Eight Thousand Years of Civilization ...gone

[Keygen]

Originally posted by yavoon

would u prefer we simply shoot ppl who try to take crap?

I think he is refering to the ancient artifacts and not everything that is looted all over Baghdad. And I find it rather unlikely that people would try to get into the museum if it was guarded.

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

If some other country was liberating us from a dictator, I'd forgive them for destroying the Lincoln Memorial, not even mentioning looting done by Americans of the Smithsonian (which is less 'valuable' to the Lincoln).

But if they would loot your house you would never forgive them, right?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Asher
I've always been confused by man's obsession with artifacts, relics, and other pieces of the past.

Museums bore the hell out of me, I think it's pretty irrational to be so attached to some objects just because they're famous and/or old.

Museums bore the hell out of me too, but I sometimes happen to use my head, and I happened to understand why they are important.

Museums are places where ancient artifacts are conserved. The ancient artifacts aren't conserves in strongholds or high security basements, they are conserved in museums. Ancient artifacts are a phenomenal source of info (in fact, our only source of info) about these very ancient times, their science, their way of life, their philosophy. They are the only way available to understand the very ancient Civs.

The understanding of very ancient Civs can help us know what we have in common with our ancestors, and what is different. It gives us a better understanding of the evolution of our society, and a better understanding of human nature.

You could ask "so we can understand human nature thanks to an old plate ?". No. This plate alone is worth nearly nothing. But it is one of the many pieces of a gigantic historical puzzle. The loss of this piece will make the puzzle more messy.

And yes, museums bore the hell out of me, I avoid them on sight.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Asher
I'm confused how people honestly expect ~15,000 US troops to adequately control 6M people in Baghdad, especially when they're incensed and looting like this, as well as fight against militia/suicide people...

Because most people don't loot.

Simple, eh?

[The Mad Monk]

Simplistic, you mean.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
I'm curious -- did this happen in Afghanistan at the time?

I haven't heard of anarchy in Kabul either. But the Taliban's power structure was very different from Saddam's, so the power vacuum was much less important. I think the northern alliance's methods were also much more brutal than the US army's, so it kept troublemakers at bay (except the warlors of course).
However, the Talebans while in power have destroyed an ancient Buddha statue whose historical value was priceless Thy turned it into scrap metal despite Greece's offer to buy the statue for a hefty sum.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Simplistic, you mean.

Maybe that's what you mean, but not me.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Spiffor
However, the Talebans while in power have destroyed an ancient Buddha statue whose historical value was priceless Thy turned it into scrap metal despite Greece's offer to buy the statue for a hefty sum.

IIRC, it's a large stone statue carved in the side of a hill.

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Asher

I've always been confused by man's obsession with artifacts, relics, and other pieces of the past.

Museums bore the hell out of me, I think it's pretty irrational to be so attached to some objects just because they're famous and/or old.

I've always been confused by some people's foolish obsession to persistently ignoring the past...

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Oh lord.

I didn't know that the US military was THAT good that it could capture a city, and move on shortly afterwards, AND be able to totally bring order to a city. Three days after a capture of a city and we subdue all rioting? Wow... we must have those supersoldiers I heard about on X-Files .

You mean they are not capable of guarding a single museum?

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Q Cubed

after all, it's just worthless trinkets from ages gone past, right?

I am sure you are much more worthless for much more people than those trinkets

[GePap]

To answer your question MM, in Panama there was widespread looting soon after the US invaded and occupied the city. The difference tought was that much of the looting was of commercial places and not government offices and cultural sites: I think that for the most part the US took and secured those places quickly, but was unwilling to police large sections of the city.

I guess there was nothing much worth looting from commercial places in Baghdad.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

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.

[GePap]

The coolition did neither, and could have done both.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by notyoueither


You don't get it do you?

By and large, I am pro-American. Just as I am pro-British, pro-Europe, and pro-West.

What I am not in favour of is a complete abrogation of responsibility for the situations that 'we', or in this case 'you', create. If you want to run around conquering countries in the name of the 'war on terror' or some other reason, fine. Just pay a little attention to the people and the places that you 'liberate'. OK?

btw, the excuse that the US doesn't have the forces to police a city it just conquered plays a little hollow. No matter how you cut it. If you can't control the situation, what the hell are you doing?

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