Should Egypt stop being so polite and request all Egyptian artefacts back…same with Greece?
No, I don’t think these countries have a legal basis for their requests. They like to claim these artifacts were stolen, but at the time they were removed it was legal. For them to say, “That’s ours, we want it back” is just silly. Simply because they used to own it, doesn’t give them any right to now. I’m sure England would love to say “We want America back, it was stolen from us.” You simply can’t use modern situations to reverse history just because it would be better for you. Especially if you’re going to ask for a free ride. If the Egyptian government would buy back these artifacts, they’d have a better chance, but they want the British to just give it back, and even pay for the cost of shipping. That’s just not realistic. I’m all for the preservation of historical artifacts, and maintaining the heritage of a nation or region. But you have to be realistic about these things.
