Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Hocus Pocus: Is all the Hype About Looted Antiquities Meant to take the Focus Off Hot Oil?

A cynic might think so after reading this from a well-known and controversial political operative.   In any event, it is indisputable that activists with an ax to grind against the antiquities trade continue to exaggerate the value of looted antiquities even though what hard information that is actually available suggests that  ISIS' take from antiquities sales and related taxation must in fact be a very minor part of the terror group's portfolio of about $1 bn.

1 comment:

John H said...

Hi Peter:

Despite what Warsaw's single brain cell and his bag carriers would have us all believe, ISIS's main source of revenue is OIL, not antiquities ... these were hi-jacked by the air-heads of archaeology for propaganda purposes as is now becoming clear. Hot oil-deniers must be exposed to public view.

The US State Department fell for the lie big time. US officials must now, I suggest, fall on their swords, though I doubt that honor - which I suspect is rarer than rocking-horse shit in both the the UK and US - will prevail.

We deserve better than these publically-funded oiks, though I live in hope.

John Howland
England