Iraqi libraries ransacked by Islamic State group in Mosul

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By SINAN SALAHEDDIN and SAMEER N. YACOUB

BAGHDAD (AP) — When Islamic State group militants invaded the Central Library of Mosul earlier this month, they were on a mission to destroy a familiar enemy: other people's ideas.

Residents say the extremists smashed the locks that had protected the biggest repository of learning in the northern Iraq town, and loaded around 2,000 books — including children's stories, poetry, philosophy and tomes on sports, health, culture and science — into six pickup trucks. They left only Islamic texts.

The rest?

"These books promote infidelity and call for disobeying Allah. So they will be burned," a bearded militant in traditional Afghani two-piece clothing told residents, according to one man living nearby who spoke to The Associated Press. The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared retaliation, said the Islamic State group official made his impromptu address as others stuffed books into empty flour bags.

FULL story at link.


In this Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 photo, Iraqis look at books on al-Mutanabi Street, home to the city's book market in central Baghdad. One afternoon this month, Islamic State militants arrived at the Central Library of the northern city of Mosul in a non-combat mission. They broke the locks that kept the two-story building closed since the extremists overran the city in mid last year, loading some 2,000 books included children stories, poetry, philosophy, sports, health and cultural and scientific publications into six pickup trucks and leaving behind only the Islamic religious ones. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150131/ml--iraq-libraries_in_danger-62581f4dca.html

[iandhr]

1. ISIS, ISIL, IS or Daesh

Are the scum of the earth.

[kelliekat44]

2. What was left after the US ransacked their libraries and antiquity relics during its invasion? nt

[Throd]

5. I don't recall the US soldiers doing that.

Granted, they created the opportunity for others to do that, but what ISIS did is not equivalent.

[mallard]

8. As Below: None of this would have happened ...

... if not for the unprecedented US attack and invasion. Bombing the daylights out of Baghdad did not just happen to coincide with the raid on the national museum. Civilized order was recklessly sacrificed and has never since recovered. Convenient justifications at the time, including doing Iraq a favor, have all proven false. Realistically, IS is another by-product of the American Iraq campaign, and as such needs to be dealt with directly.

But the US remains unapologetic as if a matter of face or reputation. Now it even looks like the chaos, lawlessness and hazard were authentically sought-after outcomes for secretive policy makers - who aren't in least shocked by anything unforeseen - looking forward to a longer term effort at fighting the enemy they've not-so-unintentionally created. Great formula for now unstoppable terrorism campaigns providing perpetual anti-terrorism services demands and associated 'opportunity', with population control in general becoming quite a significant part of the wider field.

For the participate or circumstantially enabled armed opposition still holding major recent territorial gains, perhaps end-of-the-world thinking propels their own version of priorities. Only readily regarded as a force of pure evil, we're already bound to wonder how they can persist. People elsewhere will eventually start to admire them. Since this is not really the biggest sting operation of all time, it's just more foreseeable disaster being 'nurtured' to fruition.

If IS isn't the icing on the Neocon warmongers' cake; a magnet for Terror 101 recruits and trainees, why not just eliminate them?

[NBachers]

3. None of this would have happened if scum of the earth Bushco hadn't invaded Iraq

[FrodosPet]

9. Saddam would have lived forever if we had not invaded

And if by some weird reason that he did not live forever, his highly competent sons would have worked together to ensure the stability of Iraq.



(This is not about IF the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein would fall, but when and how)

[Panich52]

4. Debunks their supposed 'Islam is great' propaganda

Once upon a time, Islamic caliphates were centers of honest scientific study. ISIL obviously cares nothing about the religion they purport to espouse.

Wonder how long before FauxNews or Rush Limburger blame this latest travesty on Obama - instead of on Bush & Cheney where it belongs

[annabanana]

6. The destruction of libraries is ALWAYS a tragedy.

Who knows how different the world might be if the great library of Alexandria hadn't burned...

[MisterP]

7. repeatedly