I agree with the objections about "desolate" in part; the word choice is wrong (as well as the spelling), and the author probably meant to write "decimate." However, claims that desolate (pronounced with a long "a" on the last syllable) is not a verb are wrong, and it is, in fact, a transitive verb, meaning "to devastate or ravage" or "to reduce the population of [something]." Feel free to tell me to get a life. I'm an English teacher taking a break between grading.