The 2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Pt.12

To be read as a direct continuation of Part 11; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-2022-winter-olympics-opening.html

In December 1979 the Soviet Union (USSR/CCCP) invaded another of Xinjiang's neighbours. Afghanistan.

Meaning that China needed very little encouragement. In joining the boycott of the 1980 Summer games. Held in Moscow, Soviet Russia.

US/UK-led NATO responded by organising an international band of Islamists into Guerrilla force. The Mujahedeen. Including Uyghur Islamists from Xinjiang.

This effort was known as; "Operation: Cyclone." It was largely driven by US Democrat Senator and drug addict Charlie Wilson. 

In part it was intended to limit the expansion of the Soviet Union. It was also an attempt to inflict on the Soviet Union the sort of defeat the US had experienced in Vietnam.

You really thought the US would have known better. With their defeat in Vietnam largely due to the success of Ho Chi Minh. Who the US had trained to lead a Guerrilla force against Imperial Japan in the Second World War.

Between 1987 and 1989 the Soviet Union gradually withdrew from Afghanistan. Something which was significantly less humiliating than US/UK-led NATO's own 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Afghan government established by the Soviet Union remained in power until 1992. Several years after the last Soviet troops left.

As I'm sure we all know. The Afghan government established by US/UK-led NATO collapsed in August 2021. A month before the last NATO troops were scheduled to leave.

US/UK-led NATO have been extremely vocal. About their plans to attack Ukraine during these 2022 games.

Plans that terrible are rarely driven by a single good idea. However initially the NATO plan seems to have been to conduct attacks against the Donbas Republics. In order to provoke a limited Russian incursion.

This would give NATO an excuse to impose its pre-prepared sanctions against Russia. 

While allowing Ukraine to seize the Donbas Republics and the now Russian province of Crimea. In a completely illegal, under international law, repeat of the 2018 offensives.

Russia rapidly thwarted that plan. Turning its theatrical training mission on its borders and in Belarus into a widespread, defensive invasion of Ukraine.

Rather than acknowledging their defeat. NATO have seemed to rationalise their ongoing attack against Ukraine by hoping to turn it into a repeat of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

Before they rush to thank NATO. I think Ukrainians would be well advised to remember. That the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan lasted for a decade. While NATO's invasion of Afghanistan lasted for two decades.

Although the Soviet Union left Afghanistan in 1989 NATO did not. Continuing to support the Mujahedeen in the Afghan Civil War (1989-1992). Despite the Soviet Union itself being dissolved in 1991.

NATO's support for the Mujahedeen continued long after the Afghan Civil War (1989-1992). 

NATO backed Yugoslavian members of the Mujahedeen in the Yugoslavian Civil War/Balkan Wars (1991-1995). The so-called; "Bosnian Mujahedeen." 

Part of NATO's efforts to establish six bitesized little cantons from the single nation of Yugoslavia.

NATO also used the Mujahedeen in the efforts to create a seventh bitesized canton in Europe. Attempting to steal Serbia's southern Kosovo Province. Under the guise of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Which I think explains Joss Whedon's interest in Xinjiang. 

The region seems to be one of the main inspirations for the TV show; "Firefly." Which I now know was a contemporary of; "Buffy The Vampire Slayer."

At around 18:15 on 21/4/22 (UK date) I'll see if I can pick this up tomorrow.

Edited at around 16:45 on 25/4/22 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;

The Mujahedeen were also used by NATO in their wars against Russia. The First Chechen War (1994-1996) and the Second Chechen War (1999-2000).

Following their victory in the Afghan Civil War (1989-1992). Most of the Afghan members of the Mujahedeen went onto form the Taliban. Afghanistan's government.

While many foreign members of the Mujahedeen went onto form terror groups. Dedicated to spreading Islam globally through violent Jihad. "Mujahedeen" broadly translates as; "Soldiers of Jihad."

Initially NATO were very supportive of this. The ideology encouraged members of the Mujahedeen to travel to fight in NATO's wars in Yugoslavia, Serbia and Russia.

Probably the most famous terror group to emerge from the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan was Al Qaeda. 

As I'm sure we all know by now. On September 11th 2001 (11/9/01) Al Qaeda carried out five coordinated terror attacks against the US, in the US.

