Pillagers Strip Iraqi Museum of Its Treasure

New York Times ^ | Sunday, April 13, 2003 | By JOHN F. BURNS

[JohnHuang2]

Sunday, April 13, 2003

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[RonHolzwarth]

So the Oil Ministry was protected, but the museum was not?

That is just about unbelievable.

Jews HAVE to "not steal", but I guess for Moslems it is different, huh?

[RonHolzwarth]

This is right up there with the burning of the library at Alexandria - where Aristotle's personal books were all lost, along with most everything written up to that time.

And, in the history books, a thousand years in the future, it will be noted:

"But the Americans guarded the oil ministry 24 hours a day, not wanting to stop the flow of petroleum products to the West."

[Theresa]

"This is right up there with the burning of the library at Alexandria - where Aristotle's personal books were all lost, along with most everything written up to that time. "

That is exactly what crossed my mind in terms of the loss. Only it would be as if the Egyptians burned it themselves.

"And, in the history books, a thousand years in the future, it will be noted: "But the Americans guarded the oil ministry 24 hours a day, not wanting to stop the flow of petroleum products to the West."

Yes, it will reverberate for 1000 years that we failed to act. The reason won't matter. It did not take a rocket scientist to anticipate the looting of this museum and prepare for it. Rummy and Myers have lost some of their luster in my mind and it grieves me to say that because I have been in total support of this war. I don't want to see Rummy's face for a while. This is bad.

[Sacajaweau]

What a freakin' cra* story. The Americans and British didn't raid the Museum, the Iraqi people did. Put the blame where it lays. I'd also search these Museum Guards/Officials homes. I'm sure their paycheck WAS signed by Saddam.

[pt17]

So the Oil Ministry was protected, but the museum was not?

Oil is what is going to feed and clothe the Iraqi people. Museum antiquities, as important as they are the the culture, will not. It's a matter of priorities.

[DTA]

>>>>>The Americans and British didn't raid the Museum, the Iraqi people did<<<<

True. But it is also true that occupying force is responsible to establish order and prevent exactly such events. From the article it seems that it was provided for 30 minutes and it did have effect.

1907 Hague Convention

Article 43

The authority of the legitimate power having actually passed into the hands of the occupant, the latter shall take all steps in his power to re-establish and insure, as far as possible, public order and safety, while respecting, unless absolutely prevented, the laws in force in the country.

Article 56

The property of the communes, that of religious, charitable, and educational institutions, and those of arts and science, even when State property, shall be treated as private property. All seizure of, and destruction, or intentional damage done to such institutions, to historical monuments, works of art or science, is prohibited, and should be made the subject of proceedings.

[ambrose]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most of the valuables were probably stolen by the museum staff and directors, and they're using the looters to deflect blame. I read elsewhere that most of the valuables were kept behind locked vaults.

[weegee]

From Archeology Magazine: WAR & HERITAGE: IS ANCIENT IRAQ BEING PROTECTED? (Museums may not have been looted)

And then there is this.

Protecting Iraq's Ancient Treasures: Pentagon has "No Strike" List

Additionally, many "treasures" were already plundered by other nation's museums centuries ago.

This is more fodder for the Blame America First crowd.

[ambrose]

Funny how worked up you are over a museum... did you ever get this worked up over what Saddam did to our POWs?

And yes, the Oil Ministry IS more important than the museum.

[stripes1776]

I heard a report on the radio that this museum had been closed for a couple of years. Ordinary Iraqis were not allowed to go in it. Does anyone know for sure?

I also heard that the employees of the museum had done the looting themselves.

[Jumpmaster]

"April 13, 2003
Pillagers Strip Iraqi Museum of Its Treasure
By JOHN F. BURNS"

CITIZENS OF BAGHDAD Strip Iraqi Museum of Its Treasure!

BTW, all the goods are still in town. I'm sure a guvamint program (gun turn-in) will bring it all back. Or maybe Midnight basketball would keep all these skells busy.

[ambrose]

I'm not sure what some half-starved Shiites are going to do with a bunch of artifacts. The only people who'd bother are those with connections to black market for these sort of items.

[RadioAstronomer]

And yes, the Oil Ministry IS more important than the museum.

I completely disagree. Machinery can be replaced, 7000 years worth of antiquities cannot.

[stripes1776]

The only people who'd bother are those with connections to black market for these sort of items.

That makes sense. It's people who knew the value and had the connections who actually took the stuff.

[Travis McGee]

Bullcrap. These weeping museum directors are Saddam's little butt boys, who enjoyed their perks and salaries while tens of thousands of their fellow Iraqis were raped, tortured and murdered down the street.

Today a revolution is going on in Iraq that is every bit as crucial to the success of free Iraq as our tanks and jets. This revolution is being carried out in government buildings and the homes of the wealthy, who are rightly seen as being toadys and collaborators of Saddam.

The museum is just "collateral damage" in this revolution of rage against symbols of Saddam's kleptocracy. The artifacts will make it back to collections, don't fear.

Anyway, weep for the mothers brothers and sisters and fathers of the million murdered by Saddam, not fat sleek Saddamite museum directors.