Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(May 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Prime time looting.
When the fighting in Baghdad started to come
to an end wholesale looting commenced, as predicted. The
world media initially focused on the rank and file looting
of general everyday objects of lower echelon value, but
refrained from reporting news of the ransacking of hospitals,
hotels, and even Mosques.
This was to come later.
The most important items of loot, which hardly received
a mention, were obtained from the Iraqi Museum of antiquities.
The raids to obtain priceless artefacts, which had obviously
been carefully planned in advance by experts, stripped
the museum of thousands of ancient priceless and irreplaceable
items. Some of these items, finally found their way to
the United States and Europe, and one can be sure that
they will be destined to be ensconced in private collections
and will never see the light of day again.
Warnings issued to the Bush administration by leading
American archaeologists that the sacking of the museum
was completely predictable and that priceless and irreplaceable
antiquities were being placed at great risk fell upon
deaf ears, or perhaps the saving of the oil reserves were
considered to be of more importance.
Mr. Martin Sullivan, chairman of President Bush’s
Advisory Committee on Cultural Property subsequently resigned
over the issue, saying that it was inexcusable that the
museum had a lower priority than the Iraqi Oil Ministry.
It has been reported that even General Jay Garner, the
head of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian
Assistance, (ORHA), was appalled that a request for the
protection of the Museum, (by coalition forces), had been
ignored. It was quoted that the looting of cultural treasures
would be an irreparable loss of the greatest importance
to all of humanity.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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