Syria’s Catastrophic Transition.

Only one thing would have been worse than the shocking news that Bashar al Assad had been driven to leave his home and country by a tide of barbarians – that he would suffer the terrible fate of Moammar Qadhafi, hunted down by French and British jets and finally butchered by a mob. It was… Continue reading Syria’s Catastrophic Transition.

Hama – a brief history.

On a visit to Syria in May 2010, one of the things that made the greatest impression on me was the sound of Hama’s ancient waterwheels. That is saying a lot, given it was after a visit to Palmyra – but there lies a connection, as these enormous wheels are actually Roman water pumps, lifting… Continue reading Hama – a brief history.

Israel emulates ISIS; Palmyra

Palmyra at sunset 2010

Back in 2015, a convoy of ISIS vehicles headed south from their base in Raqqa towards the ancient Roman city of Palmyra and the small town of Tadmor that serves this World Heritage treasure. The town also housed a Syrian government prison and army garrison – which was the ostensible target of the takfiris, but… Continue reading Israel emulates ISIS; Palmyra