Government Moves on Mummy Mask

In a series of court filings, the US Government has confirmed the Saint Louis Museum of Art's suspicions that it seeks forfeiture of the Ka Nefer Nefer mummy mask as "stolen" Egyptian cultural property. See
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_98d72244-9976