Thieves of Baghdad - Essay Example

hesis statement: In the work Thieves of Baghdad, Matthew Bogdanos exposes museum looting in Iraq, the effort to restore the looted items, and the global problem of illegal trade of antique items. The work is in the form of a firsthand account of an individual who is authorized to track down the antique items stolen from a museum. To be specific, Matthew Bogdanos portrays his own experiences in Iraq. His effort to restore the antique items stolen from the National Museum is an important part of the work’s plot.

Besides, the work helps the readers to identify the hidden facts behind the archaeological and historical importance of the National Museum in Baghdad. Besides, Bogdanos helped the National Museum authorities to regain some of the valuable antique items stolen from the museum. In the work, the author portrays the problems faced by the investigators within the context of the unlawful trade of antique objects. So, the plot of the work is interconnected with the problems faced by the National Museum in Iraq and the global problem of the illegal trade of antique items.

The issue of museum looting in Iraq is another theme made use by the author in the work. At the same time, the author criticizes the US forces in Iraq for ignoring the problem of museum looting. During the incident, the compound of the National Museum was under the control of Iraqi forces. Rothfield made clear that “In turning the museum into a military position, the Iraqis had violated the absolute prohibition against using protected cultural sites for military purposes” (90). As the National Museum compound was under the control of the Iraqi forces, there existed less scope to protect the valuable items displayed at the museum.

The US decision to attack the Iraqi forces at the National Museum compound helped the illegal traders to loot the museum. Kelly and Thomas made clear that “An investigation headed by Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, USMC, concluded that 40 items were stolen from the