The critical point that can be inferred from the novel however, regards the dire situation of the towns devastated by the battles between the rebels and the government’s army. Ismael Beah mentions in the novel, “I had passed through burnt villages where dead bodies of men, women, and children of all ages were scattered like leaves on the ground after a storm. Their eyes still showed fear, as if death hadn't freed them from the madness that continued to unfold. I had seen heads cut off by machetes, smashed by cement bricks, and rivers filled with so much blood that the water had ceased flowing” (Beah 66). Many of the civilians, like Ismael had their homes destroyed, and were forced to evacuate their towns without food, water, or protection from another attack. The fear of death enticed Ishmael Beah to be enlisted as a child soldier, partially to retaliate against the rebels and to be given the necessities of life. Many of the refugees from the Sierra Leone Civil War that also suffered from starvation and dehydration, also enlisted as soldiers to receive water and food. The civil war brutalized the towns in Sierra Leone, and the amount of time it took for a …show more content…
The Syrian War occurred in early spring 2011, arising as a result of protest against President Bashar al Assad’s recent policies and legislative choices. The protests resulted with the government employing violent force to suppress the protesters and instill panic on the civilians. Eventually rebels formed groups, such as the Free Syrian Army to combat the government forces in hopes of overthrowing the current politicians in power. “Keeping Hamas and Hezbollah out of War” mentions that these rebels grew in numbers, being aided by other groups with similar ideologies such as the Islamic Front or Hezbollah. The rebels themselves, while a threat to any civilians misfortunate to be in the midst of a warzone, were predicted by the majority of the world to be understandably subdued by the superior armament of the government’s army. In late 2013, it became apparent that the situation could potentially become precarious to contain. This was a direct result of ISIS or the Islamic State of Iran and Syria deciding to invade from the East, to overtake Syria. ISIS having taken strongholds in Iraq had accumulated enough troops and resources to combat the rebels that opposed them and to take over outposts and bases. As of 2014, ISIS controls 30% of Syria and are considered to be