Re: Re: Gee this will convince everyone

From: mayhem <meurtre_at_earthlink.net_at_hypermail.org>
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 16:53:15 -0700

Ring the division bell folks.




--- In OliveStarlightOrchestra_at_yahoogroups.com, mayhem <meurtre_at_e...>
wrote:


>>> And who will buy it back and why buy back stolen artifacts?

>> Powell said we'd buy back as many as we could. Because, for
>> invading conquerers who only care about ooiiill, we're pretty
>> moral.
>
>
> It's only taxpayer money and we know how moral our government is with
> that. But, hey, why don't the Iraqi's use the oil money? Oh, it's all
> going for food - right, sure!

I don't believe that for a moment. The oil-for-food program is a crock
(like a handful of things administered by the U.N.). That oil needs to
be turned over to the Iraqi people--and soon.

>>> Heck,
>>> unless the Baghdad Museum has extensive descriptions of every
> piece
>>> stolen it is most *unlikely* the loot will ever be recovered by us
> or
>>> Iraq.
>
>> Um. Most museums have their holdings catalogued.
>
> Most, not all and it's still no guarantee of safe returns. Go to
> Berlin to the Pergamon Museum - nice collection of Babylonian
> artifacts. No chance of them being returned to Iraq any time soon.

Actually, I've heard that suggested: that Western museums with treasures
from that time give them or loan them to Iraq.

>>> Private collectors who can afford professional thieves can
>>> afford to keep these things hidden as well.
>
>> OTOH, money talks.
>
> Sure does. Hey, why don't we buy the info about where the loot is and
> while we're at it we can buy info about the Iraqi Weapons of Mass
> Destruction and the whereabouts of Bin Laden...

I'll bet the spooks and Special Ops guys are doing all those things at
this very moment. Though they won't need cash for all of it: some people
actually want to tell us stuff.


>>> (I'll bet Bill Gates gets some large packages from Baghdad in the
> next
>>> few days. That bastard! Keep all rich people under surveillance!)
>
>>> If Iraq wants some really good treasure of theirs back they should
>>> call the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.
>
>>> BTW, the lack of looting in Europe may have been due to lack of
> total
>>> infrastructure collapse. They weren't invaded - EXCUSE ME! -
> liberated
>>> by an outside country entering guns a-blazing. Makes a difference.
>
>
>
>> To say that infrastructure collapsed in Baghdad last week, but
> didn't
>> in Europe after WWII is to have it bass-ackwards. Hell, the only
> reason
>> the power went off is because the Ba'athists turned it off. They've
> got
>> running water, electricity and everything. Contra '91.
>
>> Europe wasn't invaded, "guns a-blasing"? Then what do you call Omaha
> Beach?
>
>
>> Just a pleasure outing?
>
>
> I was thinking of more recent European regime changes. WW2 Europe to
> the current Iraq spectacle is not quite comparable. We can argue the
> most ridiculous points 'til we're blue in the face but you actually
> called it earlier: essentially you trust what our government is doing.
> I don't. Sure, our government may be one of the better ones around but
> that's rather scary considering how corrupt it is with lobbyists,
> cronyism, greed, and other nasty shit. Our government could be so much
> better...
>
> So ring the division bell and let loose the dogs of war.

I don't *totally* trust what any government does. After all, power
corrupts. But I do think the regime change in Iraq has largely been
a good thing--so far. However, I want a democracy there, and I'll be
very upset it that doesn't happen.

Pleasure arguing with you. I'll get to David's stuff later--I hope.

--J







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Received on 2003-04-18 16:53:54