Remember back in the beginning of the war troops were issued playing cards with the bad guys pictured on them?

Well, now that most of the bad guys are MIA or dead the Department of Defense has come around to realizing the importance of cultural sites within Iraq. At last! According to the article it was all due to the efforts of a group of Middle Eastern archaeologists who recognized the need to educate military men and women about the rich history of the places they are being deployed. Thankfully, the Department of Defense listened. I know it’s only because they hope to “win the hearts and minds” of the Iraqi people to win the war, but I’m glad that this one tactic will help to preserve some of the most important sites in the world.

In case you’re not sure why Iraq is important perhaps knowing it was formerly called Mesopotamia, also known as the “Cradle of Civilization.”

Here’s the full article from the American Forces Press Service with all the details..