By now you have heard, ad nauseum, all the details of the non-looting of the museum in Baghdad. Here is an extra little piece of info that you perhaps had not heard before:
How much was taken is a matter of heated debate. The museum’s director of research, Donny George, told all who would listen that an astonishing 170,000 objects — almost the museum’s entire collection — was gone, a historic cultural loss. Mr. George accused American soldiers of turning a blind eye.
Now, it seems most valuable objects were taken out of the museum for safekeeping before the war began. While there was looting in the chaotic days that followed, Mr. George seems to have overstated the extent of it — and neglected to mention that one reason the Americans didn’t defend the museum was that it was apparently being used as a base by Iraqi snipers.
Ahh, the press.
(via Instapundit)
MommaBear
In another report of recent days, there was serious mention of Mr. George being asked to consider resigning, as the truly missing items [those of GREAT value] seem to have gone missing on his watch PRIOR to the start of the war.
Barney Gumble
You: “non-looting”
Your link: “While there was looting in the chaotic days that followed…”
Are you just counting on us not to read you links?
Between this and the Palast article-you don’t care about the truth, do you John?
U.S. and Iraqi officials have confirmed the theft of at least 6,000 artifacts from Iraq’s National Museum of Antiquities…
And, what kind of Iraqi name is “Donny George”? Is someone pulling our legs?
Robin Roberts
Barney, since John actually quoted that line in the posting, your little insinuation looks as silly as usual.
Barney Gumble
Maybe John is like the Green Goblin in Spiderman, like he has two personalities and doesn’t know it? That’s the only way I can see that he could put “non-looting” and “looting” so close to each other without noticing.
Watcher
Uh… let me help you out Barney. The “non-looting” refers to the media hoax about the 170,000 artifacts being stolen and all that garbage about guarding the oil ministry instead of the museum.
John Cole
Thanks Watcher.
Barney Gumble
THE MUSEUM LOOTING: THE NINE STEP REPUBLICAN PROGRAM
1. The museum gets looted.
2. Some reporter sees their collection is listed having 170,000 items.
3. Whether it was ever claimed 170,000 were destroyed originally is unclear; qualifying adjectives like ‘presumed’, ‘alleged’, and ‘suspected’ are usually the first to go in the retelling.
4. Hooray! Some things were saved. There’s even the (I think preposterous) claim that only 33 items are lost.
5. Rightards cling to this factoid like a drowning man clings to a straw.
6. Suddenly the black hole collapses: The Iraqi National Museum becomes the only looting incident; the 33 items missing are the only lost items.
7. All the other museums and libraries cease to exist, all the looting they saw on their own TV’s fades from memory, and all new data is excluded that doesn’t re-enforce their conclusions.
8. Engage in a mutual masturbation session with fellow rightards to expand and solidify the group think. Howie Kurtz says it, it must be so.
9. Wait for your next instructions over the AM radio.
David Perron
10. If you’re a Loony Leftist, have the point miss you by about 35,000 feet, vertically.
erotic rape stories
Interfice errorem, diligere errantem – Kill the sin, love the sinner. (St. Augustine)