Posted on 02/18/2009 8:54:19 PM PST by uptoolate
U.S. To Help Rebuild City Of Babylon In Iraq
By Joel C. Rosenberg
Largely overlooked by the Western news media over the past few weeks was an enormously significant story. The government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to protect the archaeological remains of the ancient City of Babylon, in preparation for building a modern city of Babylon. The project, originally started by the late Saddam Hussein, is aimed eventually at attracting scores of "cultural tourists" from all over the world to see the glories of Mesopotamia's most famous city. What's more, the Obama Administration is contributing $700,000 towards "The Future of Babylon Project," through the State Department's budget.
"Officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy," reports the Reuters news agency. "'The Future of Babylon' project launched last month seeks to 'map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation, study and tourism,' the WMF says. 'We don't know how long it will take to reopen to tourists,' said Mariam Omran Musa, head of a government inspection team based at the site. 'It depends on funds. I hope that Babylon can be reborn in a better image.'"
In my non-fiction book, Epicenter 2.0, I wrote about the Bible prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation that indicate the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq will, in fact, be rebuilt in the "last days" of history and become the wealthiest and most powerful city on the face of the planet. I also cited my interview with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi who told me in 2006 at the peak of the insurgency,
"Cultural, religious, archaeological, and biblical tourism is a big opportunity for Iraq. I think rebuilding Babylon is a wonderful idea, as long as it is not done at the expense of the antiquities themselves."
For many, I know the rebuilding of Babylon seemed like a far-fetched idea in the Bible. For many more, it seemed like a far-fetched idea in 2006, as well. But skeptics and cynics take note: now that the insurgency is dying down, the Shia-led government of Iraq is actually moving forward with this historic and prophetic project. They say Babylon will be "reborn." And they're right. It will be. Stay tuned.
This all sounds brilliant until you consider Iraq as the Richest and most advanced place in the world.....
Porkulus Iraqulus.
Kinda cool.
Course then again the bible has some verse that says ‘Babylon the great has fallen...
Boy, it’s nice to know that the US has all that spare money to throw around.
I’d go in a heartbeat. The problem with serious excavation in these places is where do you stop? Layers upon layers, each of which is historically significant, and Babylon is by no means the eldest of the ancient cities in Mesopotamia. If they’d stop killing one another over there it could be an archaeological smorgasbord.
I have thought about this a lot myself. I'm not sure what percentage of Egypts GDP comes from tourism, but I'd wager it's very, very significant.
These people were writing, counting, multiplying and such when the rest of the world was still in loin cloths. At one time, Iraq was the Europe of the world. What a shame.
Porkulus Iraqulus.
Too funny
If it becomes a “goldmine” of wealth from tourism, then maybe the Twelve Tribes could go after Babylon for reparations for the Captivity?
Cross Ref: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2188763/posts
The “US” doesn’t have the money to throw around. There IS no money. We are in debt out our wazoos. All this money is fiction. But, like the old button said..” I can’t be over-drawn..I still have checks left!”.
I don’t know where that things going. But, if it’s far away from Michelle Obama, then I’m all aboard.
I know, I was being sarcastic.
“This all sounds brilliant until you consider Iraq as the Richest and most advanced place in the world.....”
Hey! Give Zero some time. He just got in about a month ago and is making great progress toward running western civilization into the ground. Then Iraq may just start to look good!
The idea that a proposed tourist atraction has any prophetic significance is absurd. It's just more fuel for the Rapture Ready knuts, and folks who hawk books about such things, like Mr. Rosenberg.
In my non-fiction book, Epicenter 2.0, I wrote
Non-fiction. Hah!
(Damascus and Aleppo are some of the oldest continually-inhabited cities in the world),
Not continuous. Just a little note for the next time you hear someone start rambling on about the "Oracle of Damascus":
In 733 BC his armies conquered Philistia on the Mediterranean coast, destroyed Damascus (732) and occupied most of Israel (732), with its northern regions becoming Assyrian provinces.
Dey gonna be war in de Babylon!
Amen. That’s exactly what this is. We have no business building and rebuilding cities in other countries. Let them build and rebuild their own cities.
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