ISIS has continued its blood soaked campaign to impose its view of pure Islam on the world and to destroy all evidence of art and civilization in its path. The destruction of ancient works and structures has appalled the world. The Islamic extremists have now murdered one of the world’s leading experts on the history and art of the region — 82-year-old archaeologist Khaled Asaad. By all accounts, Asaad refused to tell ISIS where art was hidden. ISIS has been destroying large works while selling smaller works on the black market. Images show ISIS supporters laughing and rejoicing as their ancient history and art is destroyed with sledgehammers as the professed will of Allah. The standoff between Asaad and these murderers put the conflict between civilization and these Islamic extremists into the sharpest relief. It also shows who many Muslims continue to put their very lives at risk to protect their history and art. Indeed, they are protecting the art and history of the very nadir of civilization.
ISIS beheaded Asaad and then hanged his body from a column in the town’s main square. He had been interrogated by Islamic State for over a month on the location of the antiquities after they seized Palmyra.
Asaad spent over 50 years working at the UNESCO World Heritage site with experts from around the world. He was renown for his knowledge and passion for archeology. His books include “The Palmyra Sculptures” and “Zenobia, the Queen of Palmyra and the Orient.” He was one of the greatest experts in the world on Syrian archeology and personally discovered several ancient cemeteries, caves and the Byzantine cemetery in the garden of the Museum of Palmyra.
Few academics or intellectuals are ever called to put their very lives at risk for the preservation of knowledge and art and history. Those like Asaad are on the frontline in a war between science and ignorance; between civilization and barbarism; between free thought and religious orthodoxy.
His headless body hanged from a pillar as another indelible image to the world by ISIS of its intent to destroy the very existence of civilization in its twisted view of Islam. For academics around the world, Asaad will remain an image of a different kind: a man of conviction and courage who died in the effort to preserve his nation’s history and very identity from those who would erase it. He died as he lived in showing that civilization transcends the lives of any given generation. This educated and enlightened man died at the hands of religious extremism and ignorance. In doing so, he left the world with a challenge to meet this ISIS threat united and unafraid and unbent.
anonymous,
Is that link intended to be your response to my question? If so, in your own words explain your point. If not, then of course the question remains on the table.
http://www.salon.com/2015/08/21/noam_chomsky_america_is_the_gravest_danger_to_world_peace_partner/
How exactly does a nation assure itself “endless peace”?
For those who desire endless wars, I hope you’re for activating the draft. Where are those troops going to come from? Did we send troops into Cambodia to rescue the millions being slaughtered by Pol Pot? How about all the wars in Africa, did we send in the Marines? It does appear as if some glorify war and boots on the ground, as long as their not their son or daughter’s boots.
Endless war, Olly? Sure. That’s the ticket for some.
“We started a bad war. Never should have happened. Without it, there would be no ISIS.”
anonymous,
You should apply to work for the State Department. Perhaps volunteer to be the advanced team of negotiators with ISIS and express our sincere regrets for this bad war. Tell them we’re sorry and ask them to please stop hurting Christians, because they obviously would not hate infidels if we had not started a bad war. Offer them a chicken in every pot, a job, a free obama phone, obamacare, anything that will demonstrate just how sorry we are. Then go to Iran and work on those hearts and minds.
“However, I meant it to mean: dense, simplistic, with little to no texture, no strength in tension and very little in compression, something just there which may or may not make for a good foundation.”
Gosh, really!?
Isaac,
The difference between ‘modern’ progressives and our founding fathers is the latter understood our culture would change but our human nature would not. They created a constitution that would be amendable to allow it to ‘evolve’ as we ‘progressed’ towards that “more perfect union”. Modern progressives however are an impatient lot and have decided the limits of the constitution are not amenable to their vision. Instead of allowing the natural course of cultural transformation to occur, modern progressives work outside the constitutional limits to mold our culture to their vision. This unnatural “progress” towards the modern progressive’s utopian vision has resulted in a bureaucratic state operating outside the limits of the constitution.
If I could point out the one weakness you modern progressives have, it is ego. You seem to believe the laws of nature do not apply to you and that you have miraculously risen above the evil tendencies of your human nature. Our founding fathers believed our country would progress towards equality and a respect for natural rights as defined in the DOI. They believed our constitutional republic was the best form to be flexible for that cultural transformation and they believed the people would be active and informed enough to NEVER allow those they elect to remain in office for violating their oaths.
