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** 04-Oct-2019 World View: Hong Kong face mask fury

I always say that it's impossible to overestimate the stupidity
of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and banning face masks is
the latest example of the CCP's sheer stupidity.

The BBC is interviewing Hong Kong protesters who are INFURIATED by the
face mask ban, but are wearing them anyway.

How could the CCP be so stupid that they didn't know this in advance?
All they had to do was ask.

** 05-Oct-2019 World View: North Korea cancels nuclear talks with US

It hasn't been in the news, but there have been ongoing meaningless
low-level nuclear negotiations between the US and North Korea. This
last week, they were being held in Stockholm, Sweden.

On Saturday, the North Korean negotiator Kim Myong Gil announced that
North Korea was breaking off the discussions:

"The negotiations have not fulfilled our expectations
and finally broke off."

He also accused the US of coming "empty-handed" to the negotiations.

As I've been writing for two years, North Korea has absolutely no
intention of ending its development of nuclear weapons and long-range
ballistic missiles. However, North Korea has suspended testing during
the past two years as part of its "charm offensive" to convince Donald
Trump to reduce or end the sanctions.

In 2007, North Korea promised to end nuclear missile development if
President Bush removed the sanctions. President Bush did so, but then
North Korea immediately resumed the nuclear development and testing,
thoroughly humiliating the US and the West.

Both North Korea (with respect to nuclear missile development) and
China (with respect to theft of intellection property) have been using
every trick, subterfuge, deceit and lie possible to trick President
Trump into agreeing to remove sanctions without making any
concessions. So far, Trump has refused to fall for those lies again.

So when Kim Myong Gil on Saturday accused the US of coming
"empty-handed" to the negotiations, he undoubtedly meant that the US
was refusing to agree to reduce or remove sanctions.

Several days ago, North Korea tested what it called a new type
of submarine-launched ballistic missile, presumably violating
their agreement with Trump.

Unless the North Koreans reverse course and resume the meaningless
negotiations with the US, the next step will probably be for North
Korea to test a nuclear weapon again. That should generate quite a
bit of excitement.

---- Sources:

-- Top N.K. nuclear envoy says working-level talks with U.S. break
down
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20191006000200325
(Yonhap, 5-Oct-2019)

-- North Korea and US nuclear talks break down in less than a day
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49947836
(BBC, 5-Oct-2019)

-- North Korea breaks off nuclear talks with US
https://www.dw.com/en/north-korea-break ... a-50712028
(DeutscheWelle, 5-Oct-2019)

---- Related Article:

** 17-Nov-18 World View -- North Korea 'Charm Offensive' appears to have run its course
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e181117

But would Trump do anything if the North Koreans started test firing missiles again? NK is just a sideshow. The main event is China. Trump might just maintain sanctions and let the North Koreans pound sand.

** 05-Oct-2019 World View: State Dept. contradicts claim that North Korea talks have broken down

State Dept. spokesman Morgan Ortagus said the following in response to
the North Korean statement that nuclear negotiations had broken down:

"The early comments from the DPRK delegation do not
reflect the content or the spirit of today’s 8 1/2 hour
discussion. The U.S. brought creative ideas and had good
discussions with its DPRK counterparts.

In the course of the discussions, the U.S. delegation reviewed
events since the Singapore summit, and discussed the importance of
more intensive engagement to solve the many issues of concern for
both sides.

The U.S. delegation previewed a number of new initiatives that
would allow us to make progress in each of the four pillars of the
Singapore joint statement.

The United States and the DPRK will not overcome a legacy of 70
years of war and hostility on the Korean Peninsula through the
course of a single Saturday.

These are weighty issues, and they require a strong commitment by
both countries. The United States has that
commitment."

She also said that Sweden had invited the two sides to return for
another round of meetings in two weeks, and that the U.S. had
accepted. If true, then the meaningless negotiations can continue.
However, there is no word that the North Koreans accepted.

Guest wrote: > But would Trump do anything if the North Koreans started test
> firing missiles again? NK is just a sideshow. The main event is
> China. Trump might just maintain sanctions and let the North
> Koreans pound sand.

China would be angry if North Korea started testing nuclear weapons
and ballistic missiles again, since China would like to get all
American forces out of the area, especially out of South Korea, and
the North Korean tests would bring more American forces in.

