The other day I was reading the sunday edition of the "Milwaukee Journal" online and I came across a story about an area of Iraq called "The Marsh" which lies between The Tigris and The Uphrates Rivers. A group of Iraqi Arabs have called this area their home for thousands of years.
These people were also against Sadam's regime. Back in the 90's after the "Gulf war", the evil dictator decided to destroy this land area and drive out the people who called it home. He put up Dams and used massive amounts of Earthmoving equipment to dessimate the area.
Ok....here comes the kicker. This exact area is what many "Biblical Scholars"believe to be the site of "The Garden of Eden". I always knew that alot of the bible lands were located in present day Iraq and of course one of our earliest civilizations-The Sumurians-gave us most of western culture that we know today as our own....but to think that someone would purposely try to destroy such an important biblical, historical and ecological part of our earth....well that is just unthinkable.
The story went on to say that the U.S. government, along with the United Nations and other international orginazations are trying to refill this marshy area and bring back all the wonderful and amazing animals and birds that once called this area home.....and could very well be the ancient birthplace of all humanity.
The story got very little mention...it was towards the back of the main section on page 13 or something, which I feel is very unfortunate. Things like this need to be talked about and known about. There is something good after all happening over in Iraq and who knows....maybe that is one of the reasons we went over there in the first place. I couldnt think of a better thing to save.
The following is from the site mentioned below and I have included a link for those curious to learn more.
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BACKGROUND ON THE MARSHLANDS
The extensive marshlands of Mesopotamia represent a unique component of our global heritage and resources (UNEP, 2001). They play a key role in the intercontinental flyway of migratory birds, support endangered species, and sustain fisheries of the Persian Gulf. Biblical scholars regard the marshes as the site of the legendary "Garden of Eden." Historically they nurtured the culture and civilization of the Sumerians who produced the first alphabet and the earliest epics.
The current marsh-dwellers, the Ma'dan, are our only link with this rich cultural past. Following the end of the Gulf War in 1991, the Ma'dan were important elements in the uprising against Saddam Hussein's regime and the marshes offered a safe haven for the resistance. To end the rebellion and punish the freedom fighters, the regime implemented an extensive system of drainage and water diversion structures that have resulted in the almost complete desiccation of the marshes.
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A link to a site that talks about this project:
http://www.iraqfoundation.org/projects/edenagain/
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