[x1stcav]

"This was a USA screw up"

Pardon me for pointing out the obvious but this is a vary narrow-minded, clueless, comment.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Our troops have more urgent, pressing, and compelling business than trying to protect every part of Iraqi culture/infrastrcucture.

If you're going to be annoyed, be annoyed at the museum staff for not taking precuations to protect the valuable property they were charged with.

[Fifth Business]

Our troops have more urgent, pressing, and compelling business than trying to protect every part of Iraqi culture/infrastrcucture.

Then why have we been taking care not to bomb zigurrats and tells?

If this is true, it is bad news, and we should have been more careful.

[Theresa]

"I said it before and I'll say it again. Our troops have more urgent, pressing, and compelling business than trying to protect every part of Iraqi culture/infrastrcucture."

We screwed up. Face it. We don't have to protect every part of Iraqi culture but there is NO excuse for not protecting that one museum. It's like letting people steal the original copy of the Declaration of Independence. How would you like that? We did not steal the stuff in that museum but we should have anticipated that we would be blamed if it was stolen. This is a ugly blot on an otherwise brilliant campaign.

[Fresh Wind]

If you're going to be annoyed, be annoyed at the museum staff for not taking precuations to protect the valuable property they were charged with.

I wonder how much of the looting was done by the museum staff? After all, they knew what the best stuff was. And, in a sense, much of what was in that museum was already stolen by grave robbers which is, effectively, what archeologists are.

[Risa]

>>I said it before and I'll say it again. Our troops have more urgent, pressing, and compelling business than trying to protect every part of Iraqi culture/infrastrcucture. <<

I agree with you, wholeheartedly.

All we know is that our troops and their commanders face a chaotic, hell of unmitigated danger, where pockets of the enemy can be anywhere, not easily distinguished, and ready to blow themselves up, individually, in our troops' faces,
the moment they let down their guard.

We also know that the Iraqi people who loot have been oppressed and brutalized for decades, and that our relationship with them is precarious, and must be managed with care, because they've been indoctrinated against us.

To suggest that we know better how our troops should be deployed in that city, how they should or should not manage the Iraqi people, or to criticise U.S. military strategy, when we have no military education or experience, no knowledge of Baghdad or the psychology of mobs or the numerous other variables that come into play ....seems to my mind frighteningly arrogant.




risa