The cultural rape of Iraq

[eridani]

http://www.truthout.org/destroying-educational-institutions-or-using-them-military-purposes-is-a-war-crime58159

But, now, I read in the UNESCO report 2010: "MNF-I, the Iraqi Army and Iraqi police units occupied more than 70 school buildings for military purposes in the Diyala governorate alone."<18>

This is only in one province. There's no information at my disposal about the other regions, but we can almost certainly conclude that occupying schools by occupation forces was/is a general phenomenon throughout Iraq. Where else would you station a one million strong army and security forces?

On April 11, 2003, a number of Iraqi scientists and university professors sent an SOS email complaining American occupation forces were threatening their lives.<19> The appeal message said that looting and robberies were taking place under the watchful eye of the occupation soldiers.

The occupation soldiers, the email added, were transporting mobs to the scientific institutions, such as Mosul University and different educational institutions, to destroy scientific research centers and confiscate all papers and documents to nip in the bud any Iraqi scientific renaissance.<20>

John Agresto, in charge of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2003-2004, initially believed that the looting of Iraq's universities was a positive act in that it would allow such institutions to begin again with a clean slate, with the newest equipment as well as a brand new curriculum.<21>


<snip>

In addition, The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict<23> (ratified by the Republic of Iraq in 1967) creates a clear obligation to protect museums, libraries, archives, and other sites of cultural property. Paragraph 1 of Article 4 notes: "The High Contracting Parties undertake to respect cultural property situated within their own territory as well as within the territory of other High Contracting Parties by refraining from any use of the property and its immediate surroundings or of the appliances in use for its protection for purposes which are likely to expose it to destruction or damage in the event of armed conflict; and by refraining from any act of hostility, directed against such property."

Using schools and universities for military purposes; destroying educational institutions and assisting in looting; criminal neglect when educational staff is being harassed and assassinated; dismantling the Iraqi education system; and active involvement in training, funding and arming murderous militia's ... War crime upon war crime upon war crime.

When will there be justice for Iraq? When will there be a serious investigation into these crimes by official international human rights bodies? And who will charge the successive Anglo-American administrations for war crimes and crimes against humanity?

[elleng]

1. No kidding! Remember Rumsfeld's 'Stuff happens?'

[Newest Reality]

2. Remember:

"We must practice over there, so ... ah ... we don't have to practice on them here!"

When will we be bringing the spreading of Democracy back home? It is working so well in Iraq.

[mwrguy]

3. Of course. They wer trained by the

american military.