Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Iraq's looted National Museum reopens


The Iraq national Museum, which was vandalised and looted following the US-led invasion of the country, has reopened. At the time, US troops were criticised for not securing the museum. When asked why American forces did not stop the looting, Donald Rumsfeld, then defence secretary, famously said "stuff happens ... and it's untidy and freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things."

Director Amira Edan has said that the museum's first priority is to bring back antiquities that have been smuggled abroad. The museum estimates that around 15,000 priceless items are still being traded throughout the art underworld. Edan also said an international tour of Iraq antiquities may be planned and (surprisingly) that it would most likely include in venues in Britain (the British Museum) and the United States (Chicago's Field Museum). 
Image: A shot of the newly-reopened Iraq National, Museum