Blame the looters, not the liberators

New York Daily News ^ | 4/19/03

[kattracks]

Since coalition forces have taken control of Iraq's major cities, the looting and disorder in the streets - particularly the sacking of the Iraqi National Museum - have prompted criticism that U.S. and British soldiers haven't done enough to contain the chaos. Perhaps they could have done more to safeguard the national treasures. But they did, after all, have a war to win.

Now, with the war almost a wrap, the troops' role is legitimately shifting toward restoring order. Case in point: the foiled heist at a Baghdad bank Thursday, where soldiers scared off armed robbers and then safeguarded $4 million at a military base. A tank and additional troops were left behind to guard vaults filled with gold, dollars and dinars against further pillaging.

The State Department, meanwhile, has put out the call for experienced law-enforcement professionals to help train Iraqis for a new, improved public safety system. And the FBI is working with the UN to track and recover artifacts stolen from the museum before they are sold into the stashes of unscrupulous collectors. Some of the looters, in fact, have had second thoughts, returning at least 20 pilfered pieces of Iraq's and the world's heritage.

It turns out that the disturbing museum caper, provoking an understandable worldwide outcry, may have begun as an inside job, perpetrated before coalition bombs fell. There has even been speculation that Saddam Hussein himself and his deck of jokers approved the removal of some of the treasures years ago. For their own - not their nation's - enrichment, of course. Even before the war, someone - for reasons as yet unknown - stored several of the museum's artifacts in the national bank's vaults.

It's a mystery that may never be solved.

What is not a mystery is that coalition forces are engaged in a new and necessary phase of the action - to recover Iraq's treasures as well as its tranquility. Such transitions from war to rebuilding are never easy or quick, nor should any one expect them to be.

Setting the stage for a democratic government that Iraqis can support will require order. America is leading the arduous effort to restore that order, just as it led the stunningly successful effort to liberate a long-tortured nation.

For this, our military deserves our praise and patience.

[snip]

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Originally published on April 19, 2003

[MEG33]

I agree.

[wrbones]

I mess with a buncha liberals on OregonLive.com forums. I do it out of boredom. There's some conservative types there, but the left wingers dominate the board for obvious reasons, once you've read the rag.

What is very disturbing to me, is that the wingers can't understand the concept of putting human lives above buildings, artifacts and possesions. This does not at all stand when consideration of their other so-called values are examined.

Those troops involved in the museum 'incident' did a remarkable job. They were being fired upon from Iraqi positions in and around the museum. They refrained from returning appropriate fire that would have destroyed the building and what artifacts were left.

One other thing disturbing to me, is that I believe hating is a wasted behavior, but I am learning to hate these people on the left wing of our politics.

[wrbones]

are you off topic, or did I mis-read the article?

[backlash]

That's exactly right. From the way the media carries on, you'd think the looting was the big story out of the war and it was our fault. Never mind millions of liberated Iraqis, dancing in the streets, and toppled statues all over the country. Seems like reporters always stress the story that puts the President in the worst possible light.

[R. Scott]

Like many “first reports”, this story has been changed with updates.
There was looting at the museum – but not on the scale first reported. I noticed that many of the “antiquities” – statues – that had been wantonly destroyed by the mob were reproductions. Not too many of the ancient sculptures used steel rebar in their work.
Many of the pieces have been found in other areas of the museum – possibly moved for safety or conservative work.

[MEG33]

Karl. B How're the French doing in Africa? Has it reached perfection yet? There are many miles to go to bring the peace and allow an Iraqi functioning government.It will be messy but hopefully without torture chambers and psychopathic leaders.These people deserve a chance and we gave it to them..imperfectly.God bless the allied rescuers .

[hermgem]

Just wondering why no human shield ever came up with the idea to protect this museum? Or is it that the US military in fact did avoid bombing the museum and thereby fulfilled their agreement.
The aftermath was just plain and possibly pre-executed robbery during a military operation to free the city of Baghdad from a dictatorial terrorist.

[wrbones]

What do the French have to do with looting a museum in Bagdad?

The article was about looting the musuem. In addition, the US military was involved in a combat situation in a war zone. I think they may have had other priorities. Like staying alive in the face of hostile fire from the museum and the grounds of the museum, without at the same time damaging the museum. News reports also mention this.

Other news articles, since the story first broke, also attest to the fact that many of the artifacts were already missing before coalition forces entered Baghdad, either through direct theft, or replaced with fakes, while Saddam and his coterie sold or hid the originals in order to line their own pockets. Several reports also mention the use of keys, making this an inside job.

Your other comment acknowledges the presence of weapons of mass destruction. That issue has been well covered on other threads on this and a host of other websites.

[chainsaw]

I think the media should be blamed for not informing the Bush administration of this possible lawlessness. With 600 embedded reporters with the toops, and plenty of time on their hands, they should have seen this coming.

[Theresa]

As many of us predicted, the museum incident is probably the single most controversial incident of the entire war. The brilliant war plan, and it was brilliant, DOES have a stain on it. This is because it was not just any old museum.

[Orlando]

I just heard on CNN, that the New 3,000 force Baghdad Police
is not getting PAYED !!.
This is STUPID ! . We just found $680 MILLION Dollars.
Use it,NOW !!! The former Saddam Police Officers use to get
@? $10.00 pre-month. Since the New Baghdad Police Force is
Helping ALOT regain Law & Order...PAY Them at least $1,000.00 pre-month...for starters.

[2Fro]

An unidentified source has reported:
"Some Iraqi's are looting the presidential palaces, taking stationery, ashtrays, pillows and even a grand piano. Reporters say they haven't seen looting like this since Clinton's last days in the White House."