Robert Fisk: It is the death of history

[cal04]

2,000-year-old Sumerian cities torn apart and plundered by robbers. The very walls of the mighty Ur of the Chaldees cracking under the strain of massive troop movements, the privatisation of looting as landlords buy up the remaining sites of ancient Mesopotamia to strip them of their artefacts and wealth. The near total destruction of Iraq's historic past – the very cradle of human civilisation – has emerged as one of the most shameful symbols of our disastrous occupation.

Evidence amassed by archaeologists shows that even those Iraqis who trained as archaeological workers in Saddam Hussein's regime are now using their knowledge to join the looters in digging through the ancient cities, destroying thousands of priceless jars, bottles and other artefacts in their search for gold and other treasures.

In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, armies of looters moved in on the desert cities of southern Iraq and at least 13 Iraqi museums were plundered. Today, almost every archaeological site in southern Iraq is under the control of looters.

In a long and devastating appraisal to be published in December, Lebanese archaeologist Joanne Farchakh says that armies of looters have not spared "one metre of these Sumerian capitals that have been buried under the sand for thousands of years.


http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/article2970762.ece

[funflower]

1. That's really tragic. Along w/ the looting of the museum back in

April of 2003. Iraq's artifacts are a treasure that should belong to all of humanity.

[ImpeechBush]

2. Actually, shouldn't they belong to the Iraqis?

Seems like it.

[angstlessk]

6. It actually belongs to the history of the human race..and the USA is destroying it,,

who the fuck gave them that permission??? Remember the outrage when the Talibon destroyed the two Buddahs? this is 10 million times worse..and no outrage???

[Prophet 451]

3. Ye gods

This is just me as a history buff speaking but I'd like to see those responsible up on charges of Crimes Against Humanity. If robbing humanity of it's past isn't a crime, what is?

[TomInTib]

4. Ther's yer legacy, f&*kface.

This actually bothers me more than the human or economic toll.

[KoKo]

5. Figures..."Private Investors" have always loved plundering on the Black Market and

Iraq's Treasues mean much to Conservative/Religious Fundie folks who've made BIG BUCKS under the years of Repug Rule...where bombing the "cradles of Civilization" might yield Biblical findings they can give "private views" for...to get even more funds into their greedy pockets.

AND..Maybe the Corporate "Discovery Channel" or "History Channel" or *GASP* National Geographic (GOP Channel) might do a story about your find...and some "Private Bush Bot Investor in Antiquities" might just make your "find..very worthwhile for you."

It's all about THE MONEY! Wherever it goes. :-(

[acmavm]

7. I would have thought that if they could lose 9 billion dollars over there they

could have found the money to protect those ancient sites.

But then again, there probably wasn't any known oil field in the general vicinity. Or maybe there was and this is their (the oil corps) way around not having to worry about ancient artifacts and buried cities. This way the looters just rip it all up for 'em.