I suppose I should by now be inured to the news the academics, NGOs and scientific organizations are often agenda-driven propagandists and not truth seekers, but this report cinches it:
A recent mission to Iraq headed by top archaeologists from the U.S. and U.K. who specialize in Mesopotamia found that, contrary to received wisdom, southern Iraq's most important historic sites -- eight of them -- had neither been seriously damaged nor looted after the American invasion. (Snip) The article has caused confusion, not to say consternation, among archaeologists and has been largely ignored by the mainstream press.
Stick claims of extensive looting of archeological treasures of Iraq during the US invasion in the packet labelled Afghan quagmire,Lancet casualty figures, etc.
You might be interested to know that despite being directly involved in spreading the disinformation about Iraqi archeological treasures, that academic community represented in the World Archeological Committee (WAC) is weighing in against any aggressive acts against Iran:
The members reportedly considered a lengthy statement urging colleagues to refuse any military requests for a list of Iran's sites that should be exempt from possible air strikes. Finally they settled for a shorter July 11 press release. Among other things, the final press release says that WAC "expresses strong opposition to aggressive military action . . . by the U.S. government, or by any other government." The release quotes WAC's president as saying that WAC "strongly opposed the war in Iraq and . . . we strongly oppose any war in Iran" and that "any differences with Iran should be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means."
It doesn't take much to believe that the grossly wrong early reports on Iraq were not the result of scientific error, but rather the product of anti-war (and perhaps anti-American) views. | 
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