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Date: | Mon, 14 Apr 2003 14:44:25 -0400 |
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When it comes to core historic preservation issues, this is an important
forum for communication. In fact, regardless of your position on the
war in Iraq, the United States was a key organizer of the effort to
replace the political regime in Iraq. An outcome of the war has been an
inability to protect cultural resources because of the void in
governance created by the US led forces. The US military has FAILED [as
in utter FAILURE] in its duties to protect archaeological properties and
cultural resources [see international expectations as per the Hague
Convention of 1954 -
http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/iwpList260/FF7F81319B1F96DAC125
6B66005D8A96; for an update on international concern see
http://cctr.umkc.edu/user/fdeblauwe/iraq.html].
The source of this failure is the lack of administrative oversight
(U.S.) and concern for the welfare of these significant resources. The
military works from the top down and ranking officers, including the
Commander and Chief, should be held accountable.
The international community had taken pains to make the US
administration aware of the potential problem but apparently those
concerns met with deaf ears. Clearly appropriate preventive action was
not taken. Hence, regardless of your political opinions, with respect
to cultural resources we have witnessed FAILURE to provide ample
protection for cultural resources.
IMO - histarch participants should be outraged with the inability of the
US forces to control the pillaging after US forces had unseated the
Iraqi regime - if you create a void you assume responsibility!!!!
Doug Armstrong, Professor of Anthropology
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
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