Picture: Reuters.I had fully intended writing about the madness that seems to have swept into the minds of some so-called Islamists, in particular the Salafists who were responsible for the vandalism seen in this picture of the British military cemetery at Benghazi. They even had the gall to film the destruction and post it on YouTube!
Since words have, for once, completely failed me I will write no more about those...
There are similar cemeteries in no fewer than 53 countries across the world, all under the management of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This was established back in 1917 and is funded by the UK, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa. The cemeteries are maintained in superb condition and those in western Europe - France and Belgium - are visited by many thousands of people every year. Gordon Brown, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, tried to reduce the payment made by the Treasury to the CWGC but the public outrage was so great that he had to give way.
The CWGC say that they estimate some 250 headstones have been damaged and the new headstones will cost about £200 each. Those in desert cemeteries like Benghazi are made from an Italian marble while others are Portland stone. All are carved, surprisingly, in France.
I saw this on the news yesterday. Very disturbing. My husband and I visited the war graves in Bordeaux last September to pay respects to his grandfather -- it was a very moving experience.
ReplyDeleteLook at a copy of the Koran in the wrong way, and you'd have your head chopped off!
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