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Which Kurds? The Rojava (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava), the Democratic Socialist (Sanders-like) Kurds of the northe

Which Kurds? The Rojava (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojava), the Democratic Socialist (Sanders-like) Kurds of the northeast. The Kurdish Islamic Front (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_Islamic_Front https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_Islamic_Front) does not represent the Kurdish mainstream. As for the rest, the pro-Assad forces are mostly Alawites (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabiha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabiha) and Christians (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_militias_in_Syria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_militias_in_Syria), organized along ethno-religious lines. Incorporating them into Lebanon, or creating a "coastal Syria" with a minimum of Sunnis in it (and probably under Russian tutelage, since the Christians are Orthodox and the Alawites have reason to see Russia as a protector) would allow them to live without either being tyrants or being tyrannized.

stevenjohns 10y ago
> does not represent the Kurdish mainstream Neither does the PYD. Mainstream Kurdish nationalism involves Kurdish independence (which the PYD is opposed to) and are largely capitalist (see Iraq). > As for the rest, the pro-Assad forces are mostly Alawites Really? The overwhelming majority of Syrian soldiers are Sunni. Alawites are overrepresented in the Syrian Air Force, but underrepresented in the general military. Pro-government auxiliary forces like the Lebanese Hezbollah are certainly not Alawite, neither are the Iraqis and others that support the Syrian government. > and Christians "Christians" what? There are Christian Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs and Armenians. They're not a single group. Even between the Syriacs we see pro-government and anti-government divisions (Sutoro vs Sootoro). > organized along ethno-religious lines No, they're not. I don't think the Syriacs in North East Syria want to be forcefully relocated to Lebanon or Coastal Syria, I think they want to stay at home. I also don't think ethnically cleansing Sunnis from Coastal Syria is any sort of move, let alone a justifiable one. I'd like to continue this conversation but I'm afraid I'm going to withdraw myself here.
- clock_tower 9y ago
  I'm not interested in continuing this conversation either, but I'm glad to see that you're willing to discuss things in ethno-religious terms, despite accusing me of being a racist for using the same terms earlier. It gives me a pretty good sense of where you're coming from.

stevenjohns 10y ago

> does not represent the Kurdish mainstream Neither does the PYD. Mainstream Kurdish nationalism involves Kurdish independence (which the PYD is opposed to) and are largely capitalist (see Iraq). > As for the rest, the pro-Assad forces are mostly Alawites Really? The overwhelming majority of Syrian soldiers are Sunni. Alawites are overrepresented in the Syrian Air Force, but underrepresented in the general military. Pro-government auxiliary forces like the Lebanese Hezbollah are certainly not Alawite, neither are the Iraqis and others that support the Syrian government. > and Christians "Christians" what? There are Christian Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs and Armenians. They're not a single group. Even between the Syriacs we see pro-government and anti-government divisions (Sutoro vs Sootoro). > organized along ethno-religious lines No, they're not. I don't think the Syriacs in North East Syria want to be forcefully relocated to Lebanon or Coastal Syria, I think they want to stay at home. I also don't think ethnically cleansing Sunnis from Coastal Syria is any sort of move, let alone a justifiable one. I'd like to continue this conversation but I'm afraid I'm going to withdraw myself here.

clock_tower 9y ago
I'm not interested in continuing this conversation either, but I'm glad to see that you're willing to discuss things in ethno-religious terms, despite accusing me of being a racist for using the same terms earlier. It gives me a pretty good sense of where you're coming from.