tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post6277216544949728117..comments2024-02-22T10:35:12.485-08:00Comments on Cultural Property Observer: Exploiting a Tragedy? Cultural Property Observerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-73832967523285237742015-08-27T17:48:36.410-07:002015-08-27T17:48:36.410-07:00Larry, I have healthy skepticism of whatever the A...Larry, I have healthy skepticism of whatever the Assad regime says. You are referring to what Ben Ward mentioned, not me. It's certainly possible that he was interrogated, but I do question the claim he was murdered for refusing to devluge what the Assad regime says does not exist (hidden antiquities). His work for the regime would certainly be enough to mark him for death as it has for numerous other Syrians. In any case, it is a tragedy he was killed and I think we should just leave it at that. Cultural Property Observerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-34118485828462676402015-08-27T10:44:35.606-07:002015-08-27T10:44:35.606-07:00Let me get this straight: you completely disbeliev...Let me get this straight: you completely disbelieve the Syrian government's claim that al-As'ad was tortured in part to try to get him reveal where artifacts might have been hidden, ignoring the fact this his own son says this as well; but when the Syrian government says that all the artifacts were moved to Damascus, you swallow that story whole. And you also believe that ISIS swallowed that story whole as well, and that even though they listed one of his crimes as being in charge of the site, they wouldn't have bothered to interrogate him try to find out if some artifacts might not have made it to Damascus and instead have been hidden somewhere. <br />Larry Rothfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625303509257924190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-76440713083116263852015-08-24T15:05:14.830-07:002015-08-24T15:05:14.830-07:00I had considered his probably Ba'ath membershi...I had considered his probably Ba'ath membership and indirect association with the teetering Assad regime as a much more likely cause for his murder than the rather silly claims made by Syrian official sources in Damascus. This confirms my thinking on this tragic and unconscionable event.Clio Ancient Art and Antiquitieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09015408607756752806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-25126686897573922272015-08-23T03:48:47.824-07:002015-08-23T03:48:47.824-07:00Benjamin Ward (Lawyer/Archaeologist) UKBenjamin Ward (Lawyer/Archaeologist) UKAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01244170045363723792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-25489833980892813492015-08-23T03:47:07.278-07:002015-08-23T03:47:07.278-07:00Interesting point: "Maamoun Abdulkarim, the d...Interesting point: "Maamoun Abdulkarim, the director general of Syria's antiquities and museums, said that hundreds of statues and other objects had been moved from Palmyra to safe-houses in Damascus." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32824379<br />Movable and sellable objects were taken to Damascus. ISIS would have been fully aware of this move given the reports it received in the mediaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01244170045363723792noreply@blogger.com