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Since 2013, Professor Franklin P. Lamb has traveled extensively throughout Syria. His primary focus has been to document, photograph, research and hopefully help preserve the vast and irreplaceable archaeological sites and artifacts in Syria.
Like Iraq, Syria is the cradle of civilization, and as such it has been a rich source of our shared global culture and historic heritage. Already endangered from illegal excavation, looting, international trafficking and iconoclasm; the theft and destruction of these sites has greatly increased as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
Many of the endangered archeological sites and artifacts are over 7,000 years old. The oldest remains found in Syria are from the Paleolithic era (c. 800,000 BCE). The most endangered artifacts and archaeological sites currently are in Tell Halaf, the north of Syria near the Turkish border with Syria. These archaeological sites date as far back as 5,500 BCE. They include archeological sites and artifacts of the Babylonian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Assyrian, Phoenician, Aramaic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad, Ayyubid and Ottoman civilizations and empires.
Professor Franklin Lamb has also been working, sometimes under dangerous circumstances, to record and photograph the war damage done to religious icons, images, monuments, and ancient structures that span pre-Roman civilizations, and structures such as Islamic mosques, Christian churches and Jewish synagogues.
Professor Lamb is working tirelessly to record and photograph these sites and artifacts because they are in danger of complete destruction for religious, political and illegal trafficking reasons, especially due to the ongoing wars in the Middle East.
Professor Franklin Lamb's website and his latest book, "Syria's Endangered Heritage, an International Responsibility to Preserve and Protect" presents exclusive and never published before photographs, records, data, articles, and interviews from across the whole of Syria. His book can be purchased at his website http://www.syrian-heritage.com/.
In addition to Dr. Lamb's urgent archaeological work he is also deeply committed to rescuing and aiding refugee children in Syria. He is a volunteer with the Lebanon, France, and USA based "Meals for Syrian Refugee Children, Lebanon (MSRCL)", which seeks to provide hot nutritional meals to Syrian and other refugee children.
Lamb says that the goal of MSRCL is to be able to provide one meal a day to 500 children. More donors are needed in order for him to reach that goal. At $2.25 per meal x 500 children per day ($1,225), the budget for a month (30 days) requires approximately $36,000. Over 95% of each donation goes directly towards the cost of each meal. The MSCRL volunteer teams give their time, energy and even their own money to help the refugee children so that they will not become part of the "lost generation" of Syria.
Lamb's books and publications include "Pollution as a Problem of International Law"; "International Legal Responsibility for the Sabra Shatila Massacre"; "Israel's 1982 War in Lebanon: Eyewitness Chronicles of the Invasion and Occupation", "The Price We Pay: A Quarter Century of Israel's Use of American Weapons against Civilians in Lebanon in addition to the three volume set, "Palestine, Lebanon & Syria Palestine, Lebanon & Syria (Commentary and Analysis 2006-2016)." Due out during Fall 2016, in English and Arabic, is "The Case for Palestinian Civil Rights in Lebanon: Why the Resistance Sleeps."
Dr. Lamb's most recent book is "Syria's Endangered Heritage: An International Responsibility to Preserve and Protect". www.Syrian-heritage.com
Lamb's Academic Credentials include: BA, and Law Degrees from Boston University, Master of Law (LLM) Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy from the London School of Economics (LSE); Diploma in International Air & Space Law from the University College of London; Post-Doctoral Studies at Harvard University Law School of East Asian Legal Studies Center, specializing in Chinese Law; International Legal Studies at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom; Studied Public International Law at The Hague Academy of international Law, at the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, Netherlands.
Lamb's Professional and Political Activities include Assistant Professor of International Law, Northwestern College of Law, Portland, Oregon and Assistant Counsel to the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, During the Administration of President Jimmy Carter, Lamb was elected for a four year term to the Democratic National Committee, representing the state of Oregon. Lamb served on the Democratic National Committee Judicial Council with California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi as well as the Platform Committee on East-West Relations. Professor Lamb served on the presidential campaign staff for Presidential Candidate Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Saturday, January 13, 2018 (16 comments) SHARE Students face Kafkaesque impediments challenging Iran's theocracy
On several occasions, meeting with brilliant, tech-savvy Iranian university students who are thoroughly charming, fearless and outspoken, this observer is presented a very different picture of what Iranians are facing than what is being offered by some pro-regimen internet bloggers and water carriers.
Friday, January 12, 2018 (1 comments) SHARE What's Behind the 'Disappearance' Of 420,000 Palestinians in Lebanon?
Lebanon is a country where demographics have long been a politically sensitive subject to be approached with extreme caution. For the past nearly 85 years (since 1932) Lebanon's leaders have refused to allow a count of the population out of feelings of terror that a rival sect, among the 17 other rival sects, might gain power at their expense were there to be an honest count.
Wednesday, December 27, 2017 (1 comments) SHARE Playing the Jerusalem Card in Lebanon with deft Hypocrisy
Since Trumps announcement, plenty of anti-Palestinian politicians seeking to cash in politically, including Lebanese President, Michel Aoun who is only in that post because Iran installed him by instructing Hezbollah to break its deadlock of Parliament, are wringing their hands and seeking political advantages from Trumps provocative action.
