The Islamic Destruction of Alleppo (Syria, 1400 & 2013) - The 4 Freedoms Library
2024-03-29T13:26:27Z
http://4freedoms.com/group/heritage/forum/topics/alleppo?commentId=3766518%3AComment%3A170212&feed=yes&xn_auth=no
This sounds very familiar, Mu…
tag:4freedoms.com,2015-08-26:3766518:Comment:170222
2015-08-26T08:09:01.187Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<div>This sounds very familiar, Muslim crusades and the destruction of temples.</div>
<p><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafiristan" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafiristan</a></span></p>
<div>"Kafiristan was inhabited by a polytheistic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">pagan culture</a> before large numbers converted to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam" title="Islam">Islam</a> in the…</div>
<div>This sounds very familiar, Muslim crusades and the destruction of temples.</div>
<p><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafiristan" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafiristan</a></span></p>
<div>"Kafiristan was inhabited by a polytheistic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">pagan culture</a> before large numbers converted to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam" title="Islam">Islam</a> in the 1890s."</div>
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<td>Another crusade against idolatry was at length resolved on; and Mahmud led the seventh one against Nardain, the then boundary of India, or the eastern part of the Hindu Kush; separating as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firishta" title="Firishta">Firishta</a> says, the countries of Hindustan and Turkistan and remarkable for its excellent fruit. The country into which the army of Ghazni marched appears to have been the same as that now called Kafirstan, where the inhabitants were and still are, idolaters and are named the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siah-Posh_Kafirs" title="Siah-Posh Kafirs">Siah-Posh</a>, or black-vested by the Muslims of later times. In Nardain there was a temple, which the army of Ghazni destroyed; and brought from thence a stone covered with certain inscriptions, which were according to the Hindus, of great antiquity<sup id="cite_ref-13"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafiristan#cite_note-13">[13]</a></sup></td>
<td>”<br/><br/></td>
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Isis beheads elderly chief of…
tag:4freedoms.com,2015-08-24:3766518:Comment:170215
2015-08-24T23:54:34.368Z
Alan Lake
http://4freedoms.com/profile/AlanLake
<p><span>Isis beheads elderly chief of antiquities in ancient Syrian city:</span><br/><br/><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/isis-beheads-archaeologist-syria" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/isis-beheads-archaeologist-syria</a></p>
<p><span>Isis beheads elderly chief of antiquities in ancient Syrian city:</span><br/><br/><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/isis-beheads-archaeologist-syria" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/isis-beheads-archaeologist-syria</a></p>
ISIS blows up ancient Baal Sh…
tag:4freedoms.com,2015-08-24:3766518:Comment:170095
2015-08-24T23:50:07.750Z
Alan Lake
http://4freedoms.com/profile/AlanLake
<h1 class="article__heading">ISIS blows up ancient Baal Shamin temple at Syria’s Palmyra</h1>
<div class="article__date">Published time: 24 Aug, 2015 02:54Edited time: 24 Aug, 2015 12:29</div>
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<h1 class="article__heading">ISIS blows up ancient Baal Shamin temple at Syria’s Palmyra</h1>
<div class="article__date">Published time: 24 Aug, 2015 02:54Edited time: 24 Aug, 2015 12:29</div>
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<div class="article__summary summary">The ancient Baal Shamin Temple has become the latest target of Islamic State jihadists vandalizing the Syrian city of Palmyra, officials have confirmed, fearing further destruction of unique well-preserved ruins and artifacts at the UNESCO world heritage site.</div>
<div class="article__text text"><p><em>“Daesh [the Arabic acronym for ISIS] placed a large quantity of explosives in the temple of Baal Shamin today and then blew it up causing much damage to the temple,”</em> Syria’s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told AFP.<br/><br/>According to the minister the inner area of the temple was destroyed with its world-famous columns collapsing around it.</p>
<p><em>“We have said repeatedly the next phase would be one of terrorizing people and when they have time they will begin destroying temples,”</em> Abdulkarim told Reuters. <em>“God help us in the days to come.”</em><br/><br/>The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the destruction of the temple which dates back to the first century.<br/><br/>Originally erected in 17AD to the Phoenician god of storms and fertilizing rains, it was expanded under the reign of Roman emperor Hadrian in 130 AD, taking on the appearance which lasted for two millennia.</p>
