How the Saudis ended up with so many American weapons

Saudi Arabia and the US have a partnership that's been in the making for over seven decades. It started after World War II and survived the Iranian Revolution, the Cold War, the Gulf War, September 11, and the proliferation of conflicts across the Middle East. This whole time, the US has been selling weapons to Saudi Arabia -- now its number one customer. Saudis bought bombs, tanks, guns, and planes over the years to defend themselves from various threats. The US supplied those weapons because the Saudi’s threats have usually been a threat to the US as well. Today, there's a shift in the relationship. Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen has created the worst humanitarian disaster in the world - and thrown the Middle East into chaos. The problem is, the Saudis are using US bombs to do it.

Shattered heritage

The 1991 and 2003 attacks on Iraq destroyed museums, libraries, theatres and heritage sites.

Media coverage of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 focused on security, political, and economic impacts. But it neglected the destruction of Iraq’s heritage. This documentary focuses on the damage done to Iraqi art, music, theater, publishing houses, cultural institutions, as well as the looting of its antiquities.

The United States and its allies ignored the warnings of organizations and scholars concerning the protection of Iraq's cultural heritage, including museums, libraries, archaeological sites and other precious repositories. Arsonists badly burned the National Library and looters pillaged the National Museum. They also damaged or destroyed many historic buildings and artifacts. Coalition forces destroyed or badly damaged many historic urban areas and buildings, while thieves ruined thousands of unique, unprotected archeological sites.