Every time a new force comes into Mosul the citizens of Mosul are treated as the enemy. Soldiers would say this is necessary. Do you agree? Even if it is necessary, is it fair?

Every time a new force comes into Mosul—the American army, ISIS, the Iraqi army—the citizens of Mosul are treated as the enemy. Soldiers would say this is necessary. Do you agree? Even if it is necessary, is it fair?

Huh, this is a hard one. Having not lived in that situation, I don't know. My gut says it is probably necessary as a way of self preservation but I don't think it's fair.

Sunnis are the minority in Iraq, hence they will always be the enemy--unless another Hussein arises. Fact of life, not fair, of course but when has the minority EVER been treated fairly in any situation?

Excellent point, katherinep. Not fair, and not really necessary, but certainly reality!

I agree that it's certainly not fair for the citizens to be treated as the enemy. It's definitely not fair to the large majority of ordinary citizens who are innocent.

Not having lived under military law or even in a hostile environment such as exists in Iraq, it is hard for me to know whether this is fair. It does not seem fair, and I am sure I would not like to be treated as an enemy in my own neighborhood. But when the military is in charge, I'm sure they would say it is necessary as they do not know who may be an insurgent.

I can understand the soldiers distrust as they knew there were pockets of insurgents in the area. So I see the necessity from their point of view. Is it fair? I say no, it isn’t, and some of the forces were worse in their treatment of the locals than others. But I still see the necessity. Nothing about war is fair.

Maybe it doesn't seem fair but it is necessary for survival. The book tells how the retreating ISIS fighters left behind bombs and booby traps. They even hid them in children's toys.

There seldom is fairness in war. It would be very difficult as a soldier to know who is good and who is bad. They have no way of knowing. There were so many suicide bombers that to be safe, they would have to be cautious of all citiizens. Even some of the neighbors of Abu Laith would go to the side of ISIS. It's not fair, but it is necessary. Not everyone was happy ot have American troops there.

It is normal for the occupying military to be suspicious of civilians in times of war. ISIS is known to use children & women to attack...sometimes having people dress as pregnant women to carry off attacks. The Vietnam Cong did the same.

Vivianh, you make an interesting point about the women and children being used for military strategy; I can see this as a way to exert control over ordinary citizens as well.

I cannot begin to put myself in the citizens of Mosul's position or that of the invading military. It is simply outside my realm of experience. I feel terrible for the citizens of war-torn cities. I also feel terrible for soldiers who are sent to a war zone and how vulnerable they must feel. War is a terrible thing. War over religion is particularly terrible.