In refugee camps, at memorial services, in the rubble of bombed-out buildings, Syrians shared their stories, wanting to be heard. I often shared their frustration but continued reporting in order to create a record, hoping that nobody would say we didn’t know. Americans often have little awareness of just how pervasive their country and way of life is in the Middle East. The prolongation of the war led to the rise of extremist groups the United States is now fighting in Syria. When Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, came under siege this year, the Syrians were no longer waiting for the world to help.

Source: New York Times September 08, 2018 18:22 UTC