China would be angry if North Korea started testing nuclear weapons
and ballistic missiles again, since China would like to get all
American forces out of the area, especially out of South Korea, and
the North Korean tests would bring more American forces in.

But would South Korean President Moon allow more US troops into SK? That's the real question. Moon is a left wing nutter. He has vowed to bring foreign companies in to invest money in a North Korean factory complex that has been closed since 2016 because if the North's atomic bomb testing. He has also removed mine fields and pulled back South Korean army units from parts of the DMZ. He's foolish. Not only has he opened up a land corridor for the NK army to invade the South, he is also attempting to enrich Kim Jung un at a time when the sanctions are biting. Moon has been completely taken in by Kim Jung un. Moon's is a flaming idiot.

Moon's generation (late 40s and 50s) is Korea's infantile and foolish Baby Boomer generation. They are blind to the North's true intentions. It's shocking to listen to these idiots blaming everything wrong with the universe on Donald Trump and call the North Koreans their 'brothers'. Jesus.

Younger South Koreans are wary of the North and have little interest in unification. Young Koreans want jobs and have little interest in brotherly connections with the North, especially if SK tax dollars are diverted to it.

Large numbers of teenage Korean males are best described as Incels: fat losers with chubby cheeks, oversized glasses, and poor hygiene. They only play computer games, look at online porn, and don't seem to be aware of current events and would only support unification if they were promised a North Korean girlfriend...

** 06-Oct-2019 World View: South Korea

Guest wrote: > But would South Korean President Moon allow more US troops into
> SK? That's the real question.

We do have a precedent that suggests an answer.

Early in 2017, China imposed harsh economic sanctions on South Korea,
especially targetting Lotte Department Stores in China and South Korea
with a boycott, in retaliation for president Park Geun-hye allowing
deployment of the THAAD missile system in March.

Then president Moon Jae-in took office in May, after an election
campaign promising to end THAAD deployment, and to develop closer ties
with North Korea. But then North Korea conducted a new series of
ballistic missile tests. As a result, Moon abruptly reversed policy
and approved the deployment of four more THAAD launchers.

So China was undoubtedly pissed off at Moon for allowing the
deployment of more THAAD launchers, but they must also have been
extremely pissed off at North Korea for provoking Moon to do so.

Guest wrote: > Moon is a left wing nutter. He has vowed to bring foreign
> companies in to invest money in a North Korean factory complex
> that has been closed since 2016 because if the North's atomic bomb
> testing. He has also removed mine fields and pulled back South
> Korean army units from parts of the DMZ. He's foolish. Not only
> has he opened up a land corridor for the NK army to invade the
> South, he is also attempting to enrich Kim Jung un at a time when
> the sanctions are biting. Moon has been completely taken in by Kim
> Jung un. Moon's is a flaming idiot.

Kaesong can be closed again as easily as it was opened. The land
corridor can be closed again as quickly as it was opened.
Unfortunately, if North Korea launches a massive attack on Seoul, the
land corridor and a few mines would make little difference.

So I see Moon's overtures in the same way that I see Trump's meetings
with Kim Jong-un. Trump keeps saying what a sweet, wonderful guy Kim
is, but nobody believes that Trump believes that or that Moon believes
it either.

Guest wrote: > Moon's generation (late 40s and 50s) is Korea's infantile and
> foolish Baby Boomer generation. They are blind to the North's true
> intentions. It's shocking to listen to these idiots blaming
> everything wrong with the universe on Donald Trump and call the
> North Koreans their 'brothers'. Jesus.

> Younger South Koreans are wary of the North and have little
> interest in unification. Young Koreans want jobs and have little
> interest in brotherly connections with the North, especially if SK
> tax dollars are diverted to it.

Korea's last generational crisis war was World War II, not the 1950s
Korean war, so the Boomer generation would be the same age as in the
West, and the generation you're talking about would correspond to the
Gen-Xers.

However, you're right that there's a lot of desperation and
self-delusion among the people of Seoul, and I don't blame them, with
tens of thousands of missiles facing them from 50 miles away. Many of
the older people also still remember family members across the border,
and they would favor reunification for that reason.

Guest wrote: > Large numbers of teenage Korean males are best described as
> Incels: fat losers with chubby cheeks, oversized glasses, and poor
> hygiene. They only play computer games, look at online porn, and
> don't seem to be aware of current events and would only support
> unification if they were promised a North Korean
> girlfriend...