Although one of these attacks failed, Flight UA93. The four attacks which were successful killed at least 2,977 people. Making it the largest terror attack ever committed.

In response US/UK-led NATO invaded Afghanistan. While two years later the US/UK & Georgia invaded Iraq.

You would think 9/11 would finally be enough for NATO to realise their mistake.

Apparently not though. Despite fighting the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan. NATO continued to support the Mujahedeen in its war against Russia. Now the Chechen Insurgency (2000-2009).

It actually took until around 2006. Five years after the NATO invasion of Afghanistan. Three years after the invasion of Iraq.

For NATO to start to wind down its support for the Mujahedeen's Chechen Insurgency. During which time many atrocities had been committed against Russian civilians.

Although it might sound a strange thing to say. Al Qaeda were never really intended to be a terrorist group. So much as a support structure for other terrorist groups. Their name literally means; "The Base."

One of the first core terror groups that Al Qaeda was established to support was the Turkestan Islamist Party (TiP). A group made up of Uyghur members of the Mujahedeen.

The TiP are dedicated to re-establishing the East Turkestan Republic within Xinjiang. As a strict Taliban style Islamic state. Despite the fact that these days Muslim Uyghurs don't even make up half of Xinjiang's population.

Even before the end of the Afghan Civil War (1989-1992) the TiP had started using violence in Xinjiang.

Their first recognised attack was The April 1990 Baren Township Conflict. Although the TiP continue to dispute the facts this began when their members crossed into the Xinjiang from Afghanistan.

They took over a Mosque in Baren Township and called for the locals to rebel against the Chinese. To help start the rebellion they hijacked a police bus and beheaded seven Chinese police officers.

This triggered several days of violent rioting. In which at least 15 civilians were killed.

Throughout the 1990's and early 2000's the TiP continued to carry out periodic attacks against China. 

Such as The February 1997 Urumqi Bus Bombings. Three coordinated bomb attacks were carried out against buses in Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital. In which 9 civilians were killed, including 3 children.

Also in February 1997 the TiP led a rebellion in the Xinjiang city of Ghulja. As with the Baren Township Conflict this so-called Ghulja Incident led to several days of violent rioting in which at least 9 civilians were killed.

Following the Ghulja Incident many members of the TiP returned to Afghanistan. Only to end up being captured by NATO forces with 22 of them being transferred to the US' Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

As is reflected in the Olympic Torch China hosted the 2008 Summer games. As now in their capital, Beijing.

So I don't think it should come as a surprise to anyone. 

That from late 2007 onwards, as if by magic. The TiP suddenly became a lot better resourced, larger and more dangerous. Intensifying their attacks on China.

The first recognised attack of this new wave took place on March 18th (18/3/08). With a bomb attack on a bus in Urumqi.

On March 23rd (23/3/08) and March 24th (24/3/08) the TiP tried to lead rebellions in the towns of Lop, Hotan and the wider Karakax County. Unlike in Baren Township in 1990 and Ghulja in 1997 they were unsuccessful.

On August 4th (4/8/08) two days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Members of the TiP attacked a police station near Kashgar with bombs and knives. Killing 16 police officers and wounding 16 more.

On August 10th (10/8/08), the fourth day of the 2008 Summer Olympics. 10 members of the TiP carried out marauding bomb and gun attacks in the town of Kuqa. Fortunately they only succeeded in killing 2 before being killed themselves.

On the sixth day of the 2008 Summer Olympics, August 12th (12/8/08). Members of the TiP carried out a knife attack in Yamanya Town. Killing 3.

Two days after the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics, August 28th (28/8/08). Multiple members of the TiP carried out a knife attack in Peyzawat County. 

They killed two police officers and seriously wounded two others. All of whom were Uyghur Muslims.

The suddenly much better resourced and more dangerous TiP continued their attacks throughout 2009 and 2010.

In July 2009 there were riots in Urumqi. Following a brawl in a factory in Shaoguan in which two Uyghurs were killed.

In August 2009 the TiP took to carrying out syringe attacks across Urumqi. In which people were stabbed with hypodermic needles. Creating fears of drugging and infections, with things like HIV.

