Inside the Capital City of ISIS
While browsing the Internet I came across a story of two women secretly filming the conditions within the Capital City of ISIS: al-Raqqah. It's a harrowing video and it made me sick to see the conditions people had to be living in. It's a rare look at what is truly happening inside these cities to the civilians.
If that video link doesn't work then here is the link to the article where the video is also located:
http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/womens-secret-films-from-within-closed-city-of-islamic-state/
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ISIS is a country now? Goddamn.
More like an occupied war zone, but they do have more important cities to them which can be considered capitals.
That was really brutal, I don't understand how a sane person in their right mind would want to be part of this mess.
It's not really the capital of ISIS, as ISIS is not a country, despite ISIS claiming themselves to be the Islamic State (no nation in the world acknowledges that, as they're just known to the world's nations as terrorist occupiers).
al-Raqqah is the sixth largest city in Syria (at least as of 2004, it's likely to be a different situation now after the Syrian Civil War), which is currently the base of operations of ISIS.
Damascus is the capital of Syria, Al - Raqqah is just a small town in Syria that ISIS happened to stumble upon and made it their base.
Not my wording, I was repeating what was said in the article.
Not many people have a choice in that situation. They can try and run but they likely wouldn't make it far if they weren't rich, and if they did? Well, the migrant crisis shows that.
No, you misunderstood me. I was talking about the people who migrate to ISIS itself to be a part of it willingly.
Not really, but they managed to set up the beurocratic functions if a state alarmingly fast.
Seems I did, yes, I agree, those people are crazy.
Alienation and impressionability, would be my guess. Also, plenty of people (especially some teens) who revel in being sadistic, violent assholes. Daesh gives them carte blanche to do kill, rape and loot.
What an awful fate to be trapped between regime bombs and Daesh psychopaths. Unfortunately, as ISIS continues to lose ground, their fighters react by taking it out on their own people. I hope that when ISIS is defeated, the people of Raqqa repay their cruelty in kind.
I'm putting my hopes in the Rojava Revolution.
Jesus those are bad links, which really sucks because I was interested.
You hope the people of Raqqa take revenge?
I'm a bit hypocritical for saying it, but it would certainly be fitting. Tyrants who systematically impose terror eventually get what they deserve.
Very hypocritical. I'm actually fairly disappointed. I've always viewed you as a stoic moral model, even if we disagree at times. I understand them needing to die, but to wish torture or what have you. . .
Sorry to disappoint you, but I've contradicted myself here many times. I'm no stoic moral model, I'm a regular person. Most of us are hypocritical beings, because our better nature demands one thing and the other side that despises evil and oppression demands something else. Not that proud of it, but not too ashamed either.
Torture? I never mentioned that. Maybe they'll give them a trial (if such a thing is possible). Maybe they'll shoot them. Maybe they'll stone the fighters like they stoned so many innocent women, but in this circumstance, the people deserve to make that choice, not the Assad regime. It's also worth noting that I wouldn't be opposed to mercy for those who peacefully surrender, that's highly unlikely.
Regardless, it's an empty choice. Rule of law in Syria was always a joke and they'll ndoubtedly be brutally tortured and killed by the regime. There's no Geneva Convention in Syria.
Being a pirate gives the same benefits and the name rolls off the tongue.
They couldn't be pirates. Looking at booty is haram.
Sure, but a reasonable person attempts to reconcile the discrepancies when they are pointed out as being hypocritical.
Not torture? Perhaps I was reading too much into "I hope that when ISIS is defeated, the people of Raqqa repay their cruelty in kind." I think much of what they have done you and I would deem as torturous, such as stoning people.
Sure, what you and I want has no bearing on what will actually happen, but that's not the point. The point is you wish this cruelty on them.
My apologies, what's the issue?
I'm not sure. Its loads for about 5 minutes and then stops and brings up the "play" ifon over the video. I try to get it to play again, but to not avail.
