| Note: The quotes in the cartoon are
directly from Rumsfeld. The background picture is of the
pillaged National Museum of Iraq.
Findlaw - Looting, Rumsfeld concluded
"isn't something that someone allows or doesn't allow. It's something
that happens."
Independent - Robert Fisk reports that library books, letters and
priceless documents were set ablaze in final chapter of the sacking of
Baghdad.
"So yesterday was the burning of books. First came the looters, then
the arsonists. It was the final chapter in the sacking of Baghdad. The
National Library and Archives a priceless treasure of Ottoman
historical documents, including the old royal archives of Iraq were
turned to ashes in 3,000 degrees of heat. Then the library of Korans
at the Ministry of Religious Endowment was set ablaze."
Washington Post - Some Iraqis, however, question the allocation of
U.S. forces around the capital. They note a whole company of Marines,
along with at least a half-dozen amphibious assault vehicles, has been
assigned to guard the Oil Ministry, while many other ministries --
including trade, information, planning, health and education -- remain
unprotected.
"Why just the oil ministry?" Jaf asked. "Is it because they just
want our oil?"
The 2003
Iraq War & Archaeology - Exhaustive collection of links on this
topic. Update:
Looters Stole 6,000 Artifacts (06/21/2003) |