US city with some of the same lasting drawbacks (5)
I believe the answer is:
salem
'us city' is the definition.
(Salem is the capital of Oregon)
'of the same lasting drawbacks' is the wordplay.
'of' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'drawbacks' says the letters should be written backwards (I've seen 'drawback' mean this).
'melas' is hidden within 'same lasting'.
'melas' written backwards gives 'SALEM'.
'with some' is the link.
(Other definitions for salem that I've seen before include "trial scene" , "American capital" , "Source of witch-hunt" , "US witch-trial town" , "Witch trial town" .)