Today is the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I’ll bow to Guy at Snugg Harbor to honor the date and examine the horror here and here. WARNING: Guy posts that images in the second link are not safe for work, though I disagree. I put it at PG-13, and a must-see and a must-remember for all older.
Day: January 27, 2005
-
Italy To Return Ethiopian Obelisk
In post-9/11 America, much has been made of the appeasement that preceded World War II, especially the case of the Sudetenland and the Munich Agreement. Somewhat lost in the sands of time are the military conflicts in the years leading up to the outbreak of the war. Chief among these are the Sino-Japanese War, with the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and a wealth of atrocities that make Abu Graib look like a four-year-old’s birthday party, and the Spanish Civil War, the proving ground for the troops, equipment and tactics of the Soviets, Germans and Italians. Even more obscure is the invasion of Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) by Benito Mussolini’s Italy in 1935. That aggression may finally be finding a closure.
An Ethiopian national treasure, the ancient Axum Obelisk that was plundered by Italian fascist invaders in 1937, will be returned by Rome in April, Italy’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
The 24-meter obelisk, believed to be at least 1,700 years old, was split in three and hauled off when Italy under Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1937.
Italy promised in 1947 to return the 200-tongranite column, a symbol of the dawn of Ethiopian civilization, but arguments and logistical problems delayed it until November last year when the two countries finally agreed to fly it home.
[…]
Returning the segments of the monument and the machinery to put it back together is a gargantuan logistical task.
Landlocked Ethiopia has had to build a special runway for the only aircraft big enough to carry the pieces, the U.S.-built C-5 Galaxy and Russian-made Antonov 124. The Antonov was the plane finally chosen to bring the obelisk home.
It’s surprising that the massive artifact took around a year to remove and over a half-century to return. For no reason at all, I blame the recent resurgence of trucker hats.
-
Damned If You Do (Vote), Damned If You Don’t
I’ve blogged many times about the attempts to block the pending elections by the terrorists in Iraq. Election officials have been offed, polling places threatened, potential voters warned of death or religious condemnation. The USA Today has a story of some campaign literature meant to add to the intimidation.
It’s just a scrap of white paper, a piece of a poor-quality photocopy slipped under the gates of homes in the al-Salam area of western Baghdad. But it and thousands of others like it could have a profound effect on Sunday’s elections.
“God’s curse on this comedy named elections, this dirty game that serves the occupier and his bastards,” the note says, echoing the threats of the Sunni Muslim militants who lead the anti-American insurgency. “Be away from them and save your life. Being part in the dirty elections is considered a crime against religion, Iraq and the Iraqi people. Don’t participate in elections. All polls will be hit.”
Okay, we already knew where the terrorists, Saddamists and many Sunnis, who fear the loss of decades-long power because of their status as a minority, stand on the election. Well, there’s a little twist to this story.
The notes slipped under doors and threats scrawled on walls send a chilling message. Most are intended to scare people away from the polls, which is the aim of the Sunni-led insurgency. But Shiites may have also entered the fray. A note that was distributed in a Baghdad neighborhood recently threatens people if they don’t vote.
“In order for you to avoid doomed death and the hell for a while, we have decided to give you the last chance for forgiveness for your children’s sake,” the note says. “You must raise a white flag on the roof of your houses and must go on polling day to the polling center to vote for anybody.”
And you thought the Americans had a problem with negative campaigning.