Lol! So let me see. You hate Koreans in their 40s-50s, and you hate
Korean teenagers. But you love "younger South Koreans." So I assume
that you and your girlfriend are your 20s, and it seems you hate
everyone else.

** 06-Oct-2019 World View: PLA in Hong Kong threatens protesters

Since 1997, the Hong Kong Garrison is a group of several thousand PLA
(People's "Liberation" Army) soldiers who are stationed in Hong Kong,
in the Kowloon district adjacent to the mainland, but are meant to be
"invisible." They are confined to barracks, where they wear their
uniforms, but are not permitted to wear their uniforms in public.
They've never left their barracks in uniform in the 22 years they've
been stationed in Hong Kong, but they're prepared to emerge and take
military action if ordered to do so.

So it's significant that the PLA soldiers in the barracks are now
making themselves felt. According to several reports:

"Men wearing helmets raised a flag from on top of one
of the buildings in the army compound, warning those below that
they were violating the law and could be prosecuted.

Footage taken by RTHK shows strong flashlights were also shone
from the barracks at the protesters on Waterloo Road. ...

Posts on social media also suggested that a warning was shouted at
protesters from the barracks, in Cantonese."

Cantonese is the language of southern China, where previous massive
rebellions (Taiping Rebellion and Communist Revolution) began, to
attack the Mandarin-speaking north.

---- Source:

-- Hong Kong / Warning issued to protesters from PLA barracks
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/ ... 191006.htm
(RadioTVHK, 6-Oct-2019)

---- Related Articles:

** 2-Oct-19 World View -- Teenage protester shot by policeman in Hong Kong's worst day of violence
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e191002


** 22-Jun-19 World View -- Hong Kong protests show historic split between northern and southern China
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e190622

** 07-Oct-2019 World View: Decision to withdraw from NE Syria generates controversy

• Erdogan and Trump meet in June

When President Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw US
troops from northeast Syria, it drew many protests, and was given as
the reason for the resignation of James Mattis as Defense Secretary.

The protests accused Trump of leaving the Kurds to the mercy of Turkey
and Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who views all Kurds as
terrorists. However, it was the Kurds, with the help of American
airstrikes, who defeated ISIS and ejected them from their caliphate in
Raqqa. The Kurds claim that the Americans promised to stay and
protect them from Turkey, but the Americans claim that no such promise
was made. The Kurds are now saying that they've been betrayed and
"stabbed in the back."

Trump delayed the withdrawal because of the huge controversy, but now
has has issued the following statement:

"The Kurds fought with us, but were paid massive
amounts of money and equipment to do so. They have been fighting
Turkey for decades. I held off this fight for ... almost 3 years,
but it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars,
many of them tribal, and bring our soldiers home. WE WILL FIGHT
WHERE IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT, AND ONLY FIGHT TO WIN."

Trump's statement follows a meeting last week with Erdogan, and a
phone call of Sunday with Erdogan. Erdogan threatened to begin a
military invasion of Syria whether the US troops were there or not,
and the withdrawal of American troops prevents a confrontation with
Turkish troops.

Erdogan has said that Turkey will establish a 20-mile "safe zone" or
"buffer zone" in northern Syria, along the border with Turkey, and
will use that to prevent the further influx of Syrian refugees into
Turkey. There are many Kurds and their families living in the
intended buffer zone, and it's not clear how Turkey will handle them.

Another issue is that the successful Kurdish fight against ISIS
resulted in tens of thousands of ISIS prisoners. These ISIS fighters
originally came from other countries, especially European countries,
to join ISIS. As part of the current agreement, Turkey will take
responsibility for all the ISIS fighters held as prisoners.

A White House statement said:

"The United States Government has pressed France,
Germany, and other European nations, from which many captured ISIS
fighters came, to take them back, but they did not want them and
refused. The United States will not hold them for what could be
many years and great cost to the United States taxpayer. Turkey
will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured
over the past two years."

Trump tweeted:

"When I arrived in Washington, ISIS was running
rampant in the area. We quickly defeated 100% of the ISIS
Caliphate, ... including capturing thousands of ISIS fighters,
mostly from Europe.

