The interesting thing about this while thing is that it wasn't what it appeared. If you read more about this you will find a lot more questions than answers and all is not what it seems.
1. Some of the items on display were replica's
the originals stored safely away or so they
thought. In many cases the replicas were
overlooked and the original item were taken.
2. Many of the locks that were safeguarding the
items were not shot off or damaged but rather
simply opened with a key.
3. Many of the "looted" items are already
appearing for sale on the net and in various
places in Europe.
All this makes me think that the looters were not
the common man of Iraq and this was a well thought out and planned heist on a famous museum.
Maybe even an inside job!
Lastly - The Americans are not to be blamed for this action as there were many other items with a higher priority that they had to worry about.

[NOTE: This is the latest political essay I have placed on my website.]

The government of Iraq has collapsed so suddenly that it has left a power vacuum. I suppose that was to be expected to some degree, but the extent of the breakdown in law and order is horrifying. If the situation is not brought under control very soon, the Iraqi people are likely to turn against the American and British troops and we will pay for it for years.

One particular example of the chaos especially horrified me. I have always had a great deal of interest in history, so I understand Iraq's important place in the early history of western civilization. The archeological treasures there are not just of important to Iraq - they are vitally important to the entire world. Crazed looters have trashed the National Museum in Baghdad, and priceless treasures have been lost. This museum was high on the list of archeological sites to be protected and yet the United States did nothing to protect it. I cannot imagine that it would have taken a large force to secure the building. Of course, the troops are spread rather thin and they have much to do, but I wonder why the protection of the heritage of our civilization was not placed at a higher priority. They had plenty of warning - looting was well under way in other parts of the city before the museum was hit, and the troops could have been there in time.

The inaction of the United States is troubling, but the primary blame must still be placed on the looters. Those who trashed the museum will rank in history with the worst of villains who have destroyed knowledge in the past, such as the hordes who destroyed the great library at Alexandria. Is that the legacy they want for Iraq? Those who wantonly destroy knowledge are the worst of villians and fools, and that is how history will remember them. I wish the looters who destroyed this museum a slow and painful death.

Heather H.

Heather:

Brilliant piece of writing. You missed your calling, hon--you should be doing politcal commentary for a paper or news show.

Only question I have--if we (the U.S.) were supposed to protect those treasures, why didn't we? What other buildings could we--or should we-- have protected? What vital information, not just historically, but in terms of the "actual" reason we were there in the first place, has been lost due to riots and looting?

It gives one pause to wonder.

Luv 'n hugs,

Jayne Sakura
"Almost-Angel, T-Girl Genius, and Ultra-Flirt"

In addition, two important libraries have been ransacked and burned and priceless pieces of knowledge have been lost forever. This wanton destruction should be ranked among the most serious crimes against humanity and the perpetrators fully deserve the death penalty. In addition, if United States officials can be proven negligent in allowing the destruction of the libraries and museums, they should be prosecuted accordingly.

The Geneva Convention requires an occupying power to do all it can to protect important cultural resources. My perception is that the United States did not respond properly to this problem.

Heather H.

I greatly value knowledge in all of its forms. Wanton destruction and suppression of knowledge, in my view, are worse than murder. What has been destroyed here represents thousands of years of history. It reminds me of other episodes of destruction: the rampages against scholars of the First Emperor of China, the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols, and more recently the suppression of the culture of Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge. It upsets me to think of what may have been lost in all those incidents. The Greeks, for example, possessed scientific knowledge that had them on the verge of the industrial revolution, but the scientists were suppressed. Just think of where we might be now if their knowledge hadn't been destroyed. (As a side note, it is interesting to think that much of what was preserved was preserved by the Muslims. Their culture once placed a high value on knowledge and reason.)

Iraq possesses some of the greatest knowledge of the earliest of Western civilizations. It is not just their heritage - it is ours as well. Who knows what was on those clay tablets that have never been translated? Chances are, it was just boring economic data, but perhaps a great work of literature could have been on those tablets. Now, we will never know.

True, I wasn't there and I don't know what problems the soldiers were having at the time, but they seemed to get the oil ministry under control without a problem. How many soldiers would it have taken to secure the museum and the libraries? It probably wouldn't have taken many. In the view of history, this loss will not soon be forgotten. It will forever taint our victory.

As you can see, the best way to get me fired up is to destroy knowledge. It is a crime worse than murder.

Heather H.

First, I think the soldiers were still focused on battle, and while certain cultural resources might be important, taking care of the business at hand (and staying alive in the process) was the top priority. Now that things have calmed down, I'm sure less important matters, such as libraries and museums, will be dealt with accordingly. I certainly don't blame the American and British soldiers, because they had their hands full with matters of life and death.

I, too, think the Iraqi looters hurt their own country, but it is their country, and Iraq is a war zone. That type of thing happens during times of chaos. I hate seeing anything of cultural value stolen, damaged, or destroyed. It didn't make any sense to damage/destroy the libraries and museums, but I can understand why palaces and government offices would've been looted. That wealth came from the Iraqi people in the first place, so they took some back. It doesn't really justify their actions, but it does explain some of them. Still, looting is looting.

"Slow and painful death"? Heather, this is about as fired up as I've ever seen you!

*resisting the urge to loot that last post, just to get someone fired up*

I do agree with you, but I still consider murder to be a worse offense.

So, the politics forum finally provoked Cathe to post something.

Welcome.