{"id":52901,"date":"2019-04-29T22:45:19","date_gmt":"2019-04-29T22:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:54:35","slug":"why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/","title":{"rendered":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. military\u2019s biggest successes against the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2019\/02\/14\/us-forces-have-1000-isis-detainees-and-dont-know-what-to-do-with-them\/\" target=_blank>Islamic State of Iraq and Syria<\/a> involved uprooting the militants first from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/08\/23\/iraqi-troops-push-into-isis-held-town-west-of-mosul\/\" target=_blank>Mosul, Iraq,<\/a> and then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/07\/26\/syrian-fighters-in-raqqa-uncover-isis-drone-factory\/\" target=_blank>Raqqa, Syria<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But those operations are also catching the most flak for what many human rights groups and international organizations viewed as a callous use of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/01\/08\/are-we-leaving-syria-or-not\/\" target=\"_blank\">artillery and air power <\/a>that killed too many civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The battles, as terrible as they were, serve as an important bellwether that may mark a new era of urban warfare involving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2018\/03\/06\/the-future-battlefield-army-marines-prepare-for-massive-fight-in-megacities\/\" target=_blank>mega-cities<\/a>, according to retired Army Maj. John W. Spencer, chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point\u2019s Modern War Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe fail to recognize as a government that cities are the strategic terrain of the future,&#8221; Spencer said at the Future Security Forum in Washington, D.C., Monday. \u201cAfter World War II, the global population went from 3 billion to 6 billion in 39 years and they\u2019re all living in cities. The fastest growing cities are the most underdeveloped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer introduced a term \u2014 feral cities \u2014 not in many military leaders\u2019 lexicons, yet something that could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state. The Pentagon, he said, should be paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After all, \u201cyou can have a feral city within a functioning state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feral cities are major urban sprawls that lack adequate governance. Warlords, gangs or terror groups occupy a maze of concrete that largely blocks GPS links, radio communications and aircraft sensors. U.S. troops are forced to seek and destroy the enemy in an environment filled with sewage, failing infrastructure and even packs of wild dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2019\/04\/10\/keep-those-iraq-war-notes-handy-small-wars-not-great-power-battles-still-the-most-likely-future-fight\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5023423.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Keep those Iraq War notes handy: Small wars, not great power battles, still the most likely future fight<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">It is more likely the U.S. military will fight an insurgent or proxy force than face naval battles in the South China Sea or Russian armor in the Fulda Gap.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the U.S. military is to be properly prepared for a fight in this environment, possibly worsened by the effects of global climate change, it should start now. There needs to be a dedicated \u201curban operations center within the military,\u201d Spencer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are already some efforts underway. The U.S. military published a manual on small unit training in subterranean environments in 2017 \u2014 focusing on fights in the subway and sewage systems underneath huge cities. The Army\u2019s Asymmetric Warfare Group has also been pushing training out to soldiers in an effort to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2019\/02\/26\/the-subterranean-battlefield-warfare-is-going-underground-into-dark-tight-spaces\/\" target=\"_blank\">spread subterranean warfare knowledge<\/a> throughout the force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Spencer described an endeavor far more comprehensive, involving the Pentagon, other government agencies and universities. A national urban operations institute should be established and major academic institutions should start research on \u201clongevity of conflicts in cities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The battles for Mosul and Raqqa, for instance, offer many lessons to be learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer compared the U.S.-led international coalition operations in those cities to surgical treatment to remove a cancerous growth \u2014 ISIS \u2014 with the least amount of harm to the body \u2014 a city. The military can remove the growth, but the post-surgical care \u2014 rebuilding the city \u2014 must be done by a different set of professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coalition largely sat back and provided fire support to Iraqi and Syrian partner forces during the Mosul and Raqqa fights. In the process, artillery and airstrikes were forced to pepper the cities unceasingly, as ISIS fighters had years to prepare defensive positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"626\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4613584.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4613584.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4613584.jpg.jpg?resize=300,157 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4613584.jpg.jpg?resize=768,401 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4613584.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,534 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coalition Forces fire a mortar during training in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria, July 23, 2018. This training is part of the overall building partner capacity mission, which aims to enhance the capabilities of partnered forces fighting ISIS. Combined Joint Task Force-OIR is the global Coalition to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Corey Hook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The campaign in Raqqa, for instance, left \u201centire city blocks flattened,&#8221; according to Amnesty International.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you\u2019re talking about Mosul and Raqqa, it sounds like we were using chemotherapy and not a knife,\u201d said Sarah Holewinski, who is on the board at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, while using Spencer\u2019s cancer analogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Holewinski, who was in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq, two weeks before the Mosul operation started, said the planning for the mission was \u201cwoefully inadequate.