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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Destroying Mosul in order to save it

    The Islamic State is mostly gone from the ancient city of Mosul after what some veterans call "the toughest urban warfare since World War II." Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared victory, but half his second largest city is in ruins.  Thousands are dead; more than 700,000 are refugees.

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    By Warren Olney • Jul 13, 2017 • 1 min read

    The Islamic State is mostly gone from the ancient city of Mosul after what some veterans call "the toughest urban warfare since World War II." Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared victory, but half his second largest city is in ruins. Thousands are dead; more than 700,000 are refugees. Nobody thinks peace is at hand — while ISIS still holds the Syrian city of Raqqa and fosters violence in other places, too. Will the US and other western countries help rebuild Mosul — while Kurds, Turks and other factions struggle for power?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Iraqi forces declare victory over ISIS in Mosul
    1. 1:24President Trump welcomed to Paris for Bastille Day celebrations
    2. 7:59Destroying Mosul in order to save itYou’re reading this
    3. 40:58Republicans struggle to find a compromise on healthcare
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sáša Woodruff

      Producer, 'To the Point'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Yael Even Or

      Producer, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Rukmini Callimachi

      New York Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      James Dobbins

      RAND Corp

    • KCRW placeholder

      Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi

      Middle East Forum

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Iraqi forces declare victory over ISIS in Mosul
    1. 1:24President Trump welcomed to Paris for Bastille Day celebrations
    2. 7:59Destroying Mosul in order to save itYou’re reading this
    3. 40:58Republicans struggle to find a compromise on healthcare
    Back to To the Point