News – Cultural Loss

Two US Culture Advisors have resigned because of US failure to protect the Museum of Baghdad. I heard on talk radio that a third resigned as well. Lots of people are outraged that no effort was made to protect even one site, while the Ministry of Oil had a firm guard placed around it. There were only three sites that they ‘needed’ to protect to avoid this disgrace. The Baghdad Museum, the Ministry of Religion where ancient Korans burned with the building and the Baghdad Library that was also burned to the ground. The artifacts and ancient works lost there weren’t merely Iraq’s history, they were the world’s history from the very cradle of civilization. Where it all started. Slate gives a good overview of what happened and muses why no one did anything to stop it.

The FBI is now exerting effort to track down the lost Iraqi treasures looted from the Baghdad Museum. I wish them luck, but their effort wouldn’t have needed to be wasted on this if a squad or two had been stationed in and around the museum in the first place.

Kurds near Mosul handed over Samir Abul Aziz al-Najim to US forces. He was a regional commander or Eastern Iraq. US forces are seeking a truce with the militant Iranian Mujahideen i-Khalq in Iraq.

Iraqi diplomat to Brazil Jarallah Alobaidy keeps up the picture of Saddam in his mansion. As he says, “His future (Saddam’s) is still vague, nobody knows whether he is alive or dead, whether he is in or out,” Alobaidy told Reuters on Thursday. “Until now I do not know who is the president of Iraq, why should I change it?”

Indeed.

Iraqis in Baghdad are confused at who is in charge. Communications are largely down and with only one TV station, US and UK broadcasted, making vague promises of freedom with no details, one could hardly blame them.

Iraqi Shi’ites are still in disagreement of the future government of Iraq, most in facor of a democratic base, but divided on things such as the place of Islamic law.

Middle East nations have come together to discuss post war Iraq and to give support to Syria, who is now facing the public condemnation of the Bush Administration. They’re worried, of course, what will be done with Iraq and what will be left in the wake of an eventual US withdrawal. Justifiably so. They want the US out, just as Iraqis are starting to. The Iraqi people are saying what they want. Is Washington listening?

The young boy, Ali Ismaeel Abbas, is in better condition after receiving skin grafts in the Kuwaiti hospital he’s been taken to. His uncle, Mohammed al-Sultani, plans to take the boy in with him and his family once he’s recovered as the remainder of his immediate family was killed when a missile struck his home.

Add to that India’s PM Atal Behari Vajpayee going to Kashmir to seek talks with Pakistan officials. Perhaps the feud between them will be resolved peacefully. We can only hope.

Readme has a rather harsh criticism of the way Bush is auctioning off Iraq work to US companies only. It makes no logical sense for him to do so. Especially when it is just making us, as taxpayers, pay even more to clean up this mess if we don’t allow international companies to bid and perhaps undercut the competition.

Explainer tells you why White House Chief of Staff Andy Card is still called Secretary. With a bonus on what the Chief of Staff really does. We also have eight questions left unanswered about the Iraq War.

International Papers are all about the recent addition of 25 countries to the European Union and various aspects of the event as well as side events that mingle with it. Today’s Papers talk about the capture of Saddam’s half brother and the line on the US wanting the UN to lift sanctions on Iraq. Apparently Rumsfeld is thinking they won’t be able to find any WMDs without the help of Iraqis, since the Iraqi regime is just so good at hiding them now. How convenient, since they can’t seem to bring up the proof that Iraq has any. One wonders what happened to all that wonderful intelligence that they were so confident about. There’s also a note on Bechtel, first company to get one of the Iraq contracts and the companies extensive ties to the Bush Administration. Gee, never would have guessed that they have any.

After an adjustment to how the US classifies potential carriers of SARS, the number of potential ill dropped from 208 to 35. This new way is based off a key symptom of SARS, pneumonia, which only those 35 cases have. After stumbling out of the gate, looks like China’s getting tighter with the program when it comes to dealing with SARS.

Matrix: Reloaded is coming on May 15th, promising some awe inspiring special effects. Popular Science takes a look at some of the new technology being used to bring it to the screen. It’s going to be sweet, that’s for certain.

Lastly, a little note on the diary. I’ll he looking into making another HTML primer soon. So, besides what was covered last time, anything anyone wants to see?

Don’t forget to smile today. It’s good for you.

Smiling Kitty