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the days leading up to the assault, Holewinski said, military planners were still asking: \u201cWould the population stay or go? Would ISIS use them as human shields? Do we understand the infrastructure that\u2019s there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEven the integration with the United Nations was a big mess,&#8221; she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Better preparation would have alleviated some of these issues, but Spencer said that critics who think the U.S. military should have led the fight directly from the front, rather than rely on partner forces, are misconstruing the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf the U.S. military would have led that operation, as in not \u2018by, with and through\u2019 providing the air support and artillery, would it have been less damaging? I\u2019d think no, because of the nature of urban warfare,&#8221; Spencer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When compared to other options \u2014 most notably not helping at all \u2014 the international coalition didn\u2019t have much of a choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you\u2019re asking about how to save Raqqa: don\u2019t let it be held for three years,\u201d Spencer said. \u201cDon\u2019t let Mosul be held for four years to where it becomes such a big operation to retake it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1199\" height=\"633\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mosul.JPG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mosul.JPG.jpg 1199w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mosul.JPG.jpg?resize=300,158 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mosul.JPG.jpg?resize=768,405 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mosul.JPG.jpg?resize=1024,541 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1199px) 100vw, 1199px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Paratroopers engage ISIS militants with precise artillery fire in support of Iraqi and Peshmerga fighters in Mosul, Iraq, July 6, 2017. The paratroopers are assigned to Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. (Sgt. Christopher Bigelow\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once a city is retaken, stabilization becomes a strategic necessity. Otherwise, the government is just allowing the space for gangs, terror groups and other non-state actors to grow again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the military can\u2019t do that alone, according to Kelly Uribe, a senior foreign policy analyst within the Pentagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn many places around the world &#8230; it will be U.S. military personnel on the ground perhaps well before and long after a diplomat or USAID civilian&#8221; arrives to help, Uribe said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStabilization is a political endeavor involving an integrated civilian process,\u201d Uribe said, pointing to the money wasted on parts of the Afghan conflict over the past 17 years. \u201cWhat comes after must be integrated. It cannot be the military alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer to stabilization is \u201cnot necessarily the captain on the ground making the decision,&#8221; she added. Instead, stabilization should be &#8220;well-connected to broader USAID, State Department and political objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That captain should only be an instrument of those objectives. But even then, it gets tricky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finding the right local partner forces, those that are locally legitimate authorities, has been difficult for the U.S. military, and sectarian violence has erupted in the past when the wrong individuals are empowered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Uribe said that U.S. leaders should be watching partner forces and asking: \u201cAre they peacefully managing conflict or are they repressing?&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":91542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":62,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3357],"class_list":["post-52901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-your-navy"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"44OPVFO5FBC2XFHVWPWLVT5Y6Y","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kyle Rempfer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kyle Rempfer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 1123,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Middle Column\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Pentagon &amp; Congress\",\n\t                \"Your Navy\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare - Navy Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/29\\\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"News\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"news\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Pentagon &amp; Congress\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/pentagon-congress\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"pentagon-congress\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 4,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Navy Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare - Navy Times","description":"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare","og_description":"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/","og_site_name":"Navy Times","article_published_time":"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00","author":"Kyle Rempfer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kyle Rempfer","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare","datePublished":"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/"},"wordCount":1123,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Home","Middle Column","News","Newsletters","Pentagon &amp; Congress","Your Navy"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/","name":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare - Navy Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2019-04-29T22:45:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T08:54:35+00:00","description":"Feral cities could be the 21st century equivalent to the failed state.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/29\/why-us-troops-flattened-raqqa-and-mosul-and-what-it-means-for-future-fights\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/","ad_zone":"news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Pentagon &amp; Congress","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/","ad_zone":"pentagon-congress"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Why US troops \u2018flattened\u2019 Raqqa and Mosul, and why it may herald an era of \u2018feral city\u2019 warfare"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","name":"Navy Times","description":"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization","name":"Navy Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","caption":"Navy Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Navy Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18039815041191.jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52901"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95332,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52901\/revisions\/95332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52901"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=52901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}