Eight Thousand Years of Civilization ...gone

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
would the PArisians loot the Louvre?

Most Parisians wouldn't even have the idea, should anarchy fall upon Paris, but thiefs would see a wonderful opportunity to make money (some pieces of the Louvre can easily bring millions easily), and vandals or nihilists would see an opportunity to break some symbols.
So, you bet. Most parisians would hate these people dearly, but that would be too late.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
I actually find it pretty sad so many people use this catastrophe simply as another material to bash the US.

We're in agreement on this.

It is urgent that we disagree again then I find it equally terrible that some people minimize the loss only because the US army technically could have averted it.

That would be like blaming the French for the genocide in Rwanda; not intervening in a tragedy doesn't make you responsible for it (although you should probably feel some guilt about it).

The French, or rather the French army, had a responsibility in Rwanda, far bigger than the US' responsibility in the museum's looting. The French troops were sent there to bring back order, but they were overwhelmed and let the genocide continue, without doing anything significant. Actually, the French action in Ivory Coast could be seen as the willingness not to let the same tragedy happen as in Rwanda.
I'm not saying France was completely responsible for the Rwandan genocide, but a part of the burden goes to it. Same for the US army and the museum. I think the real people who have to get punished are the looters, but it is wrong to completely whitewash the army.

[yavoon]

honestly I think the museum is a tragedy too. but what I see is everyone jumping like rabid wombats onto its carcass in an attempt to smeer the US as much as humanly possible. and I feel a desire to defend against that.

its a harsh reality that I am towards the side that thinks this is a tragedy but that because the ppl against it are so intensely radical that I feel compelled to not be ascossiated w/ them.

[DanS]

Same for the US army and the museum.

Powell acknowledged as much today. We're going to do what we can. Losing the library is a real shame too.

Reconstructing and reclaiming the museum would seem to be a good task for the French and Italians to work on. Because of things like this, I wish the French would take a more constructive attitude overall.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by DanS
Reconstructing and reclaiming the museum would seem to be a good task for the French and Italians to work on. Because of things like this, I wish the French would take a more constructive attitude overall.

This is a great idea. I think I'll email it to my Foreign ministry. Not that it'll had any impact, but still....

Edit : gah, I've just realised I've agreed with Powell
Editedit : sent. I assume I won't get any answer.

[JCG]

The USA didn't expect it because they figured that they'd only have to "decapitate" the evil regime and the rest of the infrastructure would remain fully active and in reasonably working condition. Errr...nope.

It now seems that a good portion of it is either dysfunctional or temporarily disabled, hence the vulnerability of such invaluable places/artifacts to looters.

[Ned]

Well, we know where the artifacts are now. We should be careful about allowing that material out of Baghdad. Also, the more valuable items were taken from locked safes. The curator believes the safes were opened by someone with the combination.

We should be able to track some of this down. Perhaps this is a job for the FBI, or perhaps even the British, French and German police.

[Ned]

Indiana Jones, where are you?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Ned
We should be able to track some of this down. Perhaps this is a job for the FBI, or perhaps even the British, French and German police.

The way I see it, most national polices will look for the artefacts into their territory, and the international chase will be asked to an ad-hoc corps, if any international coordination is done. Sad, really

[Daz]

First of all, the occupying force has to police the taken teritorry. Geneva convention, I think.

Secondly, I can clearly understand that a country with no history doesnt see this as a "tragedy". Heck, if Mr. Bush keeps up with the good work, maybe the USA will become the cradle of humanity, and there will be no proof to say otherwise.

Oh, yes, this is a nice little troll from a person who is shocked by the way the "liberators" are treating the people of Iraq.

"We have removed your corrupt government, so now you can govern yourselves, you backward cavern people".

[Sloth]

Why?

http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=397350

[Chemical Ollie]

One thing that puzzles me is how 170 000 objects made of stone or clay could have been carried away. Imagine the manpower needed to do that in 1-2 days.

I will not be surprised if the loot are for sale in marketplaces all around Baghdad allready.

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp

Personally speaking, I'd be appalled if the Coalition forces were diverted to defend a museum while hospitals were being looted of supplies.

I'd have let the musuem be ransacked entirely if it prevent a few deaths from gangrene.

There is a great difference between the life of some unfortunate people and the collective memory of entire nations and civilizations.

How difficult can be to dispatch a couple of soldiers in each corner, a total of 8 people to protect what dozens of conquerors in a period of thousands of years didn't destroy and for which huge sums of money and effort have been spent to excavate them, study them and collect them in a unified place.

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Jon Miller

why should the US have suspected that they would go after a museum?

I mean it is a museum, what is the point of smashing it up?

but they did so

Jon Miller

Perhaps because a sort period of anarchy always follows after a regime is fallen by force?

Perhaps looting in great extance always happen in periods of anarchy?

And what more valuable to loot than ancient artifacts?

Or perhaps because the curators of the museum asked for American assistant even before they entered Baghdad and the Iraqi regime collapses. Or at list that is what the curators claim.

[gunkulator]

Originally posted by Keygen


There is a great difference between the life of some unfortunate people and the collective memory of entire nations and civilizations.

Indeed. I for one vote for protecting people over old shards of pottery.

Oh, and I think I just heard Al Jazeera report that some really cute kittens and adorable puppies were lost because the US was protecting a marketplace instead of the animal shelter. Oh the shame!