has gone I hope, he's drifting out to sea
He always loved to swim away
Maybe he'll find an island with a shady tree
Just like the one in our backyard.

Posted by: Earworms, courtesy of Muldoon at August 03, 2015 02:03 PM (NeFrd)

237 Two rockets were fired from Gaza to Israel. ISIS is taking credit. One blew up and another hit a house in Gaza. I know these rockets are crude but what happens when ISIS gets jets/pilots and artillery? Is the US ever going to take them out?

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 02:03 PM (iQIUe)

238 San Francisco...The city that know how or Baghdad by the Bay or Yerba Buena among others.

Posted by: Colin at August 03, 2015 02:04 PM (tlI5H)

239 BTW, you people who are more tech savvy than me (which is everyone) - my home computer really is a deceased computer, so can I transfer the data on my hard drive to my laptop or is it just gone? Never had this problem before, it was always just a matter of transferring the data when I got a computer upgrade I didn't have to deal with a PC that has entirely crashed.

Posted by: Donna V. (sans ampersands) at August 03, 2015 02:04 PM (u0lmX)

240 Hush my darling don't fear my darling the lion sleeps tonight.

Aweebaway, aweebaway

Posted by: Hank at August 03, 2015 02:06 PM (LpJen)

241 239 BTW, you people who are more tech savvy than me (which is everyone) - my home computer really is a deceased computer, so can I transfer the data on my hard drive to my laptop or is it just gone? Never had this problem before, it was always just a matter of transferring the data when I got a computer upgrade I didn't have to deal with a PC that has entirely crashed.

Posted by: Donna V. (sans ampersands) at August 03, 2015 02:04 PM (u0lmX)

It depends on which parts of it died, and how.

Posted by: cthulhu at August 03, 2015 02:07 PM (EzgxV)

242 I know these rockets are crude but what happens when ISIS gets jets/pilots and artillery? Is the US ever going to take them out?

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 03, 2015 02:03 PM (iQIUe)

Field Marshall Barry: I would have no problem taking out Israel. Wait what..?

Posted by: TheQuietMan at August 03, 2015 02:09 PM (493sH)

243 So, with Obama and this dog Erdogan's blessing, ISIS now has a modern day Air Force in order to do battle with the only real opposition, the brave Kurds?

Up is down, We are fucked.

Posted by: eureka! at August 03, 2015 02:13 PM (g1MTt)

244 Hush my darling don't fear my darling the lion ~~sleeps tonight~~ got smoked.

A little less poetic, but ...

Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 03, 2015 02:14 PM (oKE6c)

245 I lactose kind of smarts to come up with another dairy pun.

Hahaha!

Posted by: April at August 03, 2015 02:14 PM (79ZSg)

246 The best man at John Kerry's daughter, Vanessa, to Iranian-American
Brian (Behrooz) Vala Nahed was....the sone of Mohammed Javad Zarif, the
current minister of foreign affairs in the Rouhani administration and
chief negotiator for the Iran deal.

Small world, huh?

http://allenbwest.com/

*******************

Now THAT I did not know and cannot believe but I do. Holy f*cking shit.

Posted by: eureka! at August 03, 2015 02:24 PM (g1MTt)

247 New thread.

Posted by: Shallow HAL 9000 at August 03, 2015 03:02 PM (VcOqI)

248 This ought to clarify things a bit ...

The Moscow Times-- The Russian president Vladimir Putin broke the accepted diplomatic protocols and has personally summoned the Turkish ambassador to Moscow, Mr Umit Yardim, and warned him that the Russian Federation shall sever the diplomatic relations immediately unless the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan stops supporting ISIS rebels in Syria, where Russia holds its last navy base in the Mediterranean sea.

The Russian president purportedly went into a long diatribe criticizing the Turkish foreign policy and its malevolent role in Syria, Iraq and Yemen by supporting Saudi-backed al-Qaeda terrorists, reported the Moscow Times, which escalated the conversation with the Turkish ambassador to a fierce polemic.

According to The leaked information obtained by The Moscow Times, the meeting between the Mr. Purin and Turkish ambassador was imbued with intense mutual resentment where Mr. Yardim has repudiated all Russian accusations, laying blame on Russia for Syria's bitter and protracted civil war. "..then tell your dictator president he can go to hell along with his ISIS terrorist and I shall make Syria to nothing but a 'Big Stalingrad' , for Erdogan and his Saudi allies are no vicious than Adolf Hitler," replied Vladimir Putin in the 2-hour closed door meeting with Turkish emissary.

Posted by: Shepherd Derrial Book at August 03, 2015 03:21 PM (e8kgV)

249 sock off

Posted by: Muldoon at August 03, 2015 03:24 PM (NeFrd)

250 Catch-22 was not an instruction manual, people....

Posted by: DavidD at August 03, 2015 10:49 PM (u6aLo)

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