I think they are saying that they would prefer the artifacts to remain in the countries where they were found. Saying that the artifacts would be destroyed if they were not taken to the British Museum seems a bit too much.

It’s exactly the same sort of paternalism that tore apart the British empire in the first place.

You guys are too stupid to take care of this obelisk so we’re just going to take it. K bye.

Even if you’re 100% right you look like an asshole, and if you don’t repatriate it when the place has a stable government then you’re just proving your rationalization was fully self-serving.

An interesting case is the Pergamon museum in Berlin, which as an aside is an absolutely breathtaking museum to visit. Most of the big exhibits like the Ishtar gate were in place by the 1930s, where they subsequently experienced WW2. The market gate in particular was damaged by bombs and had to be restored after the war. That restoration failed due to improper conservation and more work had to be done in the 2000s.

As far as I'm aware, there's never been serious discussion of the safety of things in Berlin though. Considerations of safety really only go one way.

I will say that my ex was a fan of a particular Spanish artist, and she was very upset to discover only while standing in the Spanish wing of the Louvre that her favorite painting had been repatriated to Spain, and only some small examples of his work remained. Google was only an infant at the time, and learning about art history from a book has its limitations.

I couldn’t blame them for wanting a famous work back for their own museum, but it was a major bummer all the same. But Spain is not iron curtain era Berlin, or a tumultuous Middle East, so it’s hardly a fair comparison. It’s difficult to find a balance, but what we know of peak British Empire, from every emancipated colony, is that they just didn’t care.

People like to complain about how arrogant the US is and I just think of that old anti drug commercial, “I learned it from watching you, Dad.” Parents who do drugs have kids who do drugs.

Looks like the British Empire was proven right when you look at what's happening in Iraq now. The artifacts predate the people in the regions in many cases.

I don't think it is "a bit much"

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-is...

Iraq? From 1958 to 2003 Iraq preserved its cultural heritage fine. Then the UK invaded and the Iraq museum treasures were lost. The UK of course blames this on the Iraqis. The country is thrown into turmoil, to a tut-tut by upper middle class white westerners about how the Arabs aren't preserving their cultural heritage. This is why Arabs fighting against colonialism and imperialism fly planes into the Pentagon.

How about when Isis blew up those buddhist statues?

Assuming you're referring to the Buddhas of Bamiyan, those were blown up by the Taliban, not ISIS.

> Iraq preserved its cultural heritage fine. Then the UK invaded

If only it preserved human rights and lifes of it's citizens as fine. The only thing that US and coalition did wrong with Iraq was not killing off Saddam in '91 and leaving Iraq under his reign of terror for 12 more years.

Unfortunately, it looks like appeasing bloody dictators is a West's thing lately.

Why is the US responsible for Iraq again?

There are, in fact, a very wide range of options between "have the British steal it" and "destroy it".

The most likely option being "the British destroying a lot in order to steal a bit".

Destroyed like the English banning the Irish language in schools in trying to destroy the Irish language?

Insofar as radical Islamists, the English sided with and supported radical Islamists in Iran against Mossadegh and then against the secular left under the Shah. The English supported Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Watch Lawrence of Arabia, they do it and celebrate it. The English saving secular socialist pan-Arab nationalism against radical Islamists? Please.

The real destruction of artifacts was the destruction of Iraq Museum during the UK's unprovoked invasion of that country. Which they of course blamed on Iraqis. These people are transparent.

As a Gaelic speaker (Scot's Gaelic) I feel you on the point about Irish Gaelic in schools. It's pretty shocking how hypocritical and selfish the English government/crown has been throughout history. They can try and cover it up, but at the end of the day, they're really just stealing things and getting away with it cause they're rich, powerful, and militarily dominant compared to their targets.