Philipps, D., Khan, A., & Schmitt, E. (2022, January 20). A dam in Syria was on a ‘no-strike’ list. the U.S. bombed it anyway. Retrieved February 05, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/20/us/airstrike-us-isis-dam.html

(https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/20/us/airstrike-us-isis-dam.html )

On January 20th, 2022, The New York Times reflects on the US bomb that exploded the tallest damn in Syria. At 18 stories, this dam held back a 25-mile reservoir that kept water from rushing in along the Euphrates River and flooding the houses of hundreds of thousands of people. On March 26th, however, The Tabqa Dam was compromised by US bombs leading to various complications. Machinery failed, workers were injured and killed, and a fire broke out along the river. Various countries involving The Islamic State, the Syrian government, and Russia all blamed the US for the destruction as the Tabqa Dam was on the U.S. military’s no-strike list because of its involvement in protecting thousands of lives. However, it was reported that a group, Task 9, went against the no-strike policy, bombing the damn with at least one BLU-109 bunker-buster bomb, which can be used to destroy concrete. According to members of the U.S. Special Operations unit, the arsenal was able to be released without clearance because it contained a procedural shortcut in case of emergencies. Apparently, this is not the first time that Task 9 has struck without clearance, and their actions have been considered reckless by varying sources. Fortunately, the bombs weren’t able to penetrate the dam, and the dam remained intact. 

This article illustrates the importance of damns, especially those placed along important rivers such as the Euphrates river. Had this dam exploded, it would have wiped out the houses of hundreds of thousands of people as well as caused extreme damage to the environment below. This article is important because it shows that even though there were clear instructions not to bomb the dam, and morally there are consequences besides the environment, people will do anything to benefit themselves. This story is one of the many times human selfishness has almost detrimentally put not only humans but also the environment and ecosystems around the dam as well.