It has been nearly a week since the ancient ruins and town of Palmyra fell into the hands of Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). And over those past few days, the terrorists have brought death and mayhem to the town’s residents. According to reports, nearly 400 locals have been executed by the terrorists — some cruelly beheaded with knives. These depraved killers also executed women and children. Their bloody killings and reports that they have entered museums and begun to destroy ancient and irreplaceable artefacts thousands of years old, speak of their barbarity and demented mentality.
In the past year, Daesh has been able to claim ground and advance across broad swaths of Iraq and Syria, with little being done to turn back their tide. As the prolonged battles for Kobani and Tikrit have shown in the past months — and as the battle in Ramadi is unfolding now — Daesh cannot be easily rooted out once they gain a town or city. Clearly, air strikes alone are not enough to thwart their advances. And clearly, there is little that deters them from their bloodletting and murderous agenda.
