The Kurdish factor: Russian tanks via Iran could be a game-changer.

Submitted by Michael S. (United States), Sep 28, 2014 at 18:51

I was just looking at an article in the Russian RT, about home-made Kurdish "tanks" being used by the Syrian Kurds against ISIS. It got me to thinking: The Iraqi Peshmerga are equipped with Russian-built tanks. The Iranians have a backup force of Russian-built tanks. The Syrians and Azerbaijanis also use Russian-built tanks. In fact, EVERYONE in the area has Russian tanks except the Syrian Kurds (who weld together contraptions from buldozers, etc.) and ISIS, which uses American tanks captured from the Iraqis.

For US and allied pilots, in short, US-built tanks can be counted on to be enemy, while Russian-built tanks can be counted on to be friendly.

If the Turks continue in their opposition to the Syrian Kurds, the latter will have to turn elsewhere for help. Won't it be interesting, if Allied air support is called on to help Kurdish operations to deliver Russian equipment to Rojava? The implications of the US supporting Russian and Iranian elements to help Kurds actively at war with Turkey, are mind-boggling.

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