Soldiers sell "War Trophies" on Ebay

[melv]

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A year after the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq, items touted as having come from Saddam's palaces have turned up for sale on the auction Web site eBay.

The seller of one secondhand rug lists the previous owner of the roughly 6-by-9-foot piece of carpet as ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Customers can also bid on silverware embossed with the Iraqi army's crest and a copy of the Koran, the Muslim holy book, which is purported to be from a Baghdad compound.

A spokesman for U.S. Central Command told CNN that U.S. troops should have been prohibited from bringing such items home from Iraq. But the men selling the items say they had no trouble bringing them back.
more..
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/03/18/iraq.war.booty/index.html

**************************
Gee whiz, don't you think these things belong to the Iraqi people!?

[pinniped]

1. Some stuff they may have traded with Iraqi citizens...

but of course there is no way to tell.

Hopefully someday all the "looted" Iraqi antiquities will be returned.

[melv]

3. rugs

yes, I would have no problem with the ones who traded with the Iraqi people. But I do have a problem with the looting of rugs and various artifacts from the palaces. These belong to the Iraqi people.

[Robb]

2. You know how chidren behave

...when their parents are morons? Bad examples?

We need a new commander-in-chief.

[UpInArms]

4. here's the listing

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3710350091&category=2225

[melv]

6. we should flood this guy with emails

asking

did you obtain this legally?
was it a purchase?

if you just took it, don't you believe it belongs to the Iraqi people you "liberated?"

[PartyPooper]

8. Didn't Ebay ban Nazi stuff? If so, why didn't they ban Saddam stuff, too?

After all, they were both evil dictators.

[MrPrax]

10. Good Point...

And funny that a few here are willing to suggest that if they are 'looted' and simply 'sold' then it's OK...

Funny no one would suggest this line of reasoning if the articles in question were Nazi 'heirlooms' obtained by LEGALLY...

So if I go to Sudan and buy a kid...and OH forget it...

[pinniped]

23. I find it hard to believe that a rug from an Iraqi palace could be...

obtained legally. Something from a palace of the head of state should generally be considered property of the people.

IMO this rug is "looted" war stuff.

[PartyPooper]

5. Well, they're just following the example of their "leader".

Get yours...before the hoarders get theirs!

:eyes:

[melv]

7. I wrote the seller

we'll see what I get back!

[melv]

9. He wrote me back!

Here was my letter:

Did you take this rug legally(i.e., pay for it as required)?

If not, don't you believe this rug should belong to the Iraqi people and not an American citizen. After all, you went over there to liberate them from an oppressive regime. I think they deserve to get a little back from the man who kept so much from them, just so he could buy this rug.


His reply:

Hey,

I took this rug leagally and it went threw us customes!


My response:
forgive me. I just want to understand how it was legally obtained, and wondered if the Iraqi people sold it to you. Did you purchase it?

[melv]

11. next response

***edit*** what blows my mind is that this is the actual guy in the CNN story...

Hey,

The Iraqi people were sellin rugs lik this same one but for a rug lik this
they were sellin them for 15,000 dollars. My rug came from the palace and
there were only 15 of these and i fought for mine along with the others who
got theres.

Adam Dearinger!! (I desive this because i was at the front line of the war
and i seen alot of stuff and even took a hit luckily it hit my helmet, well
see you!!

[qanda]

15. That's so sad

I kind of feel sorry for the guy. If he's that out of touch with what is morally right, then there is little hope in getting through to him. There should have been a policy in place for soldiers to not loot the palaces. Oh well... :shrug:

[Ravy]

25. He is also selling a US Gov't shovel -- (n/t)

I guess he is following the advice... "When you find yourself stuck in a hole, the first rule is to quit digging."

[louis-t]

35. He doesn't sound like the sharpest knife in the drawer...

so hard to listen to someone defending their good judgment, righteousness and intelligence when they can't even spell.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

30. I think he should steal some grammar books as well.

[saigon68]

33. grammar books ? Hell, he's an Army of One

Glad to see fighters like him, are at the point of our efforts to make the world safer for democracy.

And he's really the cream of the Crop.

[Neecy]

40. huh?

How can you "take" a rug legally? Does this mean that I can go down the street and "take" someone's car? Or can I only do this if I'm an occupying soldier and what I'm "taking" belongs to another nationality?

This guy is one huge loser. I thought the military had a minimum IQ requirement? Don't you need to have at least the spelling proficiency of a third grader?

