Tourism in IRAQ?!?!?

[chilledice]

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | No frills tourism - in Iraq


Ok would YOU ever consider it? daang i never knew they did tours of Iraq! im not sure id have the courage if im honest!

Check out Hinterland Travel aswell!

[chilledice]

No replies? are you SERIOUS? lol

[bigglesworth]

Since Iraq is the birthplace of Christianity, and has a number of antiquities I would like to go on tour there, but would like to do when there is not so much war and fighting.

[chilledice]

I thought Jerusalem was the birthplace?

[bigglesworth]

Jerusalem, is where Jesus was born, according to history but Iraq is the center of Christianity. John the Baptist was baptized by Jesus in a river in Iraq, also you have to remember that 2,000 years ago, the land maps are not what they are today.

[redfyre]

John baptised Jesus (hence the nickname) in the river Jordan, which runs into the Dead Sea. The river gives the country of Jordan its name. Jesus traveled in Israel, Palestine, into the borders of Jordan, and possibly into Egypt as a baby (scholars are still arguing the precise destination). He never went to Iraq. Iraq was part of the Byzantine Empire, which was an early Eastern Christian state, that later collapsed and disappeared. Contemporary western Christianity traces its roots to the church founded by Peter the apostle (Saint Peter, first pope, etc). Peter was also a Jew from Israel, as were the rest of the original twelve apostles. Many of the Crusades were centred around recapturing Jerusalum, which was considered the birthplace of Christianity.

[bigglesworth]

I mispoke, forgive me Redfrye, when I said it is the birthplace of Christanity, it is actually the cradle of civilization. That is what my orignal thought was, sorry for this miss information, I do know that the did do a lot of Baptisims in the Eurphrates River which is in Iraq.

I would still like to see all the places and see the antiquities that are left since the pillaging of them at the start of the war there.


Iraq is called the “Cradle of Civilization,” as evidence has been found there for the earliest writing system, urban centers, literature, metallurgy, science, medicine and business, as reflected in the Bible (Genesis 2:14; 4:21–22; 10:10–11; 11:1–5). Our modern culture has its roots in ancient Iraq.

[sonia]

In ancient times Iraq was in an area known as Mesopotamia which has been called 'the cradle of civilisation' because agriculture and animal herding developed there earlier than anywhere else. Apparently by 3000BC the Mesopotamians had invented the wheel, developed writing and created the world's first cities. The hanging gardens of Babylon - one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world - were said to be built in this wonderful and beautiful part of the world I believe.

[matt_sabbath_684]

The founding of Iraq as a country, as it is recognized today I believe was a collaborative effort between the United States and Great Brittan who at the time had a major stake in the territory. If im not mistaken this happened in the 40's or the 50's, anyway the purpose was to have an actual functioning nation from which we could buy oil... As opposed to participating in several decades of a joint military occupation in the region. Thus also meaning the powers that be (at the time) wanted a "Puppet Government/Nation" in the region to control the oil reserves.

Just figured I'd share that bit of history.

[houstoncougar]

Thanks everyone for the mini history and religion lessons but as for the actual op question... would I go to Iraq as a tourist? Ah that's a big hell no! From what I have been told by friends who served over there and what I have seen in pictures there are many other places I would much rather visit for a vacation. History and religion aside it really doesn't look like much "fun".