This created something of a mass hysteria. Making it hard to tell how many people were actually attacked. How many had simply been convinced by their own paranoia that they'd been attacked.

That mass hysteria quickly boiled over into protest and then riots. During several days of rioting at least five people were killed.

On August 19th 2010 (19/8/10) the TiP detonated a bomb hidden in a motor-tricycle in the city of Aksu. This 2010 Aksu Bombing killed 7, mainly police officers.

In December 2010 the people of Tunisia overthrew their dictator. In January 2011 the people of neighbouring Egypt followed suit. Also overthrowing their dictator.

Turkey viewed this so-called; "Arab Spring" as an opportunity. To use its brand of Pan-Turkic Islamic extremism to re-establish the Ottoman Empire.

Starting by using foreign Islamist fighters to overthrow the government of Tunisia's other neighbour, Libya. In the hope of taking control of Libya's very large deposits of high quality Oil and Natural Gas.

Then moving down into the Western Sahel Belt. First through Mali then onto Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Nigeria. Which also has very large deposits of Oil and Natural Gas.

This was all happening alongside the longstanding instability in the Eastern Sahel Belt, centred around Somalia. 

Those important trade routes. Giving western powers access to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) very large deposits of vital Rare Earth Minerals.

In many ways Xinjiang's Uyghurs are more Turkic than the Turkish. So they have always been particularly susceptible to manipulation by Turkey. The Kumul Rebellion (1931-1934) for example.

The TiP are an Original Generation, really founding member of Al Qaeda. So they did not hesitate in joining Al Qaeda in Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

In north-west Syria Al Qaeda and the TiP have been able to establish a large territory, almost a nation state. 

There they operate under the formal protection of the Turkish military. Making the area something of a modern Ottoman Protectorate.

Being able to operate freely in almost their own nation. Doing things like collecting taxes from the local population along with financial support from Turkey, even NATO.

This has made the TiP even better resourced, larger and much more dangerous. Allowing them to intensify their attacks against China.

At around 17:10 on 25/4/22 (UK date) I'll try and get this finished tomorrow. 

Edited at around 17:50 on 26/4/22 (UK date) to copy & paste;

I think many western readers will remember this last decade or so. As one marked by many appalling, Islamist terror attacks.

Although they may not be as aware. That during this time China also experienced as many, if not more appalling, Islamist terror attacks.

The first recognised attack of this intensification of Uyghur violence was the 2011 Hotan Attack. 

On July 18th 2011 (11/7/11) members of the TiP overran a police station in Hotan armed with bombs and knives. Fortunately they were only able to kill two before they were killed.

Twelve days later there were the 2011 Kashgar Attacks.

On July 30th (30/7/11) two members of the TiP hijacked a truck in Kashgar. They drove the stolen truck into a crowded pedestrian area. Leapt out and started stabbing people at random. Six people were killed.

The following day, July 31st (31/7/11) the TiP bombed a restaurant in Kashgar. Then proceeded to stab patrons as they attempted to escape. Killing nine.

February 28th 2012 (28/2/12) brought the 2012 Yechang Attack or Happiness Road attack. 

Eight members of the TiP carried out a marauding knife attack against the predominately Han Chinese Happiness Road in Yechang. A town on China's border with Pakistan. They killed 16.

In the run-up to the 2012 Summer games, on June 29th 2012 (29/6/12). Six members of the TiP attempted to hijack Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554. Carrying 101 people between Hotan and Urumqi. 

Fortunately, as with Flight UA93, they were overpowered by other passengers. Allowing the plane to land safely without loss of life.

On April 24th 2013 (24/4/13) there was the 2013 Bachu Attack. 

Locals reported men with knives behaving suspiciously at a house in Bachu. When local police went to investigate the men revealed themselves to be members of the TiP and proceeded to attack the police. 

Trapping the police into a building and setting it on fire. 15 police officers were killed.

On October 28th 2013 (28/10/13) the TiP even attacked Beijing itself. The 2013 Tiananmen Square Attack.

Three members of the TiP armed drove an SUV packed with gas cylinders and explosives into crowds of tourists in Tiananmen Square. Fortunately their SUV detonated on impact, before they were able to launch a marauding knife attack.

