Palmyra

In the last few hours of Barack Obama’s Presidency, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has remarked on what represents the final destructive puzzle piece in the failed US President’s blood soaked legacy.
Reports from Syria indicate that part of the façade of the ancient amphitheatre in Palmyra has been destroyed by ISIS who re-took the city during the Syrian Arab Army’s victorious battle against terrorists in eastern Aleppo.

With Palmyra still under ISIS control, and with ISIS threatening to capture Deir Ezzor, the Russian military has once against blamed the military crisis in eastern Syria on the US.
The Russian military first did so in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Palmyra in December when it complained – rightly – that the reason ISIS was able to send troops to Palmyra from Mosul and Raqqa was because ISIS is under no real pressure there.

21st Century Wire says…
Fighting in Syria between The Syrian Army, the National Defense Forces (NDF) have been reported in the province of Homs and east of Palmyra.
Southfront brings an update on the latest.

South Front

That the liberation of Palmyra may not be long delayed is strongly suggested by what appear to be reliable reports – confirmed both by the Al-Masdar news agency and by the Iranian news agency Fars – of a mass withdrawal of ISIS fighters from areas west of Palmyra.

21st Century Wire says…
In a new interview by RT with Assad, being released today, the Syrian President warned about taking the claims of the Western governments and mainstream media outlets at face value. As 21WIRE readers well know, this is good advice.
Watch the full interview at the bottom of the page…

RT

21st Century Wire says…
Keep an eye on Syria in the coming days and weeks as Palmyra has been stricken by renewed assaults from ISIS fighters, with Russia and the Syrian Army clearly planning to defend the city. 
Here’s more insight and analysis from The Duran…

Alexander Mercouris
The Duran

Patrick Henningsen
21st Century Wire
Judging by both the words, and deeds of the Obama White House and its political ‘diplomatic’ appointees led by perfidious John Kerry and caustic Samantha Power – all evidence to date points to the US wanting to escalate its war on Syria – while happily baiting a military confrontation, and ‘World War‘ scenario with Russia and its allies in the process. 

The Islamic State “spared” some ancient ruins at Palmyra as part of a trap to blow up the antiquities after their liberation, scheming to kill hundreds of Syrian army troops and “erase” the treasures for all time, reports Franklin Lamb.…Read more →

In an extraordinary act of culture and courage, a Russian orchestra performed in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra recently liberated from the Islamic State, but Western media mocked the event, notes Gilbert Doctorow. By Gilbert Doctorow Even those with…Read more →

Daniel McAdams
Ron Paul Institute