Chilling reality of life under IS

[webfact]

Mosul Eye blog details chilling reality of life under the Islamic State in Mosul

MOSUL: -- A CITY in darkness with water available only two hours a day. Where unemployment is rife, education is banned and farmers are forced to hand over 10 per cent of their income to militants as young as 15 at military checkpoints.

Where once busy marketplaces are empty and formerly bustling streets are ghostlike as the sale of women’s clothing is forbidden.

That’s the reality described by Mosul Eye, a blog that purports to detail life inside the Islamic State stronghold at the centre of one of the Middle East’s most dangerous conflicts.

The powerful blog began in June this year when the Islamic State started to emerge in the city. It’s allegedly run by a local historian and historic researcher, who also posts updates to Facebook in an attempt to impartially document life inside the town he grew up in.

“My job as a historian requires [an] unbiased approach which I am going to adhere to and keep my personal opinion to myself. I will only communicate the facts I see,” the author writes.

Posts detail a chilling account of a society “abandoned to the wolves” by governments and political leaders, overrun by extremists seduced by the prospect of a stable income and a wife.

Full story: http://www.news.com.au/world/mosul-eye-blog-details-chilling-reality-of-life-under-the-islamic-state-in-mosul/story-fndir2ev-1227100504704


-- News.com.au 2014-10-24

[Scott]

I have a friend who lives and works in Mosul. I haven't heard from him for quite a while. I hope he is OK. He, and his family, are Kurdish but they have foreign passports as well.

[siampolee]

Scott post # 2

I have a friend who lives and works in Mosul. I haven't heard from him for quite a while. I hope he is OK. He, and his family, are Kurdish but they have foreign passports as well.

He, and his family, are Kurdish but they have foreign passports as well.

Methinks Scott sad to say '' but those two facts above could indeed be detrimental to your friends liberty or even life under this evil regime which distorts religious beliefs.''

[Scott]

I am reasonably sure that the foreign nationality would be kept very secret. He is not originally from Mosul, but from a city further north. He's pretty sharp and I would suspect that he may either have gotten his family out of the area or is in the process of doing so. One of the problems would be that his children's first language is English. Even though he and his wife are Kurdish, they spoke English to the children, so they did not learn Kurdish until they returned to Iraq.

His wife was very Westernized and she took to a western lifestyle like a duck to water. Whenever I met them after they left Iraq, she always gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek -- something you don't see in most Muslim countries. I am sure she will be quite unhappy.

I hope all is well with them, but I am sure that contacting people on social media isn't their highest priority right now.

[Acharn]

Scott post # 2

I have a friend who lives and works in Mosul. I haven't heard from him for quite a while. I hope he is OK. He, and his family, are Kurdish but they have foreign passports as well.

He, and his family, are Kurdish but they have foreign passports as well.

Methinks Scott sad to say '' but those two facts above could indeed be detrimental to your friends liberty or even life under this evil regime which distorts religious beliefs.''

I really hope Scott's friend and family will be OK. I understand ISIS is not kind to Kurds.

As far as "distorts religious beliefs," you really need to read http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/isis-wahhabism-saudi-arabia_b_5717157.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

The religious belief are derived from the 14th century Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah, as interpreted by Muhammed ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. In other words, the religious beliefs of about 20% of the citizens of Saudi Arabia and a large part of the population of Qatar.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... extremists seduced by the prospect of a stable income ...' Isn't that contrary to what they claim to fight for?

[F4UCorsair]

Sounds like Cambodia in 1975 under Pol Pot

[simple1]

Read today that it's currently estimated it will be at least a year before the Iraqi military will be sufficiently re-equipped and trained to try and retake Mosul. US military has stated 50 Iraqi battalions (Shiite), previously trained, are considered unsuitable to undertake combat missions due to major concerns for sectarian killings of non-combatants.