[henslee]

12. In victory, the act of taking something from your beaten enemy surely

has psychological implications difficult to understand whether you are the takers it or the ones on the sidelines, analyzing. War booty is an old tradition. It is obviously "wrong" but to have the moral fortitude not to do it when given the chance might be hard. Even the heroes of EZ comp diid it (final "Eagle's Nes"t episode of Band of Brothers, a doozie).

[madrchsod]

13. there`s a big problem

with this-if ebay can sell this stuff, what about other "war" trophies that are "sold" to the us troops,such things as ancient artifacts? i have a big problem with this since the bush slugs meant with a group of antique dealers wanting change the law making it legal to buy and sell Iraqi artifacts that would be on the market after the war. the Iraqi`s were still recovering loot from the first gulf war-there were thousands of pieces missing from the southern museums. ebay should pull these or the feds should look into this guys "bill of sale"

[osaMABUSh]

14. I wrote to the guy too - here's his response

MY QUESTION:

>To: [e-mail]
>Subject: Question for seller -- Item #3710350091
>Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:06:29 PST

>Is there any way you can authenticate this item?

>Title of item: Saddam's Palace- Iraqi Persian Rug, OIF, WAR
>Seller: dearinger2002
>Starts: Mar-09-04 17:04:14 PST
>Ends: Mar-19-04 17:04:14 PST
>Price: Currently $850.00
>To view the item, go to:
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3710350091



RESPONSE FROM [e-mail] :

Hey,

The rug came from the palace in IRAQ I am a soldier from 3ID in Ft Stewart
GA i was at the front line and that was how i got this rug there were only
15 of these rugs and i was one of the lucky ones to get one!! I did have
pictures of the rug in the palace but the cameras i got developed only 5 of
the 10 cameras turned out and the pictures of the rug didnt turn ouit i am
really mad about that. this rug is worth about 5,000 dollars but out right
im not sure how much the color is vegtable dies the signiture in the picture
is the signiture of the person who made the rug in IRAN

GOOD LUCK ON IT THERE IS ABOUT 45 PEOPLE WHO EMAILED ME TONIGHT !!

ADAM DEARINGER, (THAT DOESNT MEAN THEY WILL ALL BID THOUGH!!!!)

[monobrau]

18. Busted

My brother is a Captain in the 3ID based at Ft. Stewart.
I just forwarded this info with a message to act as he deems appropriate.
I'll post a follow-up if anything comes of it.

[madrchsod]

16. oh yes

e-mail ebay about the legality of someone representing this item as really coming from the palace ,who he bought it from,his paper work on this item from the customs inspectors.

[melv]

17. more items for sale

among those I found what disturbed me the most was Iraqi soldier gear(helmets, vest, etc). Did they pull these off dead soldiers?

[Muddleoftheroad]

27. Why does that disturb you

Haven't you ever seen militaria collections?

Swords, bayonets, badgets, pistols, etc. are all collected.

Maybe I'm just used to it, but it seems to me that you would want mementoes of a situation where you almost lost your life, yet somehow survived.

[melv]

28. it is against the law

to take something that you have not paid for. He did not buy this rug, he took it from a palace. On top of that, if we are going over there trying to liberate these oppressed people from an evil dictator, shouldn't the items Saddam lavished on himself go to the people that went hungry for it?

[Muddleoftheroad]

51. LOL

So now you wish to prosecute the entire army? How about all of the leftover WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Gulf I vets?

Soldiers take souvenirs from battle. OK, the rug should have never made it past security, but how do you know he didn't simply buy the damn thing?

[melv]

53. because

Muddleoftheroad- because he said he took it out of a palace. I asked him point blank if he bought it.

[Columbia]

52. Iraqi military gear

Was littered around the country. The vast majority of the Iraqi army threw off their gear and uniforms before the invasion and deserted. Thus, no, this gear was probably not pulled off dead soldiers.

[NNN0LHI]

19. As long as they ain't selling any Iraqi ears yet I won't say too much

These guys just believe in war profiteering. Some dead Iraqis, some dead American comrades in arms, but hey, I got a few bucks out of the deal to soothe things over is their attitude. No different then their Crackhead In Chief and his sidekick Chickenhawk Cheney.

Don

[roguevalley]

21. War makes you do crap things. My uncle made it from Guadalcanal to

Bougainville and was slated for the rest of the campaign when he got hit and was thought dead. American soldiers coming up behind him stripped his 'body' and took his pen and pencil set and his watch my grandma sent to him. Tough thing war. The first thing that goes is your mind.

[bedtimeforbonzo]

31. no ears yet

but it's only a matter of time with some of these killbots.

Then again, they'll probably keep they ears for themselves to jack off to, like serial killers have been known to do.

