Destroyed buildings in Homs. About half of Syria’s prewar population has fled, the United Nations says, and nearly four million people are refugees abroad. Credit Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
L.A. Times: For those left in Syria, life among the ruins takes on a ghostly air
Talal Barazi is seated in the pleasant outdoor restaurant of a heavily guarded hotel in Homs, or what is left of it.
"Basically, it's Berlin after World War II," says Barazi, who as governor of Homs province has seen much of the area under his jurisdiction destroyed by Syria's civil war. He tries to put up a brave front.
"We have to face reality," he says. "Some of Homs will be rebuilt, but some will have to be torn down completely. We can't just look at all the ruins and feel sad and lament what happened."
Much of his province's prewar population of 2 million has fled, either to safer parts of Syria or to other countries. For those like Barazi, left behind by choice or necessity, life here has taken on a strange and ghostly air.
A recent swing through government-held areas of Syria by a Times correspondent provided ample evidence of the depopulation of a nation now defined by images of bombed-out buildings, rubble-strewn streets and refugees on the move.
WNU Editor: Even if Assad wins, he does not have the resources to rebuild his country .... and rich Arab states like Saudi Arabia are certainly not going to help him. And if UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is to be believed, Russia's involvement in the Syrian war is only going to make this situation worse .... Russia in Syria: Moscow air strikes 'have killed thousands of civilians' already, warns UK Defence Secretary (The Independent).
6 comments:
Germany and Japan were destroyed.
"Russia in Syria: Moscow air strikes 'have killed thousands of civilians' already, warns UK Defence Secretary (The Independent)."
Really?
Those crickets are legion!
One plus year and 7344 american air strikes in Irak and siria = no casualties..
Less than
a month of Russian federation air strikes
In siria = thousands of casualties.... Mmmmmmmm
One plus year and 7344 american air strikes in Irak and siria = no casualties..
Less than
a month of Russian federation air strikes
In siria = thousands of casualties.... Mmmmmmmm
"One of his close friends, a successful engineer, had built his family dream house in Homs, completing it just before the war broke out."
"Damascus' fabled Hamidiya covered market is, as ever, a swirling gyre of seemingly carefree shoppers. The storied ice cream emporium Bakdash does a brisk business; its workers pound away theatrically at crafting fresh, Arabic-style ice cream topped with pistachio flakes."
"In the suburb of Harasta, the charred remains of former auto dealerships spill onto the streets, an eerie testament to an era when Damascenes headed this way to buy a new car, a quotidian transaction now beyond the imagination."
But, but, Syria is a DICTATORSHIP!!! Led by EVIL Assad THE BUTCHER!! Grey, drab, impoverished, OPPRESSED!!!! We, uhhhhhhhhhh.... They need a REVOLUTION!!! God bless the MODERATE REBELS and pass (drop) the ammunition. SHARIA is the answer!!!
Things are MUCH better now.
In Libya too
Jesus Christ, the people behind this need to hang. OH,.wait, we only hang evil dictators who are worse than Hitler. Dignified, well appointed, noble western leaders of great probity are simply "misguided" and "make mistakes".
note:
While reading this blog, X was cleaning their loaded rifle and it went off, the bullet struck a neighbour. X was worried at first that this would mean arrest and jail time but then X reminded themselves "I'm from The West".
The neighbour bled out while X marvelled at the damage those new Hornady SSTs can do. Maybe tommorrow X will, on their way back from the gun shop, stop and buy the widow and kids a card.
After all, it would be the Western thing to do.
Exactly why I fail to see how Russian intervention could possibly make things worse for the Syrians in any meaningful way. If anything it may make things better by keeping all this away from the western parts.
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