Russians building army base at Syria’s Palmyra site

[Lodestar]

Source: AP

The Russian military is constructing a new army base in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, within the protected zone that holds the archaeological site listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site and without asking for permission from relevant authorities, an American heritage organization and a top Syrian archaeologist said Tuesday.

The American School of Oriental Research’s Cultural Heritage Initiative posted pictures from the satellite imagery and analytics company DigitalGlobe that show the construction on the edge of the ancient site that was damaged by the Islamic State group, which held Palmyra for 10 months.
A UNESCO official said it was unclear whether the encampment was in a buffer zone to the archaeological site but said it does not form a threat to the historic area.

Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes captured Palmyra in March and fighting continues miles away until this day. In recent weeks, IS fighters launched a fresh offensive in which they captured a nearby gas field that brought them close to the town.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/report-russians-building-army-base-at-syrias-palmyra-site/2016/05/17/7570bab8-1c1b-11e6-82c2-a7dcb313287d_story.html

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Russia Denies Building Military Base Near Ancient Palmyra Site

Russia denied that it has built a military base inside a zone that holds the UNESCO world heritage site in the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra.

The Russian military on May 17 described the camp as "temporary," saying its few housing units were being used by explosives experts who are removing mines left behind by Islamic State militants.

It said the Syrian government had given approval to build the camp, which includes a field hospital and bakery used by local residents.

The head of Syria's antiquities department, who noted the town's priceless antiquities are safer thanks to the Russian presence, nonetheless told the Associated Press that he would not have granted Russia permission to build the camp if he had been asked.

cont'd
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-denies-building-military-base-ancient-palmyra-site-syria/27741966.html

[erlewyne]

1. Russia does not care for ancient artifacts.

They should follow the USA example and how
we protected the ancient heritage and artifacts
in Iraq.

[McKim]

2. Stirring up More Fear of the Russians?

So the Washington Post is stirring up more fear of the Russians! Is this 1956 or what? Good for them that they are securing the town of Palmyra/Tadmour. Those people deserve some protection after what they have been through. I see no harm here and am very tired of the mainstream press always having to have an "enemy". Russia has long been a friend of Syria, so what!

[snappyturtle]

3. Thank you. I have been sitting here running through what all is

wrong with this article. Let's face it, it's American propaganda poop.
Let's remember Russia is in Syria at Assad's request.

I thought I would be reading about the erection of missile silos and air strips by the tone of the title. Evidence? An old photo.

[David__77]

4. I think this a Russian base there would be a good thing.

I think that Russia is defending civilization in Syria.

[sofa king]

5. I don't know if they're doing that, but...

...But I do think that Russia will burn Syria to the ground to keep a naval base on the far side of the Dardanelles. We Americans seem unaware that in most winters, even now in this burning climate, 100% of Russian sea commerce has to travel through the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

We would understand and possibly even support British intervention in Spain if Gibraltar was threatened, or US intervention in Cuba if Guantanamo Bay was threatened, or Chinese intervention in the Spratlys if their concrete aircraft carrier was threatened.

That's all Syria is to the Russians: the country with which they treated to gain a naval base is in danger of going belly-up, and they're not going to surrender their most important overseas strategic asset to a bunch of religious zealot redneck yahoos.

The Russians are no more idealistic than we are. They don't care what the end result is in Syria so long as it guarantees the safety of their naval base at Tartus. Right now the naval base requires an army base to protect it. They second they can save money by shutting it down, they will.

[David__77]

6. I don't care much about what the Russian government is saying or even what its intentions are.

I care about the result of its actions. I think that its defense of the Syrian government and attacks against armed insurgent groups is a defense of civilization in Syria.

[sofa king]

7. That's a reasonable point of view.

You're closely watching the results, not the garbage all governments cough up to justify their actions. Probably the way to go.

[David__77]

8. I like the idea of "look, don't listen."

...

[lsewpershad]

9. Building bases in other countries

is OK only if America is doing it.???

[Aristus]

10. ^^^THIS!^^^

n/t

[PersonNumber503602]

13. Is it only not okay if the US is doing it?

I don't see anything wrong with Russia building a base in another country, but I find it interesting this is defended by many of the same people who would attack the US if it built a new base in Iraq at Iraq's request.

[Jitter65]

11. If every country had a base in every other country think how many jobs would be created AND

how safe everyone would be.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. Wikileaks/FOIA email from the Clinton state dept. in regards to Iran and Syria

I find this disturbing rather than trying to find peace we go for chaos.

In the email, released by Wikileaks, then Secretary of State Clinton says that the “best way to help Israel” is to “use force” in Syria to overthrow the government.

The document was one of many unclassified by the US Department of State under case number F-2014-20439, Doc No. C05794498, following the uproar over Clinton’s private email server kept at her house while she served as Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013.

read the document here........... you really need to read this.

https://archive.is/6j4Xd

US Govt FOIA site pdf.

https://foia.state.gov/searchapp/DOCUMENTS/HRCEmail_NovWeb/293/DOC_0C05794498/C05794498.pdf


And what has this policy wrought?

European refuge chaos
more destablization in the middle east
275,000 dead in Syria thousands injuried
growth of unstable anti Syrian Isis groups
unending war


You don't make peace with your friends you make peace with your enemies.

Thankfully after she left Kerry and Obama took a different less belligerent course.

Notice her bringing in the Saudis?
Notice her supporting radical groups?
Notice her Israeli nuke admittance
Notice her Iran nuke hype that was debunked by International watchdogs

[McKim]

14. Thank You So Very Much for this Important Link

Ichingcarpenter, this is the most important post of the day. I had read it before but lost track of it. This story needs to be spread far and wide to all Hillary voters. They need to know exactly what they are voting for, more wars and instability!

[GummyBearz]

16. You should make this an OP if you haven't already

[alarimer]

15. Putin is a tyrannical asshole

Now building a base in a sensitive archaeological area. Fuck that piece of shit.