[saigon68]

34. Ears and tongues were collected in Nam

Hell, Dahmer collected testicles in a jar for "later snacking"

[osaMABUSh]

20. Here's the link to eBay to report a banned item

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/report_listing.html

I selected 'stolen property' then put in the email to ebay:

"Does ebay allow selling of property such as "war trophies" which may not have been legally obtained?"

[mike1963]

22. Here's an eBay page listing Iraq as an 'embargoed' country

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/embargo.html

I don't think this idiot has the right to sell this. (I reported it as a possible violation)

[melv]

24. He has relisted it

Here's the email I received:

Hey Everbody,

The persion Rug that i had on Ebay somebody complained about it and it is
now on ebay again under pesian rug from Iran the bid is started at 500.00
dollars and it has one day to be bidded off so hopefully you get your bid
and for the ones who wanted Good Luck the rug is one of a kind and it is
worth big i and the rug are the talk of the world right now so i am getting
emailed steady. The rug i will ship anywhere for you but if its over seas it
will cost more money, if you guys want to talk to me about it please call me
at home at 1-912-369-1946 or during the day cell phone@ 1-912-656-0854 Thank
You!!!

Adam Dearinger

[mike1963]

26. Now he hides the info where it came from, wants email to inquire about

"more interesting thingss.."
here's the new item number 3712468261

[Southpaw Bookworm]

29. Please tell me

That you didn't cut and paste that, and that a guy who spells that fucking badly is supposed to be the pride of our nation.

Might be interesting to forward those messages to Customs, just to get their opinion on the legality. :evilgrin:

[osaMABUSh]

46. I real "moran" I received the same email

[veganwitch]

43. now its "persian" (and isnt iran also a sanctioned country)

light is on, but no ones home.

[Columbia]

45. It is

However, true Persian rugs do not have a "Made in Iran" tag on them. A rug dealer/aficionado could identify it as such, but Customs would not without an identifying tag.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

49. What a pathetic two-bit swindling sleazebag

He's SO busted. I really want to hear from the poster whose brother is a captain at this morAn's unit.

[indepat]

32. To the victors belong the spoils?

[yellowcanine]

36. Any of them selling that enormous vase that was carted out of a museum?

The one that Rummy was ranting about when he was trying to put out the notion that the massive looting was merely a little "untidiness". He blamed the news media for showing the same videotape over and over to make it look like a lot of looting was going on.

[trapper914]

37. Since e-bay is a worldwide venture...

...what do you think the U.S. reaction would be if, say, a Lauri Piestewa helmet were put up for auction?

War booty or not, this makes my skin crawl.

[Nanski]

38. Someone I met at a party

said their son sent home a bong,Iraqi money and other stuff. Seems he had no problem sending it all home.

[Columbia]

39. That "bong" was probably a hooka

And was most likely bought and paid for. Iraqi dinars are also available in exchange for US dollars.

Any artifacts are forbidden from export. Weapons are forbidden from export by individuals.

Each unit is allowed to bring back one true war trophy (i.e. demilled tanks, AK-47s, etc.) with the discretion of the commander.

About the guy with the rug, I'd bet that he probably bought it off a rug dealer in town and just trying to capitalize off of the suckers on ebay who think it is really a "Saddam rug."

[melv]

41. actually, his words were

"they are selling rugs like this in Iraq, but I got mine from one of the palaces.."

[Columbia]

44. Yes, to capitalize on the naivete of the ebay collectors

Considering his "proof" was lost/destroyed, I'd say he's just trying to get more money for a regular old rug.

Just my thoughts.

[melv]

54. cnn

for cnn to do an article on the guy makes me lean more towards the idea that he is an actual soldier..

[Columbia]

55. I never suggested he wasn't

Only that he is very likely promoting the item as a Saddam rug to get more money for it.

[veganwitch]

42. sorta like the underground nazi paraphenilia trade

yee-haa!

[osaMABUSh]

47. This dude is selling all kinds of Iraqi War stuff

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewListedItems&userid=dearinger2002&include=0&since=30&sort=3&rows=25

Any questions? email [e-mail]

[madrchsod]

48. just e mailed ebay

about the rug and silverwear ,didn`t see the other stuff. if you know how to post this thread link you should put it up on general discussion so people tonight can tell him and ebay what they think of this..

[missile_bender]

50. I would not suggest it, but if I could see some malicious person

creating a new ebay account and bidding high on all the Iraq stuff, and then stiffing the seller, so that he may not profit from this outrage.

[PartyPooper]

56. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Rummy were bidding on this booty.

After all, there was a recent story that he had macabre booty from 9/11-including a piece of the airplane that hit the pentagon.

:evilfrown: