posted April 14, 2003 at 6:32 PM MDT*Does Dick Cheney collect antiquities?
Cooperation for the Safeguarding of Iraqi Antiquities and Cultural Property "The people of the United States value the archeological and cultural heritage of Iraq that documents over 10,000 years of the development of civilization. In recent days, the National Museums in Baghdad and Mosul have been looted, as well as other cultural institutions and archeological sites. Such looting causes irretrievable loss to the understanding of history and the efforts of Iraqi and international scholars to study and gain new insight into our past.
[...]
In addition to the well-reported efforts made to protect cultural, religious and historic sites in Iraq, CENTCOM has issued instructions to all troops inside Iraq to protect museums and antiquities throughout Iraq."
[Rumsfeld / Franks / CENTCOM dropped the ball ... if they ever planned to handle it at all. Perhaps they were afraid Powell and EU / UN reps might manage some decency?
Vandals! Barbarians! 50,000 items missing or destroyed!!]