What is there to say to reconcile it? Genocide and the destruction of vibrant cultures in the Middle East makes me sick to my stomach. I wish ill on them in the same way people wished ill on the SS guards and Einsatzgruppen who were torn apart by the people they tortured and tormented. Does it go against my values and better nature? Yeah, I guess it does, but that's honestly what I feel: extreme antipathy.
Then how can anyone take you seriously when you say that pedophile rapist murderers in America should just "be jailed" and not "repayed in kind"? Is the rape and torturous murder less bad because it happened in America? Because it wasn't condoned?
Because one is a random, individual act of violence and the other is systematic rape and murder on a genocidal scale. It's a matter of proportion. I also consider life imprisonment (especially ad seg, where the pedos go) to be even more of a punishment, while allowing the inmate the option to find redemption. In that sense, I guess I've invalidated my entire argument. Maybe ISIS members can find some kind of meaning in imprisonment.
I suppose my ugly, blind hatred and bias is rearing its head again. It's a moral failing that I've struggled with for about as long as I've had a social/political conscience. It's easy to forget that Daesh are still human beings and not soulless monsters. I never considered that I might be doing the issue a disservice by conflating the crimes of ISIS militants and the whole organization as one in the same, and a disservice to my own principles by thinking certain groups are more deserving of humane treatment than others.
I'm feeling way more guilty about my own hypocritical bullshit than I could've expected (funny how an online conversion can eat away at you IRL) and I actually appreciate being taken to task for it. So thanks, you've given me plenty to think about Viva, as usual.
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Mhm, strange, I'm sorry I can't do much to fix that.
Finally got it to work. Thanks for the video, it was certainly interesting.
EDIT: The section that took place in the car was extremely sombre and bone chilling, and yet remarkably heart warming. Truly sad.
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we won't go quietly the ISIS can count on that
How long is it going to take people to realize no religion is a religion of peace? That religion is ridiculous, unfounded dogma?
Cus Christianity doesn't do those things. . . right?
"Enter horrible Bible quote here."
Leviticus 10:13. . . are you serious?
Don't support dogma in any form.
No. The actions of some cannot be labeled the result of any single dogma, even if it is tempting to do so (I'm guilty of it myself, emotion is hard to separate from judgement). There is not one populated ideological group ever that has not had terrible people in it.
EDIT: Sorry, Leviticus 20:13
You have a very infantile understanding of Islam. Let's work through this, point by point.
This is a common misunderstanding. I recall that the "peace" within Islam mostly refers to peace with oneself and peace with God. Islam means "submission". Islamic beliefs are based around the principle of submitting oneself to the will of God. Islamic cultures have a long history of war and conquest. Much like Christianity, Islam was spread throughout the world via trade and conquest.
Today I learned : all Muslims are ISIS. Let's be real, Islam is a huge religious with hugely variable sects and beliefs. Maybe you should crack open a book and learn something about the religion instead of relying on FOX news and talk radio to form conclusions for you.
This is a clear example of a quote being taken out of its historical context. When the Qu'ran was written, Mohammad and the Medinans were fighting a bloody war against the literal "idolaters" who were in control of Mecca. Killing the enemy and taking them prisoner is how you win a war. Surely as a Christian. You can understand that there are aspects of ancients texts that are no longer relevant today.
Your assumptions that leftists support sharia law and Salafist are unequivocally false. In fact, there is a very strong leftist / anti-fascist presence in the YPG/J and other associated groups that are currently fighting tool and nail against ISIS. I despise the barbarism of Islamic fundamentalism too, but it's important to separate that from the whole and not make the assumption that all Muslims support salafi fundamentalism.
ALL those who follow it? That's very childish statement. It really sounds as though your only exposure to Islam is news stories about terrorism and fundamentalist insanity. That's a huge mistake. The Muslims I know want to run their businesses, do their jobs, worship and enjoy their time on earth, like you and I. Judging them with the same suspicion as you judge ISIS psychopaths is wrong.
Here's a news article about what one former Muslim woman had to say regarding Islam.