Tuesday, December 5, 2017 (7 comments) SHARE Hezbollah's Premature "Mission Accomplished" Boast
History repeats, more often than many of us prefer, especially in geopolitical contexts wherein regional hegemony is the objective being sought. This appears to be the case with respect to Syria and recent several, some disparate, declarations of victory by foreign "Resistance" armies.
Saturday, December 2, 2017 (4 comments) SHARE Lebanon facing Long 'Independence' odds given Iran's regional Triumphalism
Most of Lebanese Sunni, Christians, Druze and the growing body of agnostic or non-religious in the country reportedly believe that Iranian influence, through its militia Hezbollah, is the greatest impediment to achieving Lebanon's independence.
Thursday, November 2, 2017 (1 comments) SHARE Is Israel winning "the war between the wars" with Iran/Hezbollah?
Israeli commanders, stationed along Syria's southern border and the Golan Heights and Quneitra Valley, with some of their forces now operating daily more than 14 km inside Syrian territory.
Thursday, October 26, 2017 SHARE Granting Palestinians the right to work can salvage Lebanon's economy
Those who have lived in Palestinian camps and followed this issue know of the absurdity of this proposition. With every Palestinian birth in Lebanon the resolve for Full Return deepens. Wishfully thinking were the occupiers of Palestine's prediction that "the old will die and the young will forget." Let them come to the camps of Lebanon and Syria and interview the youth about this prediction.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017 SHARE Lebanon's economy is in crisis. Granting Palestinians the right to work will help fix it
The growing list of US sanctions targeting Iran's Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is only part of a broader American, Israeli and Western strategy of roll-back of Iran's activities in the Northern Middle East than one seeking direct military confrontation. Although the latter may be one of the unintended consequences as Iran begins to retaliate.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017 SHARE Hamas can achieve elementary civil rights for Palestinians In Lebanon by reconciling with Fatah and Iran
Hamas' willingness to relinquish its authority in Gaza, shown by its agreement to disband its Administrative Committee there, increases the chances of a successful reconciliation. Hamas' governance of Gaza has become costly, as the siege has been tightened on the strip, external financial support has been cut, and as the Palestinian Authority (PA) recently imposed more sanctions.
Monday, October 2, 2017 (3 comments) SHARE Israel faces 'catastrophic defeat' in next Hezbollah War", IDF officials say.
The view of many analysts in the Israeli and American military leadership Israel must ensure that the next war is short---Hezbollah's forces have a history of disciplined and skilled high-risk fighting techniques...And they are preparing expecting, preferring and intending to pursue a longer war.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 SHARE Hezbollah has launched the initial phase of the next Israel-Hezbollah War
For Israel, the initial phase of its next long predicted war with Hezbollah is focused on neutralizing Iranian arms shipments to Hezbollah while destroying factories allegedly under construction to build long-range missiles. Some Israeli recently bombed sites are also claimed to have been housing chemical weapons.
Friday, September 15, 2017 (2 comments) SHARE 35 Years after the Sabra-Shatila Massacre where's "The Resistance"?
This week commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Wednesday, Sept. 15 to Saturday, Sept. 18, Sabra-Shatila Massacre in the Fakhani neighborhood of Beirut. For many of the families and loved ones of the victims, as is certainly the case with this observer, it seems as though the Sabra-Shatila Massacre was committed at most four or five years ago. So vivid still in our memories are the horror images of that orgy of slaughter.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017 SHARE The "Musa Sadr is Alive" Hoax has Deceived Lebanon's Shia for 39 years
Every year during late August, this observer receives emails from people who love and admire the Iranian born Imam Musa Sadr and his colleagues Sheik Mohammad Yacoub and journalist. Abbas Baddredinne. The three disappeared on August 31, 1978 in Tripoli, Libya.
Saturday, September 2, 2017 (10 comments) SHARE Russia, US, Iran and Israel War for Syria
It appears to me that Assad and his Baathist Alawi dominated regime will remain. Iran wants Assad so as to guarantee its Persian Gulf to Mediterranean Sea Shia Crescent.
Thursday, August 10, 2017 (2 comments) SHARE Israel's Coming 6th war on Lebanon: What Price will Hezbollah pay?
Part 2---The price Hezbollah will pay during Israel's coming 6th war on Lebanon will likely be less militarily consequential long term, than the near certain acceleration of the Party of God's loss of its "Resistance" brand. The latter already being eschewed by much of its Shia base for economic, social and political reasons.
Sunday, August 6, 2017 (6 comments) SHARE Israel's Coming 6th war on Lebanon
For Israel, it's widely predicted 6th war on Lebanon won't be a repeat of June 1967, June 1973, or July 2006.
Thursday, June 1, 2017 (1 comments) SHARE Our Shared Cultural Heritage in Aleppo Urgently Requires Protection and Restoration
As this observer meanders through the ruins of war-torn Aleppo these days, he develops a feeling that somehow he ought to be wearing a hospital gown with gloves so as not to contaminate crushed ancient artifacts as he tries to avoid stepping on them. One feels obliged to avoid contaminating a cultural heritage crime scene.