Specifically they attacked the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Pacification) itself. As we learned during the Olympic Rings section. Along with the Athletes Parade section. This stands at the opposite end of Tiananmen Square to the Gate of China.

On March 1st 2014 (1/3/14) eight members of the TiP armed with knives attacked commuters at Kunming Railway Station. This 2014 Kunming Attack killed 31 people.

The tactics of the 2013 Tiananmen Square attack were repeated on May 22nd 2014 (22/5/14). In the May 2014 Urumqi Attack.

There five members of the TiP split themselves across two SUV's. They drove through a packed street market running over pedestrians and throwing hand grenades into the crowd. 

They then drove into each other to cause a huge explosion. The attack killed 39 people.  

The May 2014 Urumqi Attack came less than a month after the April 2014 Urumqi Attack. In which two TiP suicide bombers attacked the Urumqi South Railway Station on April 30th (30/4/14). Fortunately they only succeeded in killing one.

On July 28th (28/7/14) a marauding TiP knife attack killed 37 civilians in Xinjiang's Shache County. On September 21st (21/9/14) a series of bomb attacks killed 10 in near-by Luntai County.

At around 17:55 on 26/4/22 (UK date) I'll have to pick this up tomorrow. 

Edited at around 16:35 on 28/4/22 (UK date) to tidy all of the above and copy & paste;

The Turkestan Islamist Party's (TiP) attacks have also extended beyond China.

On April 18th 2014 (18/4/14) members of the TiP tried to illegally cross from China into Vietnam. When they were stopped by Vietnamese border guards they attacked them. Stealing their guns and killing two.

In 2015 Thailand deported some 100 Uyghurs back to China. 

On August 17th 2015 (17/8/15) the Grey Wolves, the paramilitary wing of Pan-Turkic National Movement Party (MHP).  A party of government in NATO member Turkey. Decided to punish Thailand by carrying out a terrorist attack against it.

A bomb was placed at the Erawan Buddhist shrine in the busy Ratchaprasong Intersection shopping district of the Thai capital Bangkok. It exploded killing 20 and wounding 125. The victims were predominately Thai and Chinese.

The Turkish Grey Wolves followed this up with a grenade attack in Bangkok on August 18th (18/8/15). Fortunately the device exploded without causing injuries or death.

On August 30th 2016 (30/8/16) a member of the TiP drove a Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (S-VBIED) at the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan. 

Fortunately he didn't make it through the Embassy's gates. Succeeding only wounding three Kyrgyzstani guards.

In August 2014 The UN passed Resolution 2170. Issued under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter this obligated all nations to do everything within their power to combat ISIL, Al Qaeda and the TiP.

Unlike certain other western, NATO nations China actually upheld international law. Cracking down on the TiP within China, particularly Xinjiang.

Although they have perhaps too often left it to Russia alone. To veto various hare-brained western UN resolutions. China has played a quiet but sizeable role in protecting the World from ISIL, Al Qaeda and the TiP.

It has even been rumoured that China deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF's) to Syria. Which would be the first overseas combat deployment of the Chinese military since the Korean War (1950-1953).

Although if true. Then I suspect this would have been a much smaller deployment. Focused on eliminating a short list of specific people.

With its actions domestically and in Syria. China has been able to put substantial pressure on Pan-Turkic Islamist terror groups.

So in response Turkey invented The Myth of the Uyghur Genocide. In an effort to relieve some of the pressure on their Islamist terror groups, particularly the TiP.

China is a Totalitarian state. It really has no concept of human rights.

I wonder if I've properly taken the time. To emphasise how appalling I find many of the things China does to be.

Perhaps it's not a very Progressive thing to say. But I think the problems of the crushing of the individual for the collective to be self-evident.

However once you understand what you are comparing it to. China's response to the TiP's terrorism is hardly unusual nor particularly special to any ethnic group.

The main element of Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth is that China uses Concentration Camps. Where Uyghurs are forced into Slave Labour.

Within China this is known as; "Re-Education Through Labour (laodong jiaoyang/laojiao)." It has been policy throughout all of China, applied to all of its ethnic groups since 1957.

More commonly known as; "Penal Labour" this is hardly a uniquely Chinese practice. When China introduced it in 1957 it was widespread and popular.

