Too bad the French and German antiquarians weren't along for the ride to Baghdad (with troops from their countries, of course). We could have used their help.
I doubt the items are lost or destroyed. They are valuable. They'll most likely show up.
Maybe an investigation will have to come first. But, that's okay.
It's more important to assign the (finite number of) soldiers to protect people's lives and the records of Saddam's regime.
Historians would have a wonderful time in Saddam's archives.
I appreciate the sentiment, but we have troops guarding oil fields and hospitals. If we can spare troops for that, we could have spared them to protect Iraq's heritage and cultural treasure. Once again, my comments should be understood as assuming these initial reports to be true. I have some doubt and hope that they are not.