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Nothing Sacred

The British Museum's director of its Anicent Near East operations has filed a scathing report of how American and Polish military forces have damaged the ancient city of Babylon. There was not much the US could do after Abu Ghraib to damage our reputation more. This, however, probably will.

Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz was quick to point out that money for Iraq's reconstruction was not necessarily the US's monetary problem. Wolfwitz was convinced the Iraqis would pay for it themselves. Most of this centered around exporting oil. But few if any people have pointed out that oil revenue, even with an optimal security situtation, would probably not generate enought money to reconstruct Iraq. Even if the Iraqi people had welcomed us as "liberators", the US would have still had to grapple with economic redevelopment.

For there are not only oilfields in Iraq but factories for steel and textiles, vast tracts of date orchards and sugar farms, not to mention schools, roads, and other infrastructure to support the service sector. But because of Saddam Hussein's authortarian regime, not much tourism. So whether the US likes it or not, tourism is crucial to the future of a stable and safe Iraq. The country has fascinating ecological sights, such as the "Garden of Eden" marshland near Basra. It has a warm and sunny climate. But most of all, Iraq has very unique archeological sites like Babylon.

Damaging and pirating historical treasures is culturally insensitive and helps demonize the US abroad as heathens to which nothing is sacred. But it also demonstrates that the Bush Administration has no clue how it's going to ressurrect the Iraqi economy and ensure political stability for the future.



posted by Thomas at 4:47 PM 0 comments