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Abstract

The argument for protecting artifacts in Iraq takes on added strength when the United States recognizes that the country is where it is today not just because of its failure to provide sufficient security to overcome the long-festering tribal and religious animosities, but also because of its continuing failure to appreciate the importance Iraqis place on the preservation of their history. This failure to protect a rich heritage going back to the dawn of civilization has convinced many in Iraq and the Middle East that the U.S. does not care about any culture other than its own. And their belief is continually reinforced: four years after the initial looting - and despite having recovered almost 6,000 antiquities since then - the U.S. cannot keep pace with the artifacts that are being looted every day.

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