Fear grips Raqqa [View all]

[cali]

This article is from a week ago, but I think it illustrates the reality of bombing a city of nearly a quarter of a million where the target is deeply entwined and embedded with the civilian population.

The city where the western hostages slain by the Islamic State (Isis) terror group were held is nervously preparing for an onslaught. Each night since Barack Obama said he would bomb Isis targets in Syria, residents of the eastern city of Raqqa – those who support the group and those who abhor it – have sat in fear waiting for the air strikes to begin.

Many believe that the city's civilians will pay the price of a campaign to root out Isis, which after controlling Raqqa for more than a year is now well embedded in its ramshackle neighbourhoods and entwined into much of its social fabric.

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"I believe most of the casualties will be civilian," said Abu Mohammed, 33, a shopkeeper. "The majority will be from Raqqa and very few from Isis. Many of our young men in the city have joined Isis either because of fear or because of the wages they give, which is $400 (£246) per month. This is a very good salary for us here."

Abu Mohammed said he had adapted to the group's hardline rule and saw Isis as a better option than the regime of Bashar al-Assad. "We are afraid that after the US air strikes, the regime will take control of the city. Assad is a criminal and his regime is brutal. We had bad experience with the Free Syria Army [FSA], they are corrupt and now we are getting used to Isis's Islamic rules. Day after day, they are getting better with people."

Abu Maya Al-Raqawi, 40, a media worker from the city, said: "Some people are already fleeing the city as they know that civilians are going to be the real victims for these air strikes. Raqqa will be completely destroyed. We all know that Isis are spreading themselves among civilians and they occupy the FSA and old regime headquarters, which are in civilian areas. People in Raqqa have to deal with two evils, Isis or Assad. Which one is better? I don't know the answer."

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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/15/syria-raqqa-fear-us-air-strikes-isis

I understand supporting this military intervention, although I do not, but the sober reality is that civilians will be killed in these bombings. Now that it's started, I hope like hell it's successful and roots out ISIS quickly, so that the people in Raqqa have a chance. Between the bombings and the killings by ISIS, they're living in hell. I want to add one more thing: Cheering this on, crowing about how McCain must be shitting his pants, is just mindless and sickening- and I've seen more than a few of those posts. This isn't about the President winning over his domestic detractors, it's about the lives of real people.