"You finally agree that the Venetians, and others, were vandalizing the place and the Brits are the ONLY ones who came along with preservation in mind."
Lots of vandals, yes, but none on the same scale as Elgin. He did the most damage by far. He was ridiculed by the public as a looter even in Britain during his time.
Elgin had his detractors, of course. They are the same kind of people who work at the Washington Post and New York Times today.
Another factoid ~ the Turks sold Lord Rothschild the Golan Heights so he could restart a Jewish homeland.
Rothschild continues to have his detractors, and you oughta' see the gang that thinks the most important theing in the world is to give Golan to Syria, a country that never owned the place!