Penal Labour continues to be widespread in the US. Where it is enshrined in the 13th Amendment of the Constitution.

It is also debatable whether China's laojiao system even constitutes Penal Labour. Which strictly speaking is defined as work which serves no other purpose than to punish the inmate.

For example in the British Military everyone is forced to march everywhere. In British Military prisons, where inmates can only be sentenced to Penal Labour, everyone is forced to march at double speed. 

A rule which serves no other purpose than to make life slightly more difficult for the prisoner.

The work done by prisoners under China's laojiao system is productive work. They grow food and an assemble products which are then sold.

Also to be considered Penal Labour work needs to be unpaid. Inmates in the laojiao system are paid. They're not paid a lot but then neither are workers in Chinese factories.

The main problem I have with China's laojiao system is that it is Administrative Detention. Inmates are not sentenced to it by an independent Court. Instead they are sentenced to it by the police or local government officials.

That is not to say that they do not have a right to appeal though. They can challenge detention through "Administrative Review (xinqzhen fuyi)." Although that appeal is often heard by the same police and local government officials who sentenced them in the first place.

I do have to wonder how much difference it would make. If people detained under the laojiao system were able to go through the Courts.

China's Courts and Judiciary are not independent. They are made up of members of the Chinese Communist Party. Indivisible from the government and state.

Another sizeable element of Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth. Is the claim that Uyghur women are subjected to forced sterilisation.

As was discussed during the; "Fun With Flags II" section. That is China's One Child Policy. Introduced nationally in 1980.

If a woman from any of China's ethnic groups violates the policy by having a second child. Then, by law, she is forced to undergo sterilisation.

As was also discussed during the Fun With Flags II section. The One Child Policy was never strictly enforced across the country. Different regions were given a lot of autonomy in how they enforced it.

Xinjiang's Uyghur population has been one of the main beneficiaries of exemptions to the One Child Policy.  Allowing China's Uyghur population to grow from around 8 million in 2000 to around 12 million in 2020. 

Which brings me on to really the most poisonous element of Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth. That it is a Genocide.

Genocide is defined as the attempt to exterminate part or all of a national, religious or ethnic group.

As Turkey must give thanks for each and every day. People are very rarely convicted for Genocide. So there is not a lot of case law to draw from.

However applying general legal principles the allegation would need evidence of a guilty intent (mens rea). That China intends to target Uyghurs or Muslims specifically.

Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth certainly fails that test. There is nothing that China is doing to its Uyghur population that it isn't doing to its general population. 

Personally I'm of the opinion that Genocide should only require evidence of mens rea to be prosecuted. It is such an appalling crime that it should be stopped before it is allowed to start.

However it is the consensus that an allegation of Genocide would require evidence of a guilty act (actus rea). That China is actually killing Uyghurs on such a scale as to threaten their survival as an ethnic group.

China enthusiastically uses the death penalty. Exactly how many prisoners China executes each year is a closely guarded secret. 

However it is such a large number that China has developed dedicated vans to carry out executions. In order to keep the cost of transporting prisoners to execution sites down. 

Something like 65% of all organ transplants in China each year. Involve organs harvested from executed prisoners. 

So if China was attempting to exterminate the Uyghurs. Then it certainly wouldn't have any problem executing them in very large numbers.

However there is nothing to indicate this is happening. It's not even been alleged in the most wild of conspiracy theories.

So Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth also clearly fails the actus rea test.

Meaning that anyone who has allowed such foolishness to ever escape their mouths should immediately apologise.

Not as it is an insult to China. As it is an insult to all those groups who have actually experienced Genocide.

By minimising the term. You are making Genocide more acceptable and therefore more likely to happen in future.

Which, you suspect. Is exactly what Turkey wants.

Alongside using it as an excuse for their; "Diplomatic Boycott." To help them downplay the Olympics and avoid the much expected mockery. 

Some western nations have actually taken material steps in support of Turkey's Uyghur Genocide Myth. Such as imposing sanctions on China.

This brings us on to the question which has dominated for much of the previous decade;

How western governments along with international bodies, such as the UN and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

Have allowed themselves to be infiltrated, at the highest levels, by foreign extremist groups?

 

To be continued in Part 13.

17:10 on 28/4/22 (UK date).