"If you actually read the Quran, you would run from it. It is a violent, broken theocratic political construct. It is a religion of conquest and subjugation. It is not a religion of peace. This does not make all Muslims bad or violent people. It means they have not read the Quran in its entirety or studied their religion. Those that have and are devout are radicalized and kill or condone killing. Mona Walter, who is an ex-Muslim living in Sweden had this to say: “It’s about hating and killing those who disagree with Islam. It’s about conquering. Muhammad, he was immoral. He was a bloodthirsty man. He was terrible man, and Muslims can read that in his biography — what he did to Jews, how he raped women, how he killed people. I mean, he killed everyone who didn’t agree with him,” she explained. This is why I say the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of Muhammad are polar opposites. It’s in the written word.
We’ve all heard apologists adamantly declare, “Not all Muslims are violent.” While it’s true that not every Muslim is ready to explode, wearing their suicide vest and waiting for the perfect opportunity, there’s one simple reason, and it’s not found in the Quran. You probably haven’t heard it, and it has nothing to do with the usual arguments spewed by the liberal left. While the reason is basic, it seems few are even aware of it, and Muslims don’t want us to know it.
Why is there such disagreement about what’s taught in the Quran? The answer is quite simple. Most haven’t read it. Those who have read it in a language they understand, run from it, realizing it is not what they were told it was. Those who adamantly defend it, usually have no idea what it actually says, and there’s many reasons for that.

Mona Walter is an ex-Muslim, now living in Sweden. Walter left Somalia for Scandinavia as a refugee, and that’s when her whole world changed for one simple reason. She never read the Quran until she left her Muslim country. After discovering the truth about Islam, her search eventually led her to Christianity. However, her mission still lies with Islam — now, she wants other Muslims to know what the Quran really says, and she’s not alone.
Most Muslims study certain chapters or certain versus, but they don’t read and study all of it. Islamists will tell you, the imams or tutors read the Quran to them orally and force them to memorize the parts they want them to know. Nearly one quarter of the world’s population is now Muslim. Many cannot read and do not own a Quran. Their imams tell them what to believe. It’s that simple. So, if you have a radicalized mosque and imam, he will churn out Jihadists who kill in the name of Allah. The Quran is written in Arabic and many Muslims do not speak the language either. On the website The Spirit Of Islam, Dr. Labib Mikhail, who has authored over 60 books about the subject, explains: “… most of the Muslims do not read the Quran for one simple reason, and that is because the Quran is very difficult to understand. As I said previously, it’s not self-interpreted. Also, it is written in the language of Kouriash, which was the language of the Arabs in Arabia during this time. And many words are very hard to understand unless you go to the dictionaries.” Islam was founded by an illiterate, who passed his teachings onto other illiterates and it continues to be taught to illiterates today. It is small wonder that people join this charismatic religion and have no idea what it really entails. They can’t read or understand the teachings of violence and hate it embodies and they simply believe what they are told. This is what devout Muslims do not want others to know."
Okay, since you really seam to concentrate on the Qur'an having violent verses in it, could you please tell me which part in it irritates you?
Anecdotal evidence.
One lady used to be a Muslim and hated the Quran, therefore all Islam is evil. That's quite a leap, and it's obvious she ( and the people who published this article) have an agenda.
You clearly have no interest in learning or debating, just regurgitating news stories and online articles to make yourself feel more secure in your prejudice.
Have you actually read the Koran?
If not, than how can you be so positive that it isn't a she says it is?
Uuuh.. I did, I actually memorized half of it in Arabic and I can say that none of what she says is true.
I have read the Koran, mostly in Arabic, no less.
It's a historical text and many of the concepts aren't relevant anymore, just like the bible. It's not an evil book that magically enthralls young minds and turns them into jihadists. People turn to extremism because of their social environment and mental state.
Once again, I implore you to research the topic with an open mind instead of pointing at drivel you pulled off a blog and calling that an argument.
Well over in russia car drives you.
Well asses to you i only believe in Enki and Apkallu.