The Islamic State terror group (ISIS) appears to be preparing to destroy one of humanity’s greatest treasures: the ancient city of Palmyra. The Islamic extremists want to destroy any Western or non-Islamic forms of architecture or art or culture in their total devotion to the Koran. We have written about the past destruction of cities like Nimrod and Hatra that have left the civilized world in shock. Now, the group appears to have it sights on Palmyra, one of the most extensive and beautiful of the ancient cities left in Syria.
Ironically, Palmyra represents precisely what ISIS is not: an educated and diverse ancient people. With some Neolithic parts, the city is referenced in the Hebrew bible and such records go back to the early second millennium BC as a caravan stop. By the third century AD Palmyra was a prosperous center with a large economy and successful army. Its population was a mix of Arameans, Amorites, Arabs, and a Jewish minority. People spoke Palmyrene (a dialect of Aramaic) and Greek.
All of that history is viewed as offensive to the Islamic movement because it predates Muhammad and the Koran. While some artifacts were removed as ISIS approaches, the large structures remain and human rights groups report that the militants are wiring the whole city to explode.
I recently ran pictures of Assyrian art pieces from the British Museum from Mosul from London. These pieces are magnificent and much like those destroyed with sledgehammers in museums by ISIS. It is unimaginable to think of even religious fanatics justifying such destruction but ISIS appears to relish such acts of destruction. Indeed, while fighting a coalition in intense battles, it is willing to commit men and ordinance to the task of wiping out historical artifacts and buildings.
Here may be one last look at Palmya:
This behavior passes for normal in the Islamic world and every American is not Islamophobic? This is patently unacceptable by even the most elementary definition of civilized behavior.
OH, FOR AMERICA TO HAVE A LEADER…….
Hmmm. ISIS is getting rid of it’s history, while America is getting rid of its history of the Confederate Flag and perhaps all things Confederate. ISIS thinks it is making things better, and the folks dumping the 150 year old flag and statues think they are making things better. On the bright side, we are doing ours with votes and cowardice,
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Mr. Schulte,
Thanks for getting of the propaganda train espoused by this blog when discussing ISIS. And to JT: ISIS formed at a United States war prison, and if they are as scary/powerful as you claim education has to be an element of their success.
I know that this will seem somewhat harsh, but so what? Cities have been ruined before. I was just watching a special were they are rebuilding the ruin of a building in NY that had fallen apart.
These losses are irreplaceable. I wish that we could encircle such sites with international cooperative forces to at least protect our human heritage. Of course, I would also like to circle every woman and child in the area, too, to protect them from the ISIS savages.
I’m still waiting for that ‘We will be greeted as liberators’ thing to pan out. America is busy creating maniacal enemies in pursuit of some twisted belief in democracy for all. At the same time US ‘allies’ Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE etc., do little or nothing to stop ISIL and are protected by US military might, as they perform daily beheadings for un-Islamic actions or criticizing some despotic royal family member. The US is standing by its ‘if you break it it’s yours’ philosophy that will continue to produce more enemies at larger costs of life and treasure.
They want to eliminate history predating their hero. They need to be eliminated, but their history needs to be taught worldwide. “Knowledge is power.”