U.S. BUNGLING LOSES HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

Much anger has been directed at U.S. troops, who stood by and watched as Iraq's treasures were carted off. In Washington, the three members of the White House Cultural Property Advisory Committee said they resigned in disappointment that the U.S. military failed to protect Iraq's historical treasures. "The tragedy was not prevented, due to our nation's inaction," Martin E. Sullivan, the committee's chairman, wrote in his letter of resignation.

This is pretty damned irresponsible. American forces easily managed to secure the Iraqi Ministry of Oil from looters; it seems reasonable to assume they could have sent some men to protect these priceless artifacts. Not about oil, indeed. Meanwhile, Rumsfeld jokes about it: "'I mean, how many vases do they have in there?" Rumsfeld asked, drawing laughter from reporters." He's lauging about objects from the very dawn of human civilization. Their value is not measurable; these artifacts are history. According to last night's Nightline, some scholars have literally wept about this loss.

Sigh. Just another outrage.

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