Civil wars are perhaps the most brutal. They cause humanitarian suffering on a grand scale. They start with an argument and gradually escalate to a fight. In due course the fighting takes on a life of its own with multiple factions and threads, but always with the non-combatant civilians as the victims. In Aleppo now there is said to be no water as the bombardment continues and a ground offensive by Russian backed government forces begins to move. The plain fact is the Rebels of every type and style cannot now win in this city. To fight on turns war into needles murder of the innocent. It is time to stop, lay down arms and try and negotiate both some kind of safe conduct deal for those who want to flee and a monster aid programme for those who must stay, because around them in the dust are the lives they have to rebuild.