Pentagon sends archaeological playing cards to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan

[RamboLiberal]

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The Pentagon is sending another deck of playing cards to troops in Iraq – this time showing some of the country's most precious archaeological sites instead of the most-wanted former regime officials.

Some 40,000 new decks of playing cards will be sent to troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan – as part of an awareness program so troops can help preserve the heritage of those countries, said Laurie Rush, archaeologist at Fort Drum in New York.

It's aimed at making troops aware they shouldn't pick up and bring home artifacts and also to avoid causing damage to sites – such as an incident after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when U.S. troops built a helicopter pad on the ruins of Babylon and filled their sandbags with archaeological fragments from the ancient city.

Each card in the deck shows an artifact or site or gives a tip on how to help preserve antiquities.

“Drive around, not over, archaeological sites,” says the five of clubs.


Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070618-1543-iraq-deckofcards.html

[Drum]

1. Uh huh...

WTF are they thinking?? :crazy:

[TheWraith]

2. My thoughts almost exactly--what the fuck?

Are they supposed to arrest the gardens of Babylon? 'Cause I don't think I understand their reasoning here.

[LibDemAlways]

3. A little late for that. Probably not much left of

Iraq's archeological treasures by now, anyway. Bush crime family has no interest in preserving the past. Their only concern is stealing the oil.

[MrPrax]

4. Too little too late....

The Taliban beat the US to these statutes...



Ah the good old days when white people cared about such things...some got positively red-faced and self-righteous when the Taliban destroyed their 'heritage'.

Little did we know that is was simply the beating of war drums by essentially racists who use the cheap cover of religion to mask their genocidal bigotry...as if imperialist give a rat's ass about history and it's creations.

[kineneb]

8. yes, the physical statues are gone

but the Buddhas are still there, we just don't see them.

The irony here is that Buddhists are taught not to be attached to physical objects, as they are ephemeral. I think the West was more upset than most Buddhists were.

[Barrett808]

9. A good demonstration of the lesson of impermanence. n/t

[fed-up]

5. bullshit-IMHO the real intention is that they identify potential targets :( nt

[aquart]

6. "A helicopter pad on the ruins of Babylon..."

Yeah, five years into a war, cards will be a big help.

[Barrett808]

11. I've often thought it was an ominous omen that the US is destroying the cradle of civilization

Can the city of 01 be far away?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. I hope this works out better...

than their College Professor-shaped clay pigeons.

[Occulus]

10. ummmmm

"“Drive around, not over, archaeological sites,” says the five of clubs. "

Well, DUH!!!

[Nihil]

12. Sadly ...

... "Fuck it" says the pissed-off grunt.

History? Who needs it? They never learn from the past so why preserve it?

:cry:

[rocktivity]

13. My mother would call this "closing the barn door

after the horse has run off!"

:crazy:
rocknation

[DrDan]

14. 4 1/2 years of shock and awe

and now they decide these landmarks are worth saving??????

[pokercat999]

15. I smell a contract for Haliburton in there somewhere.