Posted on 01/18/2005 9:41:21 AM PST by Grzegorz 246
Polish Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said today that contrary to a report by the British Museum, the presence of foreign troops in Babylon had saved the famous archaeological site for civilisation. A British Museum report published at the weekend said U.S. troops had caused "substantial damage" to the ancient city by setting up a military base amid the ruins in April 2003 after invading Iraq and toppling President Saddam Hussein. It also said U.S. and Polish military vehicles had crushed 2,600-year-old pavements in the city, a cradle of civilisation and home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Minister Szmajdzinski, challenging the report said that "Any report on Babylon should start by saying that the Americans and the Poles saved Babylon for our civilisation, because that is the truth." "If it wasn't for the Americans, Babylon would have been looted like all other museums in Iraq ... and we would now be buying back Babylon artifacts on bazaars and markets," Szmajdzinski told Polish Radio in an interview. He added local authorities and archaeologists had been consulted over all decisions affecting ancient sites in the base at Babylon. The Polish Culture Ministry will soon issue a 500-page report on Babylon, he added.
Babylon site... Its just old rocks for Pete's sake.
Hmm.. lets see Babylon was founded at least 6 or 7 thousand years ago. Sacked and destroyed probably more than ten times. Partially restored by Alexander the Great, who dies there, 323. 312--Seleucus, one of Alexander's generals, becomes king of an empire, including Babylon, and builds a new capital, Seleucia, so that Babylon decays. Left to go to dust until the 19th century.
Yeah, Then WE really did a number on it in GW's illegal Gulf war. PHAUGH!
Hmm.. lets see Babylon was founded at least 6 or 7 thousand years ago. Sacked and destroyed probably more than ten times. Partially restored by Alexander the Great, who dies there, 323. 312--Seleucus, one of Alexander's generals, becomes king of an empire, including Babylon, and builds a new capital, Seleucia, so that Babylon decays. Left to go to dust until the 19th century.
Yeah, Then WE really did a number on it in GW's illegal Gulf war. PHAUGH!
You have to remember this story about destruction comes from the British Museum, These folks are more than likely liberal just like the wheels at Berkely and other liberal U.S. campus's. Anything to take a shot at the US.
"You have to remember this story about destruction comes from the British Museum, These folks are more than likely liberal just like the wheels at Berkely and other liberal U.S. campus's. Anything to take a shot at the US."
It's more likely that they are simply deeply concerned about an important archaeological site. I'm sure the concerned include both liberals and conservatives: the lure of antiquity draws in academics of every political persuasion. Ancient Babylon is not just a bunch of old rocks, as one of the above posters claimed, but a very important link with our own past as members of the human species. Imagine if an invading army damaged the ruins of the Acropolis or someone dropped a bomb on the pyramid of Giza.
It seems to me that concern for sites of vast cultural importance is legitimate and understandable, and I won't immediately assume that the writers of the report were speaking out because of political motives. And anyway, ancient history and classical studies always seemed to me to be some of the more conservative fields of the liberal arts, but I could be wrong. Look at Victor Davis Hanson.
It was the British who looted the Acropolis and then had the Elgin Marbles 'scrubbed' to the point tha tvirtually all the fine detail was lost. Perhaps they learned their lesson. Anyway, all this horror and posturing on the part of the Bristish Museum over Babylon is a bit too pot calling the kettle to me. I don't believe any digs were destroyed or if any outside groups were even working there. Saddam was in process of turning the entire place into his own personal monument with bricks that had his imprimature on them. I get your point and I agree that Archaeologists are some of the most conservative scholars possible. I think that if the Brits are so concerned then they should go in there and start conserving the site.
Yes, no one has raped the spoils of antiquity more throughout their history than the British.
I'm sick and tired of our soldiers' lives being threatened to save a bunch of freakin' rocks! This is a war, and tactical considerations come first. Look, we had to destroy the 500 year old monastery at Cassino in 1944, because it was holding up our liberation of Italy. This Babylon nonsense is no different. You can't live in the past, and the U.S. Army cannot let a bunch of pointy heads get good men killed for the sake of intellectual gibberish.
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