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The priorities set by the US government, invading Iraq, that allowed
the destruction of its priceless cultural heritage, while easily protecting
the Oil Ministry, should be investigated.
In response to questions about this, the Secretary of Defense states
that "we could never guarantee the safety of a single building."
Yet, the one building not looted was the Oil Ministry. The Pentagon
refrained from striking archeological treasures from the air, but did
not plan for the minimal protection required on the ground. Their response
was "the Defense Department leaves such decisions to commanders
on the scene." Are these commanders qualified "cultural arbiters"?
Did they understand the significance of the most important repositories
of antiquities found in the "cradle of civilization"?
There was plenty of evidence and warning for the planning authorities,
that such a catastrophe was likely, if not prevented. During the first
Gulf War, over ten years ago, an illicit trade in pilfered artifacts
was born. Cultural experts warned US authorities, at every opportunity,
not to let that happen again.
Was this cultural disaster just the result of a cavalier attitude, evidenced
by such authoritative statements as "let them loot to let off steam",
or "stuff happens"? Did our government want to illustrate
to the world that "freeing the Iraqi people from their political
prison so they could regain control of their own destiny", means
enabling them to loot and burn their museums and libraries?
US citizens need to know why, easily preventable, irreparable damage
to the world’s greatest collection of priceless artifacts, from
the very first human civilization, was allowed.
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