24 Comments

Is this the current Kurdish controlled region of NE Syria, that is under the "protection" of the occupying American forces, where Syrian oil is drilled and sent to Turkey which in turn supplies the oil to the Israelis? What is the relationship of the PYD to the American military forces?

Expand full comment

About how many IFB volunteers have died in Syria?

Expand full comment

I've been hearing that the AANES is open to reaching an accord with the new government in Damascus. Can the revolution survive being absorbed into this new government?

Expand full comment

I've thought legislatures should be divided into 2 houses, 1 with only women and the other with only men. Any law has to be passed by both houses. I see "co-mayor" in the title, is that division being attempted by Ocalan's group?

Expand full comment

What is the tax system like? Is there anything held to be beyond private ownership or is it all up for grabs?

Expand full comment

Are there still international fighters in Kobane and elsewhere in the AANES?

Expand full comment

Is there a belief ssytem associated with these burial caskets or is it military rites?

Expand full comment

Has drone production been implemented by the SDF in some way?

Expand full comment

So the SDF is organized along Arab, Kurdish, Alawite, etc.? I'm reminded of the Polish Resistance which I was told by a Polish Jew who'd been a fighter that it was divided between Polish (non-Jew I guess) fighters and Polish-Jew fighters. Speak to how these groups are organized to work together in peace in the future?

Expand full comment

Are there Kurds from Russia and Iraq and Turkiye coming in?

Expand full comment

On the ecology aspect, is there a commitment to set aside a particular amount of land as natural reserve? And as we've seen with Native Americans being pushed off land for "Nature", hopefully this would be land that could be traditionally worked by those who would want to live so roughly (yet have access to healthcare and other modcons when off the land).

Expand full comment

Who is the "Autonomous Administration" and how are they now related to the current leadership?

Expand full comment

Who supplied the mines that have been laid?

Expand full comment

What is the degree of political support by Arab Syrians of the PYD? Could the movement find new basis of support in Syria beyond the Kurdish community?

Expand full comment

Indeed. If there is not already broader support, why not? Would a Kurdish dictator be essentially Baathist or an ethno-state? Is the latter the fear?

Expand full comment

the Q&A was great, but it kicked me out midway through. hope there is a replay for subscribers

Expand full comment

HTS (the rebranded off-shoot of Al Queda) seems to be enabling the balkanization of Syria, passively permitting the IDF to illegally occupy a large portion SE Syria, seizing 40% of Syria's water resources and dams and destroying all of the defensive capacity of Syria which belong not to the Assad government but to the people of Syria. Without defensive capacity, Syria's sovereignty has been handed over to the IDF, Turkey, the U.S. and the Gulf States who funded HTS. Also the devastating effects of the U.S. sanctions on the Syrian people cannot be ignored.

Expand full comment