<p>Palmyra, known as the <em>"pearl of the desert"</em>, before the arrival of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) was a well-preserved open-air museum only some 210km (130 miles) away from the Syrian capital Damascus.<br/><br/>The UNESCO world heritage site was captured by the Islamic State on 21 May 2015, but not before some of the precious artefacts were removed by the government and transported to Damascus.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.rt.com/news/271741-isis-execution-syrian-soldiers/">READ MORE: ISIS youth execute 25 Syrian soldiers at Palmyra amphitheater – report</a></strong><br/><br/>Two days later, the first accounts of destruction of ancient artifacts by the militants surfaced. Jihadists believe that pagan statues are idolatrous and therefore should be destroyed on the territory of the<em>“caliphate”</em> IS claims to be building in areas under its control in Syria and Iraq.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.rt.com/news/313037-isis-destroys-monastery-syria/">READ MORE: ISIS boasts of ‘bulldozing’ ancient Catholic monastery in Syria</a></strong><br/><br/>In addition to destruction, by the end of May, Palmyra has emerged as one of the scaffolds for the public executions of IS opponents. To the shock of the world community, IS mined the ancient site in June, before proceeding to destroy the Lion Statue of Athena that stood more than three meters high.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.rt.com/news/269383-palmyra-tombs-destroyed-isis/">READ MORE: ISIS extremists blow up 2 historic shrines in Palmyra, Syria</a></strong><br/><br/><em>“Our darkest predictions are unfortunately taking place,”</em> said Abdulkarim. IS <em>“carried out executions in the ancient theatre (of Palmyra), they destroyed in July the famous Lion Statue of Athena ... and transformed the museum into a prison and a courtroom.”</em><br/><br/>Just several days before the Baal Shamin Temple was blown up, Palmyra's 82-years-old retired antiquities chief Khaled al-Asaad was beheaded by the jihadists after being tortured for a month to get information about the city and its treasures.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.rt.com/news/312814-ISIS-beheads-antiquities-Palmyra/">READ MORE: ISIS beheads 82yo chief of antiquities in ancient Palmyra – senior Syrian official</a></strong><br/><br/>According to reports al-Asaad died without sharing any secrets with IS. He had been director of the Palmyra archaeological site for 40 years until his retirement in 2003.<br/><br/>Syria’s antiquity chief says IS is now excavating for gold in the ancient city and has proceeded to give out licenses for illicit digs for the city’s treasures to finance their terror campaign.</p>
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It is our job Paul to explain…
tag:4freedoms.com,2015-08-24:3766518:Comment:170212
2015-08-24T20:55:12.376Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<p>It is our job Paul to explain to people what is wrong and to suggest a remedy. Islam appeals to the dark side of human nature, we all have this dark side. The difference is that we believe that the dark side should be suppressed, we have been taught that it is better to behave in a civilized manner. These Muslim savages have been taught the opposite, that destruction and murder and cruelty are virtues. That all opposition must be destroyed. Islam brings out my dark side, I would destroy it…</p>
<p>It is our job Paul to explain to people what is wrong and to suggest a remedy. Islam appeals to the dark side of human nature, we all have this dark side. The difference is that we believe that the dark side should be suppressed, we have been taught that it is better to behave in a civilized manner. These Muslim savages have been taught the opposite, that destruction and murder and cruelty are virtues. That all opposition must be destroyed. Islam brings out my dark side, I would destroy it completely if I could. One problem is that Muslims see themselves as being good people, I can see no way to persuading them otherwise. All that I can understand is that we have to make anyone not contaminated by it aware that the fundamental principles of Islam are evil. </p>
Pity these yobbos at the BBC…
tag:4freedoms.com,2015-08-24:3766518:Comment:170131
2015-08-24T13:41:04.738Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<p>Pity these yobbos at the BBC don't realize that the islamists are going to give all art and every journalist the same treatment.</p>
<p>The Muslims will save the BBC documentaries that praise Islam though.</p>
<p>Maybe the "BBC" won't even notice, they will just all convert to Islam and continue business as usual, and wonder why they ever bothered about such silly things as art and freedom.</p>
<p>Pity these yobbos at the BBC don't realize that the islamists are going to give all art and every journalist the same treatment.</p>
<p>The Muslims will save the BBC documentaries that praise Islam though.</p>
<p>Maybe the "BBC" won't even notice, they will just all convert to Islam and continue business as usual, and wonder why they ever bothered about such silly things as art and freedom.</p>
The Battle of Aleppo.
