27 March 2016

Victory over barbarism

Syrian forces have recaptured Palmyra, one of the most important Classical sites in the Middle East, from Dâ'ish (ISIL).  The religious fanatics captured the ancient city in May of last year, since which they have destroyed several irreplaceable relics of the ancient pagan civilization there and murdered Khâled al-As'ad, the curator of the site.  The fate of Palmyra symbolized the clash between the totalitarian monocultural vision of Dâ'ish and the real heritage of the region.

The recapture of the city is an important symbolic and strategic step toward the final defeat of Dâ'ish, over 400 of whose fighters were killed, their highest losses ever in a single battle.  Along with the Iraqi recapture of Ramadi last month, this victory shows that Dâ'ish is clearly losing the war.

Airstrike support, in this case Russian, helped the Syrian army beat the jihadists.  Despite the bloviations of Republicans who seem to get antsy if they go too long without invading something, the present strategy of limiting outside powers to air support, while leaving the ground fighting to the Arab and Kurdish forces who have the most at stake, is the correct one.

Dâ'ish has terrorized and murdered gays, religious minorities, and educated women; destroyed priceless relics of pre-Islamic civilization; fueled the war that is driving millions of refugees into neighboring countries and as far afield as Europe; and recently, lashing out against its looming defeat, committed terrorist mass murders of random civilians.  Every victory over it is a victory over barbarism.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Blurber said...

Apparently the ancient ruins of Palmyra were not as damaged by ISIS as once feared; one of the few good things to come out of that situation.

28 March, 2016 10:00  
Anonymous NickM said...

They have also destroyed Islamic sites - if it was the "wrong" sort of Islam. I am not sure the Russians have played the "white hat" here. NATO may or may not of done. For obvious reasons the antics of the likes of the SAS are classified.

But ISIL are long-term losers because nobody wants to live under that. Almost nobody. It is simple as that. What did GIs and British troops (and all the rest) bring to Europe in 1944? Freedom. That is ultimately why it worked. That is why Paris is a nice place to visit and Raqqa is an approximation of Hell on Earth.

The destruction of the stuff there is appalling, mind. And not replaceable. But every blow contra these utter nihilists is a very good thing. There is hope for the future but perhaps not for much of the past but that is at least hope.

30 March, 2016 02:51  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Blurber: Yes, thank goodness for that. We still have most of it.

Nick: Certainly the Russians are acting for their own interests primarily (protecting a client regime), but if it helps defeat Dâ'ish, I'll take it.

The best argument against theocracy is theocracy itself. Certainly those who have lived under Dâ'ish won't be likely to support another group like it in the future, and Iranians sick to death of the rule of the mullahs have fought hard for the chance to get a reformist President like Rouhani.

30 March, 2016 04:14  

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