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<< Sites under Threat >> History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, 28 April 2005  Page Views: 3491

DiscoveriesCountry: Iraq It is two years since looters ravaged one of the world's most important museums, in central Baghdad. Saddam Hussein's power had collapsed and the newly arrived US-led coalition forces were unable to prevent a crime against history.

Professional smugglers connected to the international antiquities mafia managed to break some of the sealed doors of the Baghdad Museum storage rooms.

They looted priceless artefacts such as the museum's entire collection of cylindrical seals and large numbers of Assyrian ivory carvings.

More than 15,000 objects were taken. Many were smuggled out of Iraq and offered for sale.

To date, 3,000 have been recovered in Baghdad, some returned by ordinary citizens, others by the police. In addition, more than 1,600 objects have been seized in neighbouring countries, some 300 in Italy and more than 600 in the United States.

Most of the stolen items are unaccounted for, but some private collectors in the Middle East and Europe have admitted possessing objects bearing the initials IM (Iraq Museum inventory number).

Read More: BBC News

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"History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq" | Login/Create an Account | 8 News and Comments
  
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Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by nicoladidsbury on Thursday, 28 April 2005
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That's a difficult question creators. I abhor the war in Iraq, and have done from the very beginning. It's a horrendous waste of human lives, a horrendous waste of money, and a horrendous waste of our shared history. As individuals it is hard to know what to do to make things better. One thing is for sure, I'll be using my vote wisely next week.
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    Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by creators on Friday, 29 April 2005
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    This is not the place I should raise this, nicoladidsbury, but...

    I became a socialist in my twenties, a hard won thoughtful decision in a family that voted the Tory deferential vote.

    I believe this is the most important election in my lifetime, I hesitate to make it more dramatic than that, but inside I feel its importance. And here's the thing, I have no idea how to use my vote wisely, I simply do not know who to vote for.

    I shudder in disbelief still that our nation could invade a country that had made no aggressive move against another and call it just, no matter that it was led by an unjust leader who may have been developing WMD. Saddam Hussein was not alone in that. So guilty without proof was what took us into Iraq. And now with the Home Arrest Bill we can each be incarcerated without trial, merely on the suspicion of terrorist activity. Guilty without proof or trial.

    I was in Salisbury last week, and was choked up in front of the Magna Carta where the right to a...

    Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by Thorgrim on Friday, 29 April 2005
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    Agreed, but how to use the vote wisely? Tories, despite their outraged hypocrisy, would have gone to war even quicker than Blair.
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    Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by creators on Friday, 29 April 2005
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    You are so right Thorgrim. Some of us proles remember that this is the man who as Home Secretary wanted to remove the right to silence. He was also amongst those who voted for the invasion of Iraq, so he's out.

    Does anyone know if there is a way to vote 'No Confidence'? I've heard it said that writing this on the ballot paper means it has to be counted.
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by Thorgrim on Friday, 29 April 2005
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      It will just count as a spoiled paper. I can't vote for any of the major parties now so am going to vote Green. Although it will be a "wasted" vote in my True Blue area - at least I will be voting for something I can believe in.
      [ Reply to This ]
      Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by Bone_man on Friday, 29 April 2005
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      It's Greens for me too, I have to go where my heart and my head lead me. I am also aware that it is a wasted vote in our Red area, but its the only way people can start to make their voices heard. Its been a long road for me to wake up to all that is wrong in this world. And now I am awake, I can't go back to sleep. It is said that what has been learned can not be unlearned.
      [ Reply to This ]
      Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by Bone_man on Friday, 29 April 2005
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      Oh by the way, that was nicola not bone-man........
      [ Reply to This ]

Re: History lost in dust of war-torn Iraq by creators on Thursday, 28 April 2005
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No one can replace the lives lost in the despicable and illegal invasion of Iraq. What are antiquities worth over the lives of innocent people? History lies in the hands of those who have the power to write it, but lives lost are simply lost, and what does history have to say about them? If one antiquity bought a loaf of bread would you or I deny them that? But what are we to do with the real thieves? Eh?
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