[OmarZaidMD]

Just give them enough time... they will self destruct

[OmarZaidMD]

'... extremists seduced by the prospect of a stable income ...' Isn't that contrary to what they claim to fight for?

they came to fight for spoils and women ... at home they are deprived. Here, they're just good buccaneers with a religious charter ... young men with too many ideals and testosterone and no adult supervision ... whaddaya expect? For certain, this is not Islam, any more than The City of London or the Vatican are Christian.

Edited October 25, 2014 by OmarZaidMD

[siampolee]

Acharn post # 5.

I really hope Scott's friend and family will be OK. I understand ISIS is not kind to Kurds.

As far as "distorts religious beliefs," you really need to read http://www.huffingto...ref=mostpopular

The religious belief are derived from the 14th century Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah, as interpreted by Muhammed ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. In other words, the religious beliefs of about 20% of the citizens of Saudi Arabia and a large part of the population of Qatar.

So it seems as if you would approve a 20% sector of society with a somewhat skewed religions dogma ruling the other 80% who do not necessarily follow those 20% view?

All rather conforms the one and only Marx statement I could or ever would agree or the variation quoted by the Marquis de Sade concerning religion and religious beliefs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_of_the_people

My God loves all, however if you do not subscribe to my brand of God I will exterminate you.The religious belief that all creeds have followed over centuries whatever their brand of religion was or still is follow

I

Edited October 25, 2014 by siampolee

[pkspeaker]

Not if the west keeps bombing iraq.. the shiite US backed government in bagdad.. being run out of the us embassy in baghdad [google picture us embassey in baghdad] notice the massive capital style building with dome in the middle.. i'm sure it's presence in no way contributes to the alienation of iraqi's.

the regime in iraq is supported buy US dollars and equpiment + US airstrikes every day.. yet they can't score a single decisive victory over ISIS, most iraqi shiites support a shiite militia that protects their area, they see the government in baghdad as something 'owned' by the US , even if it technically isn't.. they are not willing to die for it.

so its the same thing that happened in vietnam, the regime has no respect, the US is forced to shore it up with military involvement, it looses more respect..

Just give them enough time... they will self destruct

[siampolee]

pkspeaker.

Indeed true words

Seems as if the U.S. along with its pet poodles allies still have not come to realise the fact that their actions over the years have infected the wound and now that wound is oozing poison to the detriment of the world in general.

Invasive surgery has not worked and Euthanasia is not the option the assorted factions are likely to follow, one is led to indeed wonder where the whole shooting gallery is going to move to next and which lucky(?) countries are going to be the playground?

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRh4SncexeX892xBJcQ1aWPJp6HSutb2gs8GRHV5VDKbQifDjhO3Q

[Thorgal]

Coalition forces should start negociating and work together with Assad.

Kurdish territoy is important for many countries.

[Scott]

Coalition forces should start negociating and work together with Assad.

Kurdish territoy is important for many countries.

Kurdisah territory is important because many countries don't want an independent Kurdistan and don't particularly care for the Kurds.

[Thorgal]

Coalition forces should start negociating and work together with Assad.

Kurdish territoy is important for many countries.

Kurdisah territory is important because many countries don't want an independent Kurdistan and don't particularly care for the Kurds.

Kurdish territory is important for their water reserves who can suply this vital rescource to important parts of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran.

Giving them autonomy can play a crucial role in any further development in this interstate region.

Furthermore they can be the 9th biggest player in the world if they control the Kurdish oil rescources. Partnership is required for further exploration and export.

You think that ISIS is fighting only for radical (false) religious purposes ?

Edited October 25, 2014 by Thorgal

[Thorgal]

Need to tell also that Kurdish forces destroyed main parts of city of Barzan as retaliation and killed a lot of civilians.

Because Barzan was first taken by ISIS and some citizens were forced to fight with them...

All ISIS fighters captured by Kurdish forces are also executed.

Furthermore Kurdish commanders are complaining that the Coalition Forces are striking the wrong indicated area's from Kurdish ground troops.

No rules in this dirty war.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Thorgal