Monday, April 14, 2003

ROUNDUP OF BAGHDAD MUSEUM COVERAGE:

These links have some commentary on the looting of the Baghdad Museum:

The Independent
CNN
FindLaw's Legal Commentary
Interview with Donald Rumsfeld which discusses the looting
The Guardian
The Washinton Post

They are generally much harder on the U.S. troops than I have been. I think I agree with the comment of art historian John Russell in the Washington Post:
"I wasn't there [when the looting took place], and I don't know what the situation was, but I do know what's at stake," Russell said. "The need for policing should have been obvious. If it was impossible to do, then I'm sympathetic; if it wasn't, then I'm really irritated."


There needs to be an investigation.

A small positive note from the Guardian article:

Books seemed to have escaped, and in a remote corner a few Islamic manuscripts and even some Hebrew texts remained unscathed. So too do the items in basements the looters failed to penetrate.

This is the only item of good news, though the museum staff were unwilling to say exactly what was saved, perhaps for fear of prompting more looting.


And, finally, some indication from Fox News that the situation in Baghdad is improving:
BAGHDAD, Iraq - With lawlessness easing in Baghdad, several hundred Iraqi policemen volunteered Monday to take part in joint patrols with U.S. troops to quell looting and violence in the capital.




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