by the possibility of a US or Israeli strike against nuclear plants built nearby. I can’t recall al-Guardian protesting the building of nuclear plants near those archaelogical sites in the first place, but there you go. We mustn’t bomb them, BECAUSE OF THE HISTORICITY.
Somewhat related: David Thompson has an excellent piece on Tolerance & Respect
That’s no different than us building Los Alamos right next to…………an Indian casino.
Any chance that stuff (the artifacts, not the nuclear plants – I’m pretty sure nukes are covered in the Quran) is non-Islamic in origin? ‘Cause I’m thinking if they let the Taliban into Iran, that problem sorta takes care of itself. If you know what I mean.
Most of the archaeological ruins in Iran, e.g., Persepolis, the nearby tombs, and the Behistun inscription, all pre-date Islam by about a thousand years. Just to answer your question.
It would be a pity if they were destroyed.
“It would be a pity if they were destroyed”
It would be a pity if Israel was destroyed by an Iranian nuclear missle……
Well, more accurately, “It would be a pity if they were destroyed again – like into glowing micro-fragments.”
Todd–I think that Steve’s observation is dry. Having said that, wouldn’t it be a pity if they were destroyed?
Let me be clear, I’m not advocating their destruction – I don’t mind saying, however, that as far as collateral damage is concerned, I wouldn’t spare these artifacts at the cost of allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons. Nowhere near the sort of ethical dilemma that would be created, say, by having the nuke facilities built next to some grammar schools.
Having said that, my main point which was probably pretty obvious was that our enemies probably think this sort of discussion (delaying action in deference to some historical “stuff”) ridiculous on its face. I doubt very much there was any debate about the fate of those Buddhas in Afghanistan.
Todd, Dan: Well, I seriously doubt that we have to set up a dichotomy between nuking Persepolis and nuking Israel. Or to put it another way, I think that’s a false dichotomy.
However, I do believe that ancient archaelogical sites should be treated with great care. You know, things like the Turks using the Parthenon as an ammunition dump, the French using the Sphinx for target practice or the Brits firing on the Behistun incription are all to my mind deplorable.
I would say however the Persepolis was largely restructured during the Shah’s time: I don’t know how much of it is still original.
I was quite bummed by the trashing of Iraqi archaeological sites and the museums. Some people don’t care about those things. I do.
” Some people don’t care about those things. I do.”
False dichotomy?
Do you read what you type steve?
S’ok. We built the lab on top of an old boy’s wilderness school anyways.
Sometimes, when you’re sitting there taking the upteenth ES&H course, you can hear the cries of the displaced boys in the late ‘30s wearing their shorts in the wintertime. Spooky, it is I’m telling you…
tw: firm66. Yes indeedy!
They’ve already been destroyed, folks. That’s why we call them ruins, y’know.
Those darn wacky Mongols and Turks… Always looting and pillaging. The scamps.
Why the West (might) fall: a substantial demographic in England find the idea of protecting Persian ruins more compelling than the idea of protecting London.
take15 megatons and call me in the morning…
Not exactly. The cave tombs and Behistun are still relatively intact. I think the tradition is that Persepolis was burned down by Alexander the Great.
A noble tradition we’d be honored to continue.
That gives us plenty of room to work with. Let’s get crackin’.
One of the most interesting landmarks in Hanoi is the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s oldest university, established around 1070 AD. In one of its courtyards, you will find a set of stone tablets, each standing on a carved tortoise, bearing the names of the university’s graduates, written in Chinese script.
During the battle against the French, and the subsequent Vietnam War with the U.S., the tablets were encased in concrete, for fear of them being bombed. Now, surely if Ho Chi Minh’s poorly-funded government understood how to protect immovable treasures, the oil-rich Persians can take steps to protect their precious artifacts? Unless, of course, they are just using them as bargaining chips.
But frankly, I’m confused: what is the alleged threat to sites miles away from the nuclear power plants? It’s not like the U.S. would carpet-bomb the entire area from Flying Fortresses.
This is the kind of woolly, liberal thinking that gave the Neutron Bomb a bad name.
t/w hot 36. hmmmmyaah.