[paul51]

Duluiya, located in the notorious Sunni triangle, is much smaller than Fallujah but no less violent, even if events here rarely make the news.

I know there is a very rationale reason we haven't leveled these hellholes. I'm just curious what it is.

[olde north church]

The ancient Assyrians had a really proactive way of interacting with the populace of villages and cities. They would send emmisaries to the "Grand Poobahs" of the target of the week to explain the conditions of surrender along with rolling cages of the folks who for some reason or another didn't want to go along with the terms. The folks in the cages were in one state or another of de-limbing, de-nosing, blinded, flayed, etc.

The could avoid the same situation if they paid a yearly ransom for protection. Those who didn't pay, suffered very gruesome fates.

[Eurotwit]

You tell me???