Sarah Yeomans [Managing Web Editor/Travel Study Director, Biblical Archaeology Society]: "The recent release of UNESCO's Final Report on Damage Assessment in Babylon is a significant step in the right direction toward preserving the rich material culture of Iraq's past. Among the recommendations for archaeological mitigation in Babylon made by the ICC is adherence to the provisions of the Iraqi Antiquity laws, which provide for the protection, conservation and appropriate documentation of archaeological sites and antiquities. They are a fairly comprehensive set of laws aimed at preserving Iraq's cultural heritage and making it accessible to both researchers and the broader public.

Sound laws, however, are only as effective as the ability to enforce them. How the Iraqi Antiquities laws will be applied, and to what degree, was not addressed in the current report. Nor was there any discussion of how to fund the inherent – and likely substantial – cost of implementing these laws. Without a sound plan for the application and enforcement of these laws, as well as the procurement of the available funds to do so, the report's recommendation is meaningless. Such a plan will hopefully be forthcoming.

It is the hope of many in the archaeological community that this same type of assessment and mitigation process will also be applied to the other historically invaluable sites in Iraq, such as Nippur and Ur. The fact is that modern Iraq is the troubled heir of some of human history's most important empires. The ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, Akkadian, Assyrian and Achaemenid empires all ruled in this land, and their legacy has influenced some of the most fundamental aspects of Judeo-Christian society.

Protecting the rich material culture of Iraq's past is not just important for modern-day Iraqis, but for today's Western civilizations, whose origins are so closely tied to this ancient place. The ICC's report and recommendations are a good start, but there's a long way to go."