OT OT
Re: We sure as hell didn't care about the historical artifacts dating back to the begining of civilization, which were housed in a museum in Baghdad.
Quite to the contrary, prior to the looting, several influential "art dealers" spoke with passion of their jealousy that Iraq's Ba'ath Party had been far too protective of the antiquities of Mesopotamia. These dealers, often very well connected to the Republican and Likud Parties, have been given a fabulous opportunity, not unlike that offered to the German high command when they looted the museums of France, Holland, Belgium, etc.
The operation was a near complete success. Hundreds of lusted-after artifacts are circulating in Western black markets for stolen art.
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Here's a neat trick:
seattlepi.nwsource.com
A Marine "mule" brings antiquities into the U.S. and when it is discovered, the stamps go into a "permanent loan" status to a U.S. university instead of being returned to their rightful owners. Pretty slick, pretty sleazy.
There is a famous museum of Byzantine art in Venice, Italy that exists because of the Roman Catholic Sack of Constantinople in 1204 A.D. The pillaged art work was considered a war trophy by the Doge, and proudly displayed.
"Plus Ca Change, Plus C'est La Meme Chose" |
