Bye bye BABYLON

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4908940.stm

By Jonathan Charles
BBC World affairs correspondent


US marines offer Babylon apology..!


A senior US marine officer says he is willing to apologise for the damage caused by his troops to the ancient Iraqi site of Babylon.

US forces built a helicopter pad on the ancient ruins and filled their sandbags with archaeological material in the months following the 2003 invasion.

Colonel Coleman was chief of staff at Babylon when it was occupied by the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

Babylon's Hanging Gardens were among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Roof collapsed

Col Coleman told the BBC that if the Iraqis wanted an apology for the destruction caused by his men he was willing to give one.

The 2,000 troops who were deployed there did immense damage as they set up camp amidst the ruins of old temples.

A helicopter pad was constructed at the site. The vibration from landings led the roof of one building to collapse.

The soldiers also filled their sandbags with archaeological artefacts, just because they were lying around and easy to pick up.

The head of the Iraqi State Board for Heritage and Antiquities, Donny George, is angry and says the mess will take decades to sort out.

Col Coleman argues that whatever his troops did, the alternative would have been far worse.

If they hadn't moved in, Babylon would have been left at the mercy of looters, he says.




The funny is this comment?.

If they hadn't moved in, Babylon would have been left at the mercy of looters, he says.

Move where..? The Babylon stayed harmless for thousands of years, until they've moved in. !!
LMAO..

I knew it would happened sooner or later? it was just a matter of time? these idiots without a past has no respect for the history? and their commander saying "it would happen worst"

Most idiotic comments and insult to the history and mankind? who could be the looter..??


Certainly not Iraqis?..!!!

and for today....



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4177577.stm



Army base 'has damaged Babylon'



A double fortified wall enclosed the city, protecting it from attack


Coalition forces in Iraq have caused irreparable damage to the ancient city of Babylon, the British Museum says.

Sandbags have been filled with precious archaeological fragments and 2,600 year old paving stones have been crushed by tanks, a museum report claims.

The US Army says the troops based in the city, some 50 miles (80km) south of Baghdad, are well aware of its historical significance.

Babylon's Hanging Gardens were among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Cascades

The legendary gardens featured water diverted from mountain streams cascading down artificial hills built upon stone vaults.

American troops occupied the site in April 2003, initially to protect it from looters and vandals.



Excavations were done in consultation with the Babylon museum director and an archaeologist

Lt Col Steven Boylan

John Curtis, author of the museum's report, said this was "tantamount to establishing a military camp around Stonehenge".

"About 300,000 square metres of the surface of the site has been flattened and covered with compacted gravel and sometimes chemically treated," he said.

"This will contaminate the archaeological record of the site."

He added: "I noted about 12 trenches, one of them 170m long, which had been dug through the archaeological deposits."

Mr Curtis, who is curator of the museum's Near East department, also found evidence of fuel leaks.

Awe-inspiring

But US military spokesman Lt Col Steven Boylan said the base, which has around 6,000 troops under Police command, is needed to "further defeat terrorists and insurgents".

He told BBC Newshour: "Any of the excavations or earth work that we have done in order to do our operations... was done in consultation with the Babylon museum director and an archaeologist."

At the height of its power, Babylon was an awe-inspiring sight, with two sets of fortified walls surrounding massive palaces and religious buildings.

It became one of the most important cities in Mesopotamia, one of the cradles of human civilisation.

Iraq is home to 10,000 archaeological sites.



What can I say?

Indiana Jones stupid generation? SAVAGES a shame of the humanity..!!

Damn.. posted in wrong order?

The second one is the first one.. dated back to last year.. "Saturday, 15 January, 2005, 16:58 GMT"

And the first one is for today.. "Friday, 14 April 2006, 03:36 GMT 04:36 UK"



Apologising for the glitch.

Sorry?

🙂