Looting of the Nat'l Museum

There was plenty of evidence to support the idea that the museums holding the world's oldest archaelogical collections would be looted if the US didn't send soldiers into the area to protect them.

Several weeks ago,  on National Public Radio,  a newstory was read which referred to a letter written by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.  The letter had been auctioned off for about $250,000.  The letter had been stolen by a Union soldier after the war and the news story left the question hanging as to who the letter actually belonged to,   the US government or the individual who sold the stolen document.

It was clear enough at the moment that the story was intended to foreshadowed events that would occur in Iraq,  with regard to national archaeological treasures. Billions worth of items were said to have been stolen.  In fact, the entire contents of the museum were said to have been emptied. 

If the Iraqis did not place a contingient of police to guard the museum,  then clearly the United States military,  which claimed it could move about Baghdad at it's own will,  should have placed tanks and soldiers at the museum in order to preserve the collection.  Unfortunately,  the US prefered the items stolen.  Given that the laws of Iraq have to some extent be nullified by the fall of the government,  the stolen items will find their way outside of Iraq and more likely than not,  some items will be turning up at international auctions and in private,  underground market sales.  I think this is what the US prefered to see occur,  as the historical patrimony of Iraq will likely find itself in Western hands.

When the British were the imperial force in the land,  they enlisted Sir Leonard Woolley, an important archaeologist involved in some of the early excavations of the region,  to serve as Archaeological Adviser to the War Office, "responsible for the protection of the monuments of art and history in the war areas."    It is most unfortunate that the British did nothing to protect the treasures this time round. And what is thoroughly disgusting are the press releases being made by the US military to the effect that they will now crack down on looting,  declaring, in effect,  that they will now close the barn door after the thoroughbreds have been led away by theives.

KR