[Lauratealeaf]

It's a bit more than that. Mesopotamia, the old Iraq, is the very cradle of civilization as we know it.

Their past is, in many ways, our past.

It is also part of their future - tourism - which will bring a an ongoing friendly western influence to the new Iraq...

I know. I have a degree in Art History. But, I am a realist. Are we to worry more about the old civilization than the one that is to be? Do we have any deployed museum docents with guns to pound the looters? Wouldn't it be nicer to win the war before we start protecting the old Mesopotamian pots?

[Carolina]

The Beeb is milking the anarchy angle for all it's worth. Beeb Babe in northern Iraq saying that the peshmergas haven't left, there aren't enough American forces there...Geez.

We've learned to hate the word quagmire, I think the next word will be anarchy.

Oh, great. Now the Red Cross is appealing to our troops to do more about the looting.

[null and void]

No, but protect antiquties where we can...

[johnb838]

I think that a lot of this loot that we're interested will come back for a few thousand dinars. Or just a few dinners.