But historically, our consciences should be full of the terrible things that we have done. The long and sordid history of destruction notwithstanding, there are efforts under way to protect the world's cultural and religious treasures. The United Nations' Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted in 1972, is dedicated to the protection of and restoration of historical sites, including many with religious significance. The United States, among other nations, has never adopted it. From a military standpoint, promising to protect such sites in a war, where mass destruction is common, if not inevitable, is imprudent.
Damage is sometimes inadvertent or unavoidable.
And she believes that had there been more of a concerted international focus on the problem over the years, the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan might have survived the Taliban. Their loss, Dr. Tarzi said, isn't just felt by Buddhists. After their destruction, he displayed a picture of the statues in his office. And for more than a week, he played recordings of Buddhist chants. He hasn't lived in Afghanistan for more than 25 years.