ISIS loses Palmyra

[Trausti]

Syrian government forces backed by heavy Russian air support drove Islamic State out of Palmyra on Sunday, inflicting what the army called a mortal blow to militants who seized the city last year and dynamited its ancient temples.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-palmyra-idUSKCN0WT04R

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cc1_1459119534

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-aOXuL1No[/YOUTUBE]

Well, happy days. Especially happy that these events are unfolding without American soldiers engaged in the fighting. Certainly our air power assists the Kurds on their fronts with ISIS, but that's all we should contribute. Best not to have to worry about mission creep or exit strategy. Or arming/training "moderate" rebels. Or having the US control territory when the inevitable political settlement is being drafted. And, perhaps, it puts the recent Belgium bombing in perspective. That bombing may simply be the desperate last punches of a dying failed state. The Islamic State is a failed state. Hopefully would-be Islamists heed the lesson.

Now some lighthearted ISIS/rebel humor.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pb-i_PlBlA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[repoman]

saw drone footage of rooftop level of Palmyra or maybe Homs. Holy crap, so fucking destroyed.

Oh, it is Homs:

 

[Tom Sawyer]

If Obama hadn't spent the last eight years degrading the US military and destroying brave American soldiers' ability to do the jobs required of them, this city would have fallen yesterday afternoon instead of this morning.

Trump 2016. Making America great again.

 

[Tigers!]

Couldn't happen to a nicer mob of terrorists.

Need to find the name of the card shark who got Palmyra off them. How much for Aleppo?

 

[Will Wiley]

The US administration was disturbed about this

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/uxs7yog_CjM[/YOUTUBE]

Do you want to see the regime take Palmyra, or would you prefer to see it stay in Daesh's hands?

 

[untermensche]

He is basically saying he wants the US to control the situation and decide the outcome, not other people.

 

[barbos]

The US administration was disturbed about this

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/uxs7yog_CjM[/YOUTUBE]

Do you want to see the regime take Palmyra, or would you prefer to see it stay in Daesh's hands?

US administration still can't decide who is worse Assad or DAESH

 

[iolo]

As I've frequently said, if there is a war, you either keep out or support one of the effective sides, rather than trying desperately to build up a third group to fight both. If we are against ISIS we should be supporting President Assad to the hilt, and all the rest is squalid gesturing, building up a refugee problem that will last practically for ever.

 

[lpetrich]

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-aOXuL1No[/YOUTUBE]

Posted by "SyrianGirl War"

The clip at the end is an old Syrian TV show about Ancient Palmyra, and Queen of Syria at the time Zenobia who resisted the roman empire. This is why Palmyra were 'ruins' not due to time alone but do to war an invasion. And yes i think it has applications for today.

 Zenobia (~240 - ~275 CE): "Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria who led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire." She's a national hero in Syria.

 

[ZiprHead]

Funny video of ISIS fighters trying to shoot down a Russian jet.
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/ctirIlbRpTw[/YOUTUBE]

 

[barbos]

Funny video of ISIS fighters trying to shoot down a Russian jet.
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/ctirIlbRpTw[/YOUTUBE]

LOL, pretty funny caption, but I think you realize that it has nothing to do with what they really saying and jet is Syrian (Mig-21), not russian.
But still funny.

 

[whichphilosophy]

Syrian government forces backed by heavy Russian air support drove Islamic State out of Palmyra on Sunday, inflicting what the army called a mortal blow to militants who seized the city last year and dynamited its ancient temples.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-palmyra-idUSKCN0WT04R

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cc1_1459119534

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-aOXuL1No[/YOUTUBE]

Well, happy days. Especially happy that these events are unfolding without American soldiers engaged in the fighting. Certainly our air power assists the Kurds on their fronts with ISIS, but that's all we should contribute. Best not to have to worry about mission creep or exit strategy. Or arming/training "moderate" rebels. Or having the US control territory when the inevitable political settlement is being drafted. And, perhaps, it puts the recent Belgium bombing in perspective. That bombing may simply be the desperate last punches of a dying failed state. The Islamic State is a failed state. Hopefully would-be Islamists heed the lesson.

Now some lighthearted ISIS/rebel humor.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pb-i_PlBlA[/YOUTUBE]

Russia took the initiative late last year with bombing campaigns which started the push against ISIS. ISIS is still around though it has lost a lot of territory and many have been on the run. This includes shaving their beards and disguising themselves as woemen.The US then and possibly now is only more interested in removing SADDAM than it is in removing ISIS.

Europe meanwhile must stop driving in people from the region into its borders (but allow processing of asylum seekers). There is always a risk that some ISIS will mingle with the refugees and find places in Europe.

 

[Crazy Eddie]

The US administration was disturbed about this

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/uxs7yog_CjM[/YOUTUBE]

Do you want to see the regime take Palmyra, or would you prefer to see it stay in Daesh's hands?

This is Exhibit A of the United States's enormous propensity to simply FUCK AROUND when it comes to foreign policy.

The Daesh is the worst thing to happen to the middle east since Al Qaida; Al Qaida was the first thing to happen to the Middle East since the Muslim Brotherhood; the Muslim Brotherhood was the worst thing to happen to the middle east since the fucking British. And here we are playing moralistic games, hoping for an ideal outcome that somehow, against all odds, winds up working the way WE want it to work for some reason.

