Thousands of years of human history gone down the drain

Davidu · April 13, 2003

Today I've heard on CNN that the looters in Baghdad broke into the History Museum, stealing almost everithing.

I can undersatnd looting Guvernement buildings, Embassies, maybe even hospitals (foe medicines), but to destroy your own history!

Not even the barbarians did that. Even the most primitive tribes respect their ancestors, they even worship them. But these... animals looted the History Museum! What for? To sell the pieces, maybe? But it's their history, their culture, those pieces define who they are!

This thing spoiled my day. :'(

Imagine: the first human civilisations appeared between the Tigrus and the Eufrates rivers. From Ur, Uruk, Kis (Kish), Babilon, and so many great cities, so many cultures, that was the birth place of civilised humanity, that's where we emerged from savageness.

This is a dark day for humanity.

Gobalopper · April 13, 2003

There are reports that the staff was involved in the looting too.

Davidu · April 13, 2003

In my opinion, these people deserve to be %#*^#$&*# as well as Saddam!

That son of a b*** killed people, but those looters erased the memory of ancient cultures. What's worse?

Khan · April 13, 2003

I agree that it is a terrible thing, let's just hope that all the stolen items are replaced. I can't imagine people who would loot them would have much use for the items, or a buyer lined up for them.

Acriku · April 13, 2003

The origin of civilization is debateable, but yes this is a tragic happening. But it isn't all that bad, they haven't destroyed it all - unless they are stupid or careless looters, so most of it (I hope) can be put back.

Navaros · April 13, 2003

when there is no police, there is anarchy. it's inevitable.

just like what happened with Emperor; is the same thing that happened in Iraq. no police = mass chaos and anarchy which could not be stopped. in both situations, any voice of reason trying to correct the evil mob is silenced and then cast into the Lake 'cause people don't wanna be told the truth when what they're doing is wrong. it's more fun to just keep doing evil and not allow truth-speakers with good intentions to speak at all much less reason with them

Acriku · April 13, 2003

The US soldiers are helping on the looting, and Bush is getting retired army officials and other people to become the police force to stop the looting.

Edric O · April 14, 2003

A sad day indeed...

Now tell me, who started the war that caused all this chaos, again?

Caid Ivik · April 14, 2003

EdricO, don't say me there was no looting following Causescu's fall...

Davidu · April 14, 2003

No Caid, there was none...

There was some looting of some stores in the revolt at Brasov (Brashov) in 1987, but during the revolution there was no looting.

The National Library caught fire and inestimable manuscripts were lost, but that was beacuse of the fights, not because of some looters.

And by the way, what they couldn't take from the Museum they tried to break! Statues of thousands of years were smashed, just because they were too heavy to be lifted.

Romania's embassy was looted as well. Figures... The Romanian reporters interviewed an Iraqis that claimed he and his sons defended the Romanian embassy with their guns, but after the US troopers took the guns, the looters came in and turned the place upside down.

You might call me a fool but I believe that guy.

TMA_1 · April 14, 2003

nah it isnt sad. people do horrible things every day. ruining worthless shards of history is not that bad. I believe that texts are the most important finds. THe other objects just give us a better view of that history. frankly people are too sensitive now days. heck, looting is going to happen. know what those people have gone through? They want what they couldnt have for ages. They are rebelling. Would you do any different in their shoes?

Davidu · April 14, 2003

HELL YES!

First I wouldn't let my history be destroyed! I'd rather die! That represnts me, that tell me who I am, who my ancestors are!

How would you fell if Mount Rushmore would be destroyed?

Worthless pieces of junk? Man, have you seen what you have written?

Those "worthless pieces of junk" represent cultures, civilisations, people that lived so long ago... We can't just forget all about them!

It is our duty to rember them.

MAn, without culture we'll be just a bunch of Neanderthalls!

ken124578 · April 14, 2003

A sad day indeed...
Now tell me, who started the war that caused all this chaos, again?

Not us, we'd all be happy to see a few hundreds of iraqis die everyday you know ::)

Davidu · April 14, 2003

They died of hunger back then they're dieing of hunger now too.

They were killed by Saddam, now they're killed by mobs.

And now it's chaos too. I don't doubt US intentions, I doubt their ways.

ken124578 · April 14, 2003

They died of hunger back then they're dieing of hunger now too.
They were killed by Saddam, now they're killed by mobs.
And now it's chaos too. I don't doubt US intentions, I doubt their ways.

Correction:

They starved for more then 12 years.

They were being murdered for 12 years.

And the country was very poor for 12 years.

Davidu · April 14, 2003

This is getting WAY off-topic. There was a topic where I had talked about that...

emprworm · April 14, 2003

"Not even the barbarians did that. Even the most primitive tribes respect their ancestors, they even worship them. But these... animals looted the History Museum! What for? To sell the pieces, maybe? But it's their history, their culture, those pieces define who they are!

This thing spoiled my day."

interesting how 100,000 gassed & murdered kurds did not spoil your day? When you oppress and enslave people, this kind of reaction is expected. Fully expected.

Acriku · April 14, 2003

HELL YES!
First I wouldn't let my history be destroyed! I'd rather die! That represnts me, that tell me who I am, who my ancestors are!
How would you fell if Mount Rushmore would be destroyed?
Worthless pieces of junk? Man, have you seen what you have written?
Those "worthless pieces of junk" represent cultures, civilisations, people that lived so long ago... We can't just forget all about them!
It is our duty to rember them.
MAn, without culture we'll be just a bunch of Neanderthalls!

You have lived in a different culture all of your life, so how can you consider what you would do in their shoes?

Davidu · April 15, 2003

Empr: those weren't the kurds that did that...

Acriku: I know those people were oppressed but I think that culture is above many other things...

Gobalopper · April 18, 2003

More updates on the museum. It usually takes a few days before we actually know what really happened.

Thanks to Iraqi preparations before the war, it seems the worst has been avoided. Donny George, the director-general of restoration at the Iraqi Antiquities Department, Wednesday said his staff had preserved the museum's most important treasures, including the kings' graves of Ur and the Assyrian bulls. These objects were hidden in vaults that haven't been violated by looters.
"Most of the things were removed. We knew a war was coming, so it was our duty to protect everything," Mr. George said. "We thought there would be some sort of bombing at the museum. We never thought it could be looted."
And why didn't America stop such looting as did take place? Lt. Col. Eric Schwartz of the U.S. Army's Third Infantry Division "said he couldn't move into the museum compound and protect it from looters last week because his soldiers were taking fire from the building--and were determined not to respond."

Some of the things stolen were very heavy and would have required a forklift to move, something an ordinary Iraqi wouldn't possess. Some are thinking now it was either organized looting by outside sources or perhaps already taken earlier by Saddam cronies and made into a story to blame the US.

Davidu · April 19, 2003

Yeah, I heard that too. If that has been organized it's the same evil done.

But, the most important pieces were saved right? That's a relief. :)

Gobalopper · May 3, 2003

A couple of news stories from the past few days:

Franks: Iraqis Turning Over Museum Pieces

Iraqi museum losses may not be as severe as first thought

Davidu · May 3, 2003

That's a relief. Something has been salvaged. :)

Dude_Doc · May 3, 2003

A sad day indeed...
Now tell me, who started the war that caused all this chaos, again?

The Germans did not loot their historical museums when the Nazis were defeated. It does not matter who started the war, it is still they who make things worse, not those who attacked.

GUNWOUNDS · May 8, 2003

many looters are returning stolen items due to many muslim priests declaring that it is a sin for muslim women to have sex with a looter husband

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