Ultimately, the modern progressives believes that where our culture is slow to “progress” towards their vision, then they have the “moral” authority to act OUTSIDE of the limits of the constitution. That means they have placed the rule of man ABOVE the rule of law.
So Isaac, is that a just government? Do you have ANY original source evidence that would indicate our founding fathers EVER believed the rule of law should be subordinate to the rule of man?
“At one point, they would have been much easier to squash, but we’ve let them get a foothold.”
We started a bad war. Never should have happened. Without it, there would be no ISIS.
An 82 year old man withstood a month of interrogation and torture, and then they beheaded him.
God bless Asaad for protecting his beloved artifacts with his life, and for showing more courage than the cowards of ISIS ever could. Sure, they can murder old men, women, and children, but they will scatter like the cockroaches they are if they ever come up against the Marines.
This scourge is spreading. At one point, they would have been much easier to squash, but we’ve let them get a foothold.
I can’t help but think this would be excellent target shooting practice for our military.
Karen – We are much better staying out of this, except for support. If we put boots on the ground, it will just make it worse.
davidm2575
All this time you had me roped in. Now that I understand your sense of humor I though you might like this.
It goes along with your humorous concepts on family, sex, etc.
“How America’s Broken Service Academies Create a Broken Military”
“Many of the military’s problems begin with the training of its leaders.”
By William J. Astore
August 18, 2015
http://www.thenation.com/article/how-americas-broken-service-academies-create-a-broken-military/
Were it not for the war in Iraq, we wouldn’t be reading this article.
Highlighting what Professor Turley said, in his closing:
“Asaad will remain an image of a different kind: a man of conviction and courage who died in the effort to preserve his nation’s history and very identity from those who would erase it. He died as he lived in showing that civilization transcends the lives of any given generation. This educated and enlightened man died at the hands of religious extremism and ignorance. In doing so, he left the world with a challenge to meet this ISIS threat united and unafraid and unbent. “
They still haven’t made us an offer Obama can’t refuse. That’ll wait until his watch has ended. So much for hope and change. No wonder we have ‘Black Lives Matter’.
Arne Rosenstock – the founder of Black Lives Matters has just been outed as a white guy. No kidding.
No talk about 14th amendment ?
doglover – You appear to be the most awake person here. You say “We have no way of knowing if what we read or hear is accurate.” I think you get my point but more accurately we do have ways of knowing if something is completely fabricated. I’m trying to wake people up here who seem to be wasting a lot of energy commenting on a “news” story that may not have occurred at all. I don’t see anyone else questioning the veracity of this story. Sorry, but it’s getting way too passe’ to keep using the “conspiracy theorist” label whenever someone *gasp* questions authority to THAT outrageous an extent!
Wake up people…the hour is getting later and later and later….
Charleston Church Shooting Hoax Agenda Absolutely EXPOSED! This is SICK! (Redsilverj)
An ISIS person cannot be good just because they are now dead. They can never redeem. It would be good if they were all dead.
The armed forces is a voluntary force whose recruits are mostly from the South – the conservative South.
Traits the military prizes — like aggressiveness and respect for authority — tend to be more pronounced in conservatives.
No surprise at all if their voting tends toward the GOP.
Olly, Amen!
Being a PI, I have a well honed BS antenna and an eye and ear for weasel words. When someone says something we all know is BS, by using a weasel words like “lot’s of liberals serving in the military” you just have to check THE FACTS.
An 11/11/14 Washington Post article about military voting had a graph taken from the last few election cycle exit polls.
In the 2014 off year US House of Rep. election it was 59%-39% Republican. That’s 20% spread, very noteworthy. In the 2012 Presidential election, the same result of 59%-39 Republican. The historical 2008 election saw the closest margin in recent history. There are many black people in the military. But, even that strong vote for Obama couldn’t get the margin out of double digits. That election, 54%-44% Republican. The 2004 Presidential election was 57%-41% Republican. It’s noteworthy that Obama lost 10 points in 2012 after the military got a taste of just what a bad Commander and Chief they had.
Numbers don’t lie or weasel, only people do!
“Lots of liberals serving in the military.”
And they take the same oath as conservatives. Point being, they aren’t measured on their personal views, just on their ability to honor their oath of service. Too bad our political class doesn’t honor that oath the way our veterans do.