Awaiting the disinformation explosion...

[Dowding]

Criticisms of the American troops failing to secure the museums and hospitals from looting borders on the absurd. Just who anticipated that the Iraqis themselves would loot their own hospitals and museums? It's almost unheard of.

You what? According to Rumsfeld it was 'expected'. If it was expected by the Bush administration, why did they not do anything about it?

So either Rumsfeld was talking out of his arse or the planners dropped a bollock.

Moreover, you also ought to check out how NATO handled Kosovo, where there were police and civil administrators on the job immediately.

Thrawn's criticism is typical. On the face of it he seems to be making a good point. As I write this it is approximately one week after the fall of Baghdad. One whole week later Thrawn and people like him expect a relatively small force of American troops to police the whole city, restore all electricity, water and services. Protect every street corner, shop, house and hospital from looters and thieves. Even Superman could hardly be expected to do that.

What is funny is that the oil ministry building was protected immediately after the troops gained access to that area. Hospitals were ignored for days, water treatment plants were ignored for days, the museums were ignored completely but the ministry for oil was protected immediately.

Surely that team should have been at a hospital or at least the museum?

PS. And before you try and make out I'm saying the war was solely for oil, that's not what I'm saying at all.

[GRUNHERZ]

Originally posted by Dowding
Moreover, you also ought to check out how NATO handled Kosovo, where there were police and civil administrators on the job immediately.

Not a good comparison, much smaller country, much fewer people, much less resitance, no month long groundwar, no 500 mile march, no removal of all security foces, much higher density of troops - not even close to iraq..

[OZkansas]

Originally posted by Lizard3
Of course, it was inevitable, but its started.

Iraqi's loot museum of ancient artifacts.
Iraqi's loot national library and burn whats left.
Iraqi's loot and burn Islamic library containing pricless ancient Koran's.

Heard it on NPR today.  A dude with an Arabic accent said that it was Americans. That if we didn't do it, we paid someone to do it.

It will get worse, sooner rather than later.

NPR=Blame America first crowd.

[lord dolf vader]

whole lot of YOU people screaming "with us or against us!!" is it really suprising that the majority of the world is against us?

[AKIron]

Newsflash Dolf, many of the world's countries, if not most, have been "against" us for a long time. Something to do with spreading democracy and freedom maybe?

[Wlfgng]

if they choose to be against us so be it..
at least we know who they are ....                

[AWMac]

fffreeze220 my Grandfather came from Breman back in the late '30s.  

[cpxxx]

Dowding, did you even read the stuff you quoted?

Rumsfeld was referring to looting in general not specifically hospitals and museums even if he does talk out of his arse half the time. Looting of hospitals could never have been anticipated.

As for ignoring hospitals for 'days' and water treatment plants for 'days'. Well the war didn't exactly end last thursday. Again you expect superhuman efforts from mere mortals.  It tough enough to win war in a country that size in a month yet alone expect them to re-build it all in exactly one week while at the same time anticipating every possible scenario.

Bit of a perfectionist are you? Try and be a bit realistic for once.

AKiron most of the world is not against you. That kind of attitude has gained a lot of currency among Americans lately. But it's not true and never really was. It's nearly as bad as the previous attitude amongst many Americans that the whole world loved you. The truth as ever is somewhere in the middle.

I would say though that most of the world does not like the current American administration specifically George W Bush.

[fffreeze220]

Originally posted by AWMac
fffreeze220 my Grandfather came from Breman back in the late '30s.  

Hey Is he still allive ?
Can u find out what part of Bremen ?

[AWMac]

He passed away 1970.  last name is Wrede.  But then again that might be a popular name around there.  

[fffreeze220]

Wrede isnt that popular like Meyer or Schulz eg.

[AWMac]

I had a Great Aunt Anna who lived there, she was my Grandfathers Sister. Don't recall her last name though.

[fffreeze220]

Would be interseting to know what part of Bremen he was from. Maybe right from my neighbourhood

[Arfann]

Originally posted by AKIron
The disinformation campaign against the west, and in particular the US, started many years ago in the middle east. It's much easier to subjugate a people when you give them an external focus for their hate.

And the disinformation campaign by the beady eyed little weasel in the White House and his buds has demonized all middle easterners, making them much easier to poof into non-existence, leaving their oil right where we want it.

[Arfann]

Originally posted by john9001
the artifacts are not "gone", the artifacts belonged to the iraq people , and thats who took them, if you would like them back in the museum, ask the iraqis to put them back.

Ain't a gonna happen. We done "freed" them to loot, pillage, and destroy. Back to the old warring tribes, unable to defend their oil from us sophisticated, well meaning westerners.