We huma…
tag:4freedoms.com,2013-06-20:3766518:Comment:127489
2013-06-20T14:32:44.389Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>The Battle of Aleppo.</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>We humans have been called the murder-ape and I think that just about describes it. Should we believe in world peace, a planet without crime and war?, or should we accept that war and crime are inevitable and construct personal and national defence…</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>The Battle of Aleppo.</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>We humans have been called the murder-ape and I think that just about describes it. Should we believe in world peace, a planet without crime and war?, or should we accept that war and crime are inevitable and construct personal and national defence systems?</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>For the forseeable future there is always going to be an enemy on the horizon and criminals around us. Right now it is Islam bent on slaughter. In that context and in reference to the battle described above it is foolish to dismantle our walls and defences and to underestimate the enemy, to invite him into the city.</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>We have the immigration gates wide open and most people have not understood that the enemy has declared war on us and is intent on annihilating us.</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font>This World Peace can only occur when every nation on Earth shares the same values, and it cannot be imposed by force.</font></font></font></p>
<p>There are perhaps some honourable politicians that believe that peace and stability can be achieved through tolerance, by appeasement and by making concessions. But tolerance will not achieve it, only a total intolerance to violence in all of its forms can achieve it. Every single sane individual has to be equally intolerant.</p>
<p>As things are now force has to be answered with force and violence with violence. In a civilisation it has to be a lawful state sanctioned violence that is designed to protect the individual and nation. With safeguards to protect the individual from the state. A rule of law that reflects the will of the people.</p>
Battle of Aleppo
The city of…
tag:4freedoms.com,2013-06-20:3766518:Comment:127485
2013-06-20T12:56:43.570Z
shiva
http://4freedoms.com/profile/shiva
<p>Battle of Aleppo</p>
<p>The city of Aleppo sat between Antioch on the Mediterranean Sea and the great river Euphrates, straddling a vital trade route, and its markets overflowed with the goods ofIndia. It was the logical target for an army invading from the north.<br></br><br></br>Here at Aleppo the various governors and generals of the Mamluk realm gathered with their armies and met to discuss how they might best oppose the onrushing storm; and they drew up various plans:</p>
<p>• One counseled…</p>
<p>Battle of Aleppo</p>
<p>The city of Aleppo sat between Antioch on the Mediterranean Sea and the great river Euphrates, straddling a vital trade route, and its markets overflowed with the goods ofIndia. It was the logical target for an army invading from the north.<br/><br/>Here at Aleppo the various governors and generals of the Mamluk realm gathered with their armies and met to discuss how they might best oppose the onrushing storm; and they drew up various plans:</p>
<p>• One counseled that they should hole up within the strong walls of the city and prepare their defenses<br/> • Another averred that they should meet Timur in the open field.<br/> • The wise al-Malik al-Muid Sheikh al-Khaski, governor of Tripoli, advised that they should send word to the various tribes and peoples of the region, gathering allies against a common foe; further that they should strengthen the defenses of the city, but should meet the Tatar hordes outside the walls.<br/> • Against this Tamardash, Governor of Aleppo, counseled a headlong assault - but he was in the Lame Conqueror’s pay, and plotted to hand over Aleppo at the first opportunity.</p>
<p>It was decided that the third plan was best. The highways and approaches were blockaded, and guards were set on all the roads. The main body of the army was drawn up before the gates to await the conqueror’s arrival.</p>
<p>Timur advanced cautiously from the north, knowing through his spies that word had been sent to the Arabs, Kurds, and Turkomans to attack him from the rear; this threat never materialized.</p>
