] Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld yesterday rejected
] charges that the US military was to blame for the looting
] by Iraqis of priceless treasures from the antiquities
] museum in Baghdad.
]
] Rumsfeld expressed sympathy over the plunder of the Iraqi
] National Museum last week, when US troops stood by as
] looters walked off with antiquities or smashed what they
] could not steal.
]
] But he denied at a Pentagon briefing that the war plan
] for Iraq had not adequately prepared for such a threat.
]
] "Looting is an unfortunate thing. Human beings are not
] perfect," Rumsfeld said. "No one likes it. No one allows
] it."
]
] But he added: "To the extent it happens in a war zone,
] it's difficult to stop."