I didn't believe before the U.S. had any business getting involved in that conflict on purely moral/ethical grounds. I'm now of the opinion that the political class of this country is too fucking stupid to do it properly even if they HAD the right. Pulling the U.S. out of the middle east would, if nothing else, protect the world from our own incompetence.

 

[Trausti]

This is Exhibit A of the United States's enormous propensity to simply FUCK AROUND when it comes to foreign policy.

A different interpretation is this as an example of adults behaving like children. The reason the SAA and Assad were able to recapture Palmyra was because of Russia. The US Policy, incoherent as it is, was to support "moderate" rebels in overthrowing Assad. Russia's entry put an end to that and assured Assad's survival. Instead of celebrating that the ISIS rats were killed and Palmyra and its treasures returned to the civilized world, the US is butt hurt that Putin gets his way. And that video is just embarrassing.

 

[J842P]

The US administration was disturbed about this

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/uxs7yog_CjM[/YOUTUBE]

This is Exhibit A of the United States's enormous propensity to simply FUCK AROUND when it comes to foreign policy.

The Daesh is the worst thing to happen to the middle east since Al Qaida; Al Qaida was the first thing to happen to the Middle East since the Muslim Brotherhood; the Muslim Brotherhood was the worst thing to happen to the middle east since the fucking British. And here we are playing moralistic games, hoping for an ideal outcome that somehow, against all odds, winds up working the way WE want it to work for some reason.

I didn't believe before the U.S. had any business getting involved in that conflict on purely moral/ethical grounds. I'm now of the opinion that the political class of this country is too fucking stupid to do it properly even if they HAD the right. Pulling the U.S. out of the middle east would, if nothing else, protect the world from our own incompetence.

LOL You think they want to get rid of Assad on ethical grounds? They want to get rid of Assad because Assad is pro-Russian.

 

[whichphilosophy]

The US administration was disturbed about this

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/uxs7yog_CjM[/YOUTUBE]

This is Exhibit A of the United States's enormous propensity to simply FUCK AROUND when it comes to foreign policy.

The Daesh is the worst thing to happen to the middle east since Al Qaida; Al Qaida was the first thing to happen to the Middle East since the Muslim Brotherhood; the Muslim Brotherhood was the worst thing to happen to the middle east since the fucking British. And here we are playing moralistic games, hoping for an ideal outcome that somehow, against all odds, winds up working the way WE want it to work for some reason.

I didn't believe before the U.S. had any business getting involved in that conflict on purely moral/ethical grounds. I'm now of the opinion that the political class of this country is too fucking stupid to do it properly even if they HAD the right. Pulling the U.S. out of the middle east would, if nothing else, protect the world from our own incompetence.

The US got involved in immoral/unethical grounds. The US would rather ISIS controls Syria than Assad. It is now also causing problems in the brokered peace talks forced by Russia as it also drove back the rebels. The prolonging of this was is a result of the US.
Assad is not a good choice but much better than the others. At least he ensured equality for women and allowed other religions to exist without interference.

 

[Jayjay]

LOL You think they want to get rid of Assad on ethical grounds? They want to get rid of Assad because Assad is pro-Russian.

It's rather because Assad is pro-Hezbollah and pro-Iran, as well as anti-Saudis and other US allies. Russian presence in this case was certainly annoying US but the US positions in Middle East don't revolve around Russia.

 

[barbos]

LOL You think they want to get rid of Assad on ethical grounds? They want to get rid of Assad because Assad is pro-Russian.

It's rather because Assad is pro-Hezbollah and pro-Iran, as well as anti-Saudis and other US allies. Russian presence in this case was certainly annoying US but the US positions in Middle East don't revolve around Russia.

The guy pretty much admitted that deep down he prefers DAESH taking over whole Syria.

 

[J842P]

LOL You think they want to get rid of Assad on ethical grounds? They want to get rid of Assad because Assad is pro-Russian.

It's rather because Assad is pro-Hezbollah and pro-Iran, as well as anti-Saudis and other US allies. Russian presence in this case was certainly annoying US but the US positions in Middle East don't revolve around Russia.

Good points. I agree.

 

[whichphilosophy]

LOL You think they want to get rid of Assad on ethical grounds? They want to get rid of Assad because Assad is pro-Russian.

It's rather because Assad is pro-Hezbollah and pro-Iran, as well as anti-Saudis and other US allies. Russian presence in this case was certainly annoying US but the US positions in Middle East don't revolve around Russia.

The US and its allies shouldn't have meddled in the first place. What the US supports is worse than Assad, and ISIS has since flourished out of the very sewer which the US constructed for it. Now hundreds of thousand have been killed and Europe is spending billions of dollars per year driving in immigrants from those regions. I have no doubt that a few here and there will now be ISIS soldiers (after a shave) fleeing the area. Libya once had the highest standard of living in the Middle East and even threats of reforms in motion. That is gone. Iran's path to the Ayatollah was mapped out once the US removed a democratically elected modern secular government. Now since Iraq was invaded, ISIS control much of the territory and that country is in a mess.

One day the US may be told by some of its allies, 'Please stay off of our side.'