'Looted' Treasures Found In Baghdad

Independent (UK) ^ | 6-8-2003 | Andrew Clennell

[blam]

'Looted' treasures found in Baghdad

By Andrew Clennell
08 June 2003

Almost all the items feared looted from the Iraqi National Museum in April have been found safe in a secret vault, the US announced yesterday.

In a separate find, the world-famous treasures of Nimrud, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, which have not been on public display since before the first Gulf War, have also been located. They were found in good condition in a different vault, at Iraq's central bank.

US occupation authorities said fewer than 50 major exhibition items from the National Museum's main collection have yet to be found. In all, 3,000 pieces were still missing but these included such unimportant items as shards of pottery.

"Earlier this week, 179 boxes that contained the vast majority of the museum's exhibition collection were discovered safe in a secret vault," the US-led administration said in a statement.

American soldiers were accused of not doing enough to stop the looting of the museum when they entered the capital in April. Since then, there has been confusion about how many of the 170,000 pieces from the museum were looted.

It emerged yesterday some pieces were actually taken home by staff for safekeeping, and others were found hidden elsewhere, including the large haul in a secret vault.

The Nimrud treasures are a separate find and include hundreds of gold and gem-studded pieces from the ancient kingdom of Assyria.

Nimrud, destroyed in 612BC, was the second capital of Assyria.

[MEG33]

There's a couple of people I'd like to ping but guess that wouldn't be prudent....;)...Good news!

[Free ThinkerNY]

Don't hold your breath waiting for an apology from the NY Times, CNN, NBC News, ABC News, CBS News and their Liberal press lackeys.

[Batrachian]

Now all we have to do is find the WMDs, and the Democrats can go home and cut their throats.

[Billthedrill]

Apology? We'll be lucky to even read the story, period, much less an apology.

I simply find it wonderfully ironic that the "progressives," always at the forefront when it comes to bleating about human rights, seem to have ignored the fact that torture, secret police, genocide, and summary execution have ceased in Iraq and instead are concentrating on missing crockery...that turned out not to be missing after all. The current obsession on WMD seems to be another mechanism for evading the truth of the crushing weight of tyranny that has now been lifted from the Iraqis. You'd think at some point they'd run out of excuses. You'd be wrong.

[Navy Patriot]

Now all we have to do is find the WMDs, and the Democrats can go home and cut their throats.

Why should we make 'em wait? They rushed the "looting of antiquities" charge into print, let 'em rush this too.

[Justin714]

I guess this is not happy news for Peter Jenning, the NY Times, and the rest of the Left.
HAHAHA!

[blam]

"The current obsession on WMD seems to be another mechanism for evading the truth of the crushing weight of tyranny that has now been lifted from the Iraqis. "

A hallmark of this administration is to let the Democrats hang themselves. WMD's will be found once enough heads (Democrats) are in the nooses.

[Moonmad27]

Because of this good news for us archaeology enthusiasts, I'm sure the Smithsonian Magazine will print an update to its whiny article on the lost treasures of Iraq from an issue or so back.

[Free ThinkerNY]

Good points.

[Bernard]

So why would somebody take all that stuff from the museum to a bank vault, and then not tell anybody? Maybe we should check all the safe deposit boxes and see if the WMD just got mis-filed.

[Digger]

I heard that the story was all computers & records were destroyed. So possibly there were other items or perhaps the records indicated things more important that was not for public consumption.

[SunkenCiv]

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[liberalh8ter]

Now all we have to do is find the WMDs, and the Democrats can go home and cut their throats

Why wait for the WMD's? Can't they just get it over with, now?