<p>In November of 1400 (the ninth day of the first month Rabia, by the Arab chronicler’s reckoning) he arrived at the outer defensive lines. The first two days of the battle were spent in minor skirmishing; Timur probed the defenses with small detachments, which were torn to pieces by the Syrian horsemen. On the third day of battle, the two armies faced off across the plain of the city; on one side the Mamluk knights of Syria and Egypt, supplemented by the citizens of Aleppo (for even the women and children went out to meet the foe); on the other the hordes of Timur, with captured war elephants from India leading the center.</p>
<p><strong>Both sides raised their warcry: "Allahu Akbar!", "God is great!".</strong></p>
<p><br/>The battle did not last one hour. Timur had sent the wings of his horde to encircle the Syrians under the cover of the previous night, and they now broke over the assembled army like a wave, shattering the orderly ranks and throwing the field into confusion. When the cowardly and treacherous Tamardash (commanding the right wing) fled the plain of battle, the Syrians broke and ran for the gates of Aleppo. Timur had prepared a tuman (ten thousand) of his finest cavalry for just such an event, and he unleashed them in pursuit. Arabshah describes the advance of the Tatar’s horde:</p>
<p>"Then he went over them like a razor over hair and ran like locusts over a green crop."</p>
<p>The city was overrun. The streets ran with blood; the piled dead reached the top of the walls, forming a ramp for the invaders; the many slaves of the city broke down the gates in their mad headlong flight; all the accumulated treasure of generations was carried off by the victorious men of the steppe; the Jews of the city were herded into their synagogues and slaughtered to the last man; the young women were raped, and a pyramid of some twenty thousand skulls was erected outside the city, as a mute testimony to Timur’s terrible vengeance.</p>
This museum idea of yours is…
tag:4freedoms.com,2013-05-29:3766518:Comment:125980
2013-05-29T09:56:39.898Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<p>This museum idea of yours is excellent Alan, we can still knock down 99.9% of mosques.</p>
<p>This museum idea of yours is excellent Alan, we can still knock down 99.9% of mosques.</p>
I think Paul's point is about…
tag:4freedoms.com,2013-05-28:3766518:Comment:125672
2013-05-28T18:42:07.814Z
Alan Lake
http://4freedoms.com/profile/AlanLake
<p>I think Paul's point is about having reminders. So Auschwitz was preserved and is an important historical monument and reminder for future generations. It wasn't necessary to preserve all the concentration camps, but some of them were needed to remind us that Fascism is a deadly force. The same can be said of Islamic Fascism. That's why you have the 'Tower of Skulls' and the church of skulls, etc. Then the mosques-cum-museums can contain photos of all their attrocities, and relics, like…</p>
<p>I think Paul's point is about having reminders. So Auschwitz was preserved and is an important historical monument and reminder for future generations. It wasn't necessary to preserve all the concentration camps, but some of them were needed to remind us that Fascism is a deadly force. The same can be said of Islamic Fascism. That's why you have the 'Tower of Skulls' and the church of skulls, etc. Then the mosques-cum-museums can contain photos of all their attrocities, and relics, like parts of blown up tube trains, buses, buildings, people ... perhaps even a preserved head in formaldehyde (with the family's permission of course). If people can forget why they baked the crescent shape into a croissant, they can forget everything else as well. Monuments and museums are vitally necessary for civilisational memory.</p>
Mosques have very little arch…
tag:4freedoms.com,2013-05-28:3766518:Comment:125671
2013-05-28T13:00:05.682Z
Philip Smeeton
http://4freedoms.com/profile/PhilipSmeeton
<p>Mosques have very little architectural value, culturally they will not be missed. They are just big empty spaces with grafitti on the walls dedicated to mass brainwashing. Islam is hostile to art. Churches are in contrast works of art, (that are sometimes converted into mosques). It would have been wrong to conserve the Nazi monuments after WWII. We could never be as bad as the religion of lies- and cult of murder. Though I wouldn't mind having a pint of ale in a converted mosque to…</p>
<p>Mosques have very little architectural value, culturally they will not be missed. They are just big empty spaces with grafitti on the walls dedicated to mass brainwashing. Islam is hostile to art. Churches are in contrast works of art, (that are sometimes converted into mosques). It would have been wrong to conserve the Nazi monuments after WWII. We could never be as bad as the religion of lies- and cult of murder. Though I wouldn't mind having a pint of ale in a converted mosque to celebrate the expulsion of Islam from our (sacred) shores.</p>