After renovation:
Posted on 03/09/2019 11:05:42 AM PST by Texas Fossil
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Once known as the Islamic State “public square from hell,” with regular executions, crucifixions, and lashings, Raqqa’s old Paradise Square is returning to its former glory, two years after its liberation.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) liberated Raqqa in October 2017, after a heavy battle that lasted months. When it was retaken, the damage to the city’s infrastructure was extensive and grim.
Now, the Raqqa Civil Council (RCC) is focused on rebuilding and providing services as life slowly comes back to the streets of the Islamic State Caliphate’s former capital in Syria.
Just after its liberation, civilians in Raqqa were hesitant to visit the square which reminded them of the city’s suffering under the jihadist group’s tyrannical reign.
“The square was a place where heads were put on spikes. Today, it is full of life and fountains,” Zabia (38) from Raqqa told Kurdistan 24. “The people are now coming and going without fear. Before, it was challenging to pass by.”
Over the past few months, civilians have returned to the renovated square, which was outfitted with new fountains, a worthy backdrop for many who come to take selfies and lounge in public. Raqqa’s iconic clock tower was also rebuilt by the RCC, with some new features.
(Excerpt) Read more at kurdistan24.net ...
This article is about life after ISIS in the capital of ISIS's Caliphate. This is a good sign. And an important accomplishment along the path to rebuilding. There are good photo's at the article link. The author has been in the region for years and is one of the most accurate in what he writes.
Also today I saw a video of a memorial in Kobane to those who died there in combat with ISIS (a large portion of them were women). It reveals the degree of the sacrifice made in the first place that held against ISIS. The video is at the following Twitter link. This source is from DC, but wrote this from Syria.
Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc
https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1104356905005264896
World should always remember those who sacrificed their lives for defending #Kobane and stop ISIS #TwitterKurds
The Great Evil called ISIS is not totally dead, but it is not threatening the world to the degree it once did. These are both important places to remember.
Make no mistake of where the ISIS captives and wives want to go:
Afarin Mamosta @AFAR1N 3h3 hours ago (video at link)
https://twitter.com/AFAR1N/status/1104415772045201410
ISIS wives are asked after their surrender where they want to go.
All of them have the same answer. Their safe haven is NATO country Turkey.
Can we assume the ‘repairs’ are being paid for by American taxpayers for people who are total ingrates?
Bet on it.
from link:
U.S. officials involved in stabilization efforts in Raqqa say work to restore basic services and strengthen local government is in motion but faces unique obstacles. Syria’s central government objects to the activities of the Pentagon and State Department in territory beyond the regime’s control, and that presents a host of problems that have slowed the delivery of aid.
Much of the responsibility for Raqqa now falls to its 29-year-old acting mayor, Ahmed Ibrahim.
The Islamic State, he recalled, “was extremely organized, extremely responsive when it came to governing. This puts us under tremendous pressure. We have to do better than them. This is our challenge: How do we convince our public that we are better?”
I just hope we aren’t rebuilding Raqqa, We could not care less. The main thing we need is the Wall. I do not understand this delay?
Surely they can’t be missing these wicked zealots?
Even if the people themselves hardly care, it’s still a healthier thing for the world, and for that we most definitely know that God cares.
Better that US power be there than ISIS’s.
And the Wall is a political brouhaha... its cost is chump change in terms of the treasury. Extending US power to Raqqa isn’t hurting the wall. We do not have a zero sum game here.
GET OUT OF SYRIA Like WE WERE PROMISED twice!! I am tired of caving.We have absolutely no right or business there. What happened to what I voted for?
In the Islamic world, it’s like fighting fires in a fireworks factory. I don’t know how such a promise could have been contemplated. I hope world affairs evolve such as to make US presence unnecessary. But till they do, guess who has to be the adult babysitter.
Good news. Thanks for posting.
Really? That is called “ Neo Con Globalism’ It brought us complete disaster in the needless invasion of Iraq ( they are now demanding we leave after being taken over by Iran) and a 19 year “nothing burger” in Afghanistan. But you guys carry on with your absolutely illegal and uninvited occupation of a Syria. That is what you do with our money and our lives.
The invasion of Iraq was a continuation of the war began by Saddam Hussein ten years earlier when he invaded and occupied Kuwait.
We had war planes in the no fly zones for the whole time until the invasion and conquering of Baghdad by General Franks
The “ no fly zones” were absolutely illegal as hell under international law. How would you like one by the Chinese over you? . They were rebuked and not authorized by the UN. the Gulf War had been OVER for 10 years or had you not noticed? Look it up. Iraq had no WMD and we KNEW they did not. 5000 military dead 50,000 wounded $1.4 trillion wasted and the Iran backed Iraqi government last week demanded we get out. Total disaster. President Trump was absolutely right about Iraq!
Bull Shit
We won. We can fly where ever we want to and there is no force in former Iraq to stop us.
Pacifists are the death of America
Granted that it ought to have a declaration of war and be carried out like a war, with a sane conquest in mind.
After renovation:
We paid some of the cost of ordinance removal, but most of the work was done by in country personnel.
Nothing in the article mentions US funding for this project.
The coalition is involved in funding the projects of stabilization. You can thank President Trump for that.
I do know when the actual liberation of Raqqa took place there was a desperate situation with the displaced personnel (not ISIS and their women) USAID did step in to keep people alive then. It was a situation that was known would happen and I had conversations with my congressman in February before the bulk of the liberation took place in May. UN will not aid any group other than the government of the nation. Kurds did a good job of supplying food they grew to most of the areas involved prior to Raqqa (scale of Raqqa was much larger). They had outside help with producing that food and it was not the US.
It is easy to criticize our involvement, but there was little said when this started under Obama. Ending ISIS was not started under Obama, We were funding other Jihadi’s. That ended when President Trump came into office.
That is what it says right there in the constitution!! I am tired of these illegal forays into colonialism with my money and my blood to please Defense contractors who gave them millions of dollars!! Trump was our only hope and he is screwing around in Syria and Afghanistan and I don’t like it and I don’t have to like it. We need to hold Trump to what he promised!!
I did not read the entire article you sent me the link for. But it is from the Washington ComPost and is pure crap.
I know what happened there during the liberation of Raqqa. Followed it almost daily.
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