The following is a transcript excerpt of EMN Associate Director Matthew Hoh discussing the environmental impact of 30 years of war on the ancient rivers of Babylon, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the 98.7FM WTBR Pittsfield community radio show And So It Flows.

“Desolation is what occurred. This absurd comic paradox that war and those who are proponents for it exhibit…that some form of creative destruction is some way to peace when in fact, it’s the exact opposite.

People forget that throughout the 90’s, up until 2003, the United States was dropping bombs on Iraq every third day… 30 years of trauma.

The consequences to the environment…the inability to maintain, the inability to effectively utilize land and water, the inability to effectively clean it.”

Listen to the full episode here.