When he was forced to fashion statues of Saddam Hussein on horseback, the Iraqi sculptor, Kalat, had no idea that someday he would melt them down to create a memorial for American Soldiers.The two original statues -- which adorned a gate at the palace complex where 4th Infantry Division’s headquarters group is located -- were removed with explosives in early July, said 1st Sgt. Mark Anderson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
The statues were cut into pieces by the 555th Engineer Group and shipped to Kalat who reshaped the chunks of bronze into a likeness of an American Soldier. A small girl comforts the Soldier as he mourns a fallen comrade.
[snip]
The statue evokes emotion. The girl was added to the statue to remind people of why the sacrifice was made, Fuss said.
“It’s about freedom for this country, but it’s also about the children who will grow up in a free society,” he said.
Very fitting. The Geneva Convention allows soldiers to keep personal items of any captured enemy combatant or their facilities, so nobody'd better complain that Saddam's statues were dynamited, melted down, and made into this true work of art.
Although I am sure some asshat's going to put the missing statues on some list of looted art works. FOAD!
Hattip Rantburg.
Posted by ptah at January 8, 2004 07:41 AM