But Europe did not want them back, they said you keep them USA! I
said 'NO, we did you a great favor and now you want us to hold
them in U.S. prisons at tremendous cost. They are yours for
trials.' They ... again said 'NO,' thinking, as usual, that the
U.S. is always the 'sucker,' on NATO, on Trade, on
everything."

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who almost always
supports Trump, opposed Trump's withdrawal decision.

"The biggest lie being told by the administration [is]
that ISIS is defeated. This impulsive decision by the president
has undone all the gains we've made, thrown the region into
further chaos. ... I hope I'm making myself clear how shortsighted
and irresponsible this decision is in my view."

Senator Marco Rubio joined Graham and other Republican senators in
criticizing Trump's decision.

---- Sources:

-- Defying Pentagon, Trump Backs Turkish Operation in Syria Targeting
U.S.-backed Kurds
https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-new ... -1.7950055
(Haaretz, 7-Oct-2019)

-- 'Disaster in the making': Fellow Republicans torch Trump's Syria
policy
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/0 ... ion-037052
(Politico, 7-Oct-2019)

-- Turkey threatens military operation into Syria against
American-backed Kurdish forces
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoin ... sh-forces/
(AP, 6-Oct-2019)

-- To set up ‘safe zone,’ US wades into muddled Syria politics
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoin ... -politics/
(AP, 8-Sep-2019)

-- US troops start pullout from along Turkey’s border in Syria
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your ... -in-syria/
(AP, 7-Oct-2019)

8-Oct-19 World View -- Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'

Donald Trump announces troop withdrawal from Syria


** 8-Oct-19 World View -- Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e191008



Contents:
Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'
Donald Trump announces troop withdrawal from Syria
Turkey commits to responsibility for captured ISIS fighters
The Washington debate over a bloodbath in Syria

** 08-Oct-2019 World View: ISIS prisoners of Syria's Kurds become political pawn

President Trump's announcement that American troops would stand aside
when Turkish troops invade Syria to establish a buffer zone or "safe
zone" has highlighted the importance of the ISIS prisoners that are
being guarded by Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.

Reports are varying about the size of the problem. The number of ISIS
fighters being held is between 10,000 and 20,000, according to
different reports. The number of family members is around 50-60,000.
They are being guarded by 75,000 Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.
Most of the ISIS fighters are Iraqis and Syrians.

A few hundred of the ISIS fighters came from Britain, France, Germany
and other European countries. Turkey claims that it will take
responsibility for all the prisoners, but it's far from clear that
they're capable of doing so, even if they really want to.

Donald Trump says that he repeatedly asked the European countries to
repatriate their own citizens, and try them in courts in their own
countries. However, they have repeatedly refused and, according to
Trump, they have told him to take responsibility for all the ISIS
prisoners, and move them to Guantánamo Bay prison, at American
taxpayer expense, which Trump is refusing to do.

So that sets up the issues.

Top Kurdish General Mazloum Kobani Abdi is saying that, because of the
expected Turkish invasion, Kurdish troops are being evacuated from
guarding the ISIS prisoners, and are being redeployed to the border
with Turkey.

One analyst suggested that the Kurds might hire the ISIS fighters and
pay them to fight against the Turks.

It's feared that in the chaos of a Turkish invasion, all Kurdish
prison guards will be redeployed. This would leave the ISIS fighters
free to go anywhere -- to return to Europe, or regroup in Syria.

The Kurds themselves, who say they have been abandoned and betrayed by
the Americans, may form their own alliances with Russia or with
Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

Trump's decision was not a total withdrawal from Syria, but only a
redeployment of 50-100 soldiers at observation posts to other places
in Syria, so that they won't be caught in the crossfire between Turks
and Kurds. There are political pressures to reverse even this
decision, but that would not stop a Turkish invasion, but would only
put the American soldiers in the crossfire.

---- Sources:

-- General Mazloum Kobani Abdi / Top Kurdish general: Watching over
ISIS prisoners now a 'second priority'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/to ... y-n1063496
(NBCNews, 7-Oct-2019)

-- British Isis fighters in Syria 'may be freed if US allows Turkey
invasion'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/ ... -to-invade
(Guardian, London, 7-Oct-2019)

-- Trump's shock Syria retreat reverberates as Turkish troops mass
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/ ... -uncertain
(Guardian, London, 8-Oct-2019)

---- Related article:

** 8-Oct-19 World View -- Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e191008