Posted on 06/23/2004 12:30:06 PM PDT by Pikamax
Coalition troops asked to leave Babylon
Baghdad, Iraq Press, June 23, 2004 – The interim authorities have asked the United States to order a contingent of Polish troops based in the ancient city of Babylon to leave.
Culture Minister Mufid Mohammad Jawad al-Jazairi has written to the head of the Coalition Provincial Authority demanding the troops to abandon the ancient city.
Jazzairi has asked Paul Bremer to have the troops out of Babylon when the CPA officially hands over sovereignty to the current interim Iraqi government by the end of June.
The minister would not mind the troops staying in the proximity of the city so long they remain away from its archaeological remains.
Since the fall of Baghdad to US troops in April last year, Babylon has been off bounds to both visitors and scientists.
Iraqi archaeologists have repeatedly complained that the presence of the troops with their heavy armor is harmful to the city, 90 kilometers south of Baghdad.
Jazzairi’s letter to Bremer was prompted by reports that the US-led troops were considering constructing a military camp in the city.
The ministry wants the withdrawal of the troops to be coordinated with its researcher and the police contingent it has trained recently to guard archaeological sites.
The ministry would like to have its guards based on the city and teams of archaeologists present when the troops leave.
Babylon, once one of the wonders of the ancient world, has lost much of its past glamour due to haphazard restoration by the former regime, neglect and current presence of foreign troops on its remains.
Ipnews
Lousy headline...
Yes, and those parting couple of sentences left no doubt that this reporter is an idiot.
The U.S. had a list of 10,000 plus sites they had to avoid when conducting this military campaign. I haven't seen one report that they ignored that list even once.
If anything the U.S. should be thanked for preserving antiquities throughout the nation.
Yes, but it accomplished what it's writers intended. Then they wonder why people aren't buying their crap anymore.
They are not blaming the troops , but Saddam really did screw up the remains, trying to rebuild it even putting in bricks with his name on it, from a archaeologist POV that is horrible, I don't see this as a shot, but if the place is as fragile as they claim, heavy equipment near the place would hurt it more.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.