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Battle for Mosul has begun. 1 million civilians trapped inside the city ruled by ISIS

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SomTervo

Member



Here's the situation as of an hour ago.

Solid gains. They need to lock down Tilkaif and the string of towns to the east.

I am worried that ISIS behaves in Mousl like the japanese did with Manila in WW II, when they were defeated and retiring from the city, they massacred the civil population, one of the worst war crimes in recent history.

Didn't the Germans do that in Dresden, too?

A nightmare. Edit: nope, I'm wrong.
 
D

Deleted member 231381

Unconfirmed Member
What am I missing here and I readily state I'm oversimplifying but how is it a million civilians get held hostage by only 10,000-15,000?

If you have a million people in a Syrian city, then given demographics 400,000 are younger than 14 or older than 65 and in no position to fight. The remaining 600,000 are at a gross capability disparity - if ISIS controls the flow of goods and people in and out of the city, then any potential rebels can't arm themselves, and they can't feed themselves without the consent of ISIS. Any potential soldiers also have dependents who can be threatened - do you risk joining a resistance group when you have a wife and kids?

If you want comparable examples in Western history, look at how few Nazi troops it required for Germany to control key continental European cities. I think the standard ratio is quoted at 1 soldier to every 80 civilians - so a city of 1,000,000 needed only 12,500 soldiers. We can see a pretty similar ratio here.
 

Nikodemos

Member
If you want comparable examples in Western history, look at how few Nazi troops it required for Germany to control key continental European cities. I think the standard ratio is quoted at 1 soldier to every 80 civilians - so a city of 1,000,000 needed only 12,500 soldiers. We can see a pretty similar ratio here.
That ratio may be further decreased by being a monstrous fuckwad; exactly what ISIS do in conquered territory. When the penalty for insurgency is boiling alive in acid, or dismemberment via chainsaw, you don't need a lot of 'troops' to keep the 'peace'.
 

TheContact

Member
I don't understand isis or Muslim supporters of Sharia law. They harp on about western powers in the middle East inflicting death on their Muslim brothers but all I see and read is Muslims brutally butchering Muslims.

Am I missing something?

They're mostly pissed America built US bases on holy ground. At least that's what Osama said the reason for 9/11 was. But don't try to dervie logic from these psychopaths
 

Sijil

Member
The Iraqi Army... yeah excuse me for not having faith in them acomplishing anything. A noble goal, but I don't think they'll be able to retake Mosul.

This is the same Iraqi army that retook nearly all of the areas they lost after they reformed. Have you followed the news since the reformation?

The same army, aided by the popular militias, retook Fallujah which made the US marines struggle for it back in 2004.

Mosul and the rest of the Sunni provinces fell with ease because no Shia soldier wanted to die for a Sunni city that didn't want him, hell most of the massacre on Speichre AB against the Shia cadets weren't by ISIS but by local Sunni tribes.

The PMUs have a strong fighting spirit, because of the religious edict that formed them, but the Iraqi army due to its professional US training will be the spearhead.
 

jett

D-Member
I have no words for the absolute nightmarish terror that is described in the OP. It's just incomprehensible.
 
I wish the Iraqi army all the luck
The inclusion of The Shia militia is uncalled for.
If your country has an army that defends each an every citizen why do you need a militia?

The only thing that I can think of is conducting crimes post the operation that the state won't be accountable for.
 
they well beat ISIS in the end, what will come next? a radical Shia group that seek revenge and payback

I wonder if wheel of hatred ever going to end
 

darkwing

Member
I wish the Iraqi army all the luck
The inclusion of The Shia militia is uncalled for.
If your country has an army that defends each an every citizen why do you need a militia?

The only thing that I can think of is conducting crimes post the operation that the state won't be accountable for.

this is crazy, cycle of violence continues
 

Aureon

Please do not let me serve on a jury. I am actually a crazy person.
They made a sport out of torturing and executing people. Abhorrent.

I am against capital punishment but fuck, show no mercy.

This isn't a peaceful time for Syria.
This is a war. It's not even capital punishment, it's just enemy combatants.
 

Chairman Yang

if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
they well beat ISIS in the end, what will come next? a radical Shia group that seek revenge and payback

I wonder if wheel of hatred ever going to end
The Shias have treated the Sunnis far better than the Sunnis have treated the Shias. If there is widespread Shia vengeance, it'll die down with time.

If it doesn't, the only real solution will be dividing Iraq into Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories.
 
The Shias have treated the Sunnis far better than the Sunnis have treated the Shias. If there is widespread Shia vengeance, it'll die down with time.

If it doesn't, the only real solution will be dividing Iraq into Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories.

I hope so, but my only fear is it well come as another stage for the ongoing proxy war
 
The Shias have treated the Sunnis far better than the Sunnis have treated the Shias. If there is widespread Shia vengeance, it'll die down with time.

If it doesn't, the only real solution will be dividing Iraq into Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories.

you need to check out the recent Shia militia warcrime actions

there are a ton

these militias right now are overly scary and demented

idk why... even Shia Iraqi's fear them and are unsafe when they're around

killing obsessed mercenaries is what they are

speaking of dividing... this area right now is under the Sunni demographic so that is why all these other forces are moving into the city too... seeing as everyone doesn't want another Fallujah to happen to the civilians by those exact militias
 

thelatestmodel

Junior, please.
I guess I just don't get why they have to be so disgustingly barbaric.

Like, their execution methods make me sick to my stomach just from the very notion that a human being could do that to his fellow man. How can you go on living your life knowing that you did that to someone? Killing someone is bad enough, but coming up with these bizarre, excruciating, horrifying methods really demonstrates how utterly evil you have become.

It's a mindset that is totally alien to me, utterly incomprehensible. They need to be purged from our planet.
 
Is the pink the gains? Hoping for the best in Mosul. Post Batttle, do the Kurds take over? Will that help cut down the shia vs sunni violence?
 

dan2026

Member
I guess I just don't get why they have to be so disgustingly barbaric.

Like, their execution methods make me sick to my stomach just from the very notion that a human being could do that to his fellow man. How can you go on living your life knowing that you did that to someone? Killing someone is bad enough, but coming up with these bizarre, excruciating, horrifying methods really demonstrates how utterly evil you have become.

It's a mindset that is totally alien to me, utterly incomprehensible. They need to be purged from our planet.

Me neither.
How do men become so utterly sadistic, evil and amoral?

I feel like ISIS are giving the Nazis a run for their money when it comes to organised murder, torture and wanton cruelty to civilians.
 
I guess I just don't get why they have to be so disgustingly barbaric.

Like, their execution methods make me sick to my stomach just from the very notion that a human being could do that to his fellow man. How can you go on living your life knowing that you did that to someone? Killing someone is bad enough, but coming up with these bizarre, excruciating, horrifying methods really demonstrates how utterly evil you have become.

It's a mindset that is totally alien to me, utterly incomprehensible. They need to be purged from our planet.

Supposedly, the extreme barbarism of their methods is actually supposed to deter opposition and thereby save lives and curtail unnecessary violence. Similar in argument to the dropping of the bomb on Japan. In reality, of course, that is never going to work in the 21st century.
 
at this point, i'm just numb to what ive read

if i had the power id go in there and slaughter those fuckers the same way they've done to the innocent.

i dont care if i get labeled a monster

all that matters is their destruction

FUCK ISIS!
 

Jinaar

Member
I heard this on the radio today and they reported anywhere from 4000 to 8000 ISIS members in Mosul, controlling 1 million civilians.

Now obviously, civilian access to weapons may be literally impossible to extremely limited, but why couldn't it be somewhat possible for the many to stand up to so few in comparison?

Self preservation is always a key factor but in the end, allowing the very few to control the many, I rather try something.
 

Quixzlizx

Member
I heard this on the radio today and they reported anywhere from 4000 to 8000 ISIS members in Mosul, controlling 1 million civilians.

Now obviously, civilian access to weapons may be literally impossible to extremely limited, but why couldn't it be somewhat possible for the many to stand up to so few in comparison?

Self preservation is always a key factor but in the end, allowing the very few to control the many, I rather try something.

Enjoy your vat of acid.
 

IISANDERII

Member
Holy shit, executions in almost every way imaginable: Drowning, hanging, beheading, burning, lowering into acid, flamethrower, animal type slaughter, WELDING, firing squad and more. Almost reads like propaganda!
 
D

Deleted member 231381

Unconfirmed Member
I heard this on the radio today and they reported anywhere from 4000 to 8000 ISIS members in Mosul, controlling 1 million civilians.

Now obviously, civilian access to weapons may be literally impossible to extremely limited, but why couldn't it be somewhat possible for the many to stand up to so few in comparison?

Self preservation is always a key factor but in the end, allowing the very few to control the many, I rather try something.

During the German occupation of Paris, the average garrison size was about 22,000, for a city whose population was about 2 million. I don't think people in this thread realize quite how difficult "standing up" is, when many of those civilians are too old, too young, too injured or sick or starving, don't have any weapons, have a family that needs them to live, want to join the resistance but don't know who to contact because informants are everywhere, or actually have joined a resistance but struggle to make headway without outside support, or actually have joined a resistance and then got melted in an acid vat.
 
I heard this on the radio today and they reported anywhere from 4000 to 8000 ISIS members in Mosul, controlling 1 million civilians.

Now obviously, civilian access to weapons may be literally impossible to extremely limited, but why couldn't it be somewhat possible for the many to stand up to so few in comparison?

Self preservation is always a key factor but in the end, allowing the very few to control the many, I rather try something.
People, sometimes tribes wholesale stood up against ISIS. They were slaughtered mercilessly in revolting public executions. People suspected of planning are put to the same fate. Mobile phones are banned, and thr clamp down is very real. As mentioned above, collaborators with Iraqi government were thrown in nitric acid. This is like asking why didnt Jews rise up against Nazis. Some did, some didn't. But lets not make a value judgement on those who didn't.
 
I guess I just don't get why they have to be so disgustingly barbaric.

Like, their execution methods make me sick to my stomach just from the very notion that a human being could do that to his fellow man. How can you go on living your life knowing that you did that to someone? Killing someone is bad enough, but coming up with these bizarre, excruciating, horrifying methods really demonstrates how utterly evil you have become.

It's a mindset that is totally alien to me, utterly incomprehensible. They need to be purged from our planet.

1) Showing extreme violence in executions is a strong deterrant for possible provocation or rebellion.

2) They have power and are bored. Human creativity can show itself in the most disturbing of ways too.

3) They don't have empathy for them, or for anyone who isn't on the military side of ISIS really. It's not difficult to brutally murder people when you don't think their lives have value, when you think that is what God wants, and when you have easy access to the firepower necessary.
 

Jinaar

Member
Enjoy your vat of acid.

I understand that is the threat against civilians. Again, if people have limited or no weapons, then causing any disturbance against ISIS would be next to impossible without the loss of many that would be involved. But then again, horrific as it may sound (and I am a horrible person), German was stalled by Russia with a similar tactic of just swarming the enemy with the many.

It is just mind boggling how few people it takes to hold so much. That is what I am struggling to figure out right now.

EDIT: Saw the other responses, thanks for taking the time for those! It's just so sad that in today's day and age, even the world can't stop so few that cause so much harm (And yes, I understand all the political issues at hand that not only have caused this but makes it near impossible for countries to work together to stop things like this. Fuck this world at times :( )
 

Paltheos

Member
How does ISIL determine its means of exeuction? Most of these are wildly different. 'Death by welding'? How/who comes up with this?
 
The most thing that I fear is either Mosul people forced to leave Mosul or killed because they are Sunnis and ISIS are supposedly Sunnis since ISIS killed more Sunnis than Shia killing Sunnis.

The only thing that we can do is keep an international view on what is happening on ground to avoid any post massacre.

Iraq already lost alot of people regardless of their background we don't want to lose more lives over idiotic sect war.
 

mAcOdIn

Member
I think fighting back makes little sense unless there's a force able to capitalize on that and move in, which wasn't likely in Iraq. Territory getting taken in Syria and Iraq's not a rarity, as a civilian I imagine there's not a lot of faith that any help would arrive or that the madness wouldn't just happen again a few months later. So I feel we're somewhat spoiled with the knowledge, or at least confidence, that if a Western city fell and we fought back that our military would be there quickly to reassert control but that's a feeling I don't think people over there have. Nor should they as their government has failed many times in recent times.
 

Braag

Member
How does ISIL determine its means of exeuction? Most of these are wildly different. 'Death by welding'? How/who comes up with this?

I guess it's determined by whatever vile shit they can come up with that day.
They seem to be in panic mode though, they know full well they're gonna go down. Fuck them and good riddance.
 
this has to be a exaggeration

https://airwars.org/civcas-map/

this is a live map of civilian and friendly fire casualties via air strikes

look how big the circle is on Mosul

not sure the timeline on this though.. could be months or these few hours


I guess we can compare to the Deash/Iraq/Syria live map
http://isis.liveuamap.com/

also compare it to the airwars twitter pages updates
https://twitter.com/airwars_


Edit: looking more into it... seems it is from August 2014 to now
https://airwars.org/civilian-casualty-claims/
mind you it seems to only record coalition strikes
 

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
The methods used are to spread fear, and it kind of works. In Afghanistan they. Captured some people (possibly Taliban affiliated villagers), lined them up on a string of dynamite and blew them up. They managed to forced some Talibans to pledge allegiance to IS. Also paid them more.

But gor the civilian population, it frightens them into submitting.
 
The Shias have treated the Sunnis far better than the Sunnis have treated the Shias. If there is widespread Shia vengeance, it'll die down with time.

If it doesn't, the only real solution will be dividing Iraq into Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories.

That has always been the solution. Given the situation now with a battle hardened, well equipped and entrenched Kurdish people in Kurdistan along the northern Iraqi and Syrian border making a Kurdish national state all but an inevitability now. Iraq needs to either divide along tribal lines or learn to live together.

The former is infinitely more likely.
 

CTLance

Member
That has always been the solution. Given the situation now with a battle hardened, well equipped and entrenched Kurdish people in Kurdistan along the northern Iraqi and Syrian border making a Kurdish national state all but an inevitability now. Iraq needs to either divide along tribal lines or learn to live together.

The former is infinitely more likely.
I'm sure Turkey is absolutely thrilled by that prospect.
 
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