So…how many artifacts were looted from Iraq's National Museum of Antiquities? Well, it depends not on which newspaper you read but on when you read it…
Looters at Iraq's National Museum of Antiquities pillaged and, perhaps, destroyed an archive of more than 100,000 cuneiform clay tablets — a unique and priceless trove of ancient Mesopotamian writings that included the "Sippar Library," the oldest library ever found intact on its original shelves. — Washington Post, April 18
Despite scattered rumors of artifacts turning up from Tehran to Paris, not a single one of the 90,000 or 120,000 or 170,000 plundered artifacts — no one knows for sure how many — is known to have been offered for sale anywhere in the world. — Washington Post, April 23
The museum was indeed heavily looted, but its Iraqi directors confirmed today that the losses at the institute did not number 170,000 artifacts as originally reported in news accounts. Actually, about 33 priceless vases, statues and jewels were missing. — Washington Post, June 9
U.S. and Iraqi officials have confirmed the theft of at least 6,000 artifacts from Iraq's National Museum of Antiquities during a prolonged looting spree as U.S. forces entered Baghdad two months ago, a leading archaeologist said yesterday. — Washington Post, June 21
Across the Internet, the actual amount of looting is being debated as proving something about the war effort. The anti-Bush folks have seized upon the higher numbers as evidence of incompetence or neglect or something of the sort. The pro-Bush people have decided that the 33 number must be the truth and are calling the anti-Bushies liars and all sorts of names for believing the earlier reports which almost everyone believed. And of course, neither group has any way of knowing which accounts (if any) are correct. Everyone's just grabbing for whichever news story serves their purpose and using it to bludgeon the other guy. And they'll believe what they believe as long as they live.