ABSTRACT
Heritage is a component of a healthy stable community. It is important to distinguish between the survival of individuals and the recovery and survival of a community as a corporate entity after a conflict or natural disaster. Heritage preservation is a core value of Italian culture, and the Italian military embodies this value when they deploy. Dating back at least as far as the conflict in the Balkans, the Italians have an established reputation for respecting and protecting cultural property throughout and post-conflict. The importance of preservation of iconic and sacred objects has also been demonstrated repeatedly in a similar way in post-conflict contexts. Saddam's palaces offer a complicated example for proper management of cultural property not just during conflict but post-conflict as well. After the First Gulf War in 1990–1991, Saddam Hussein built over 80 opulent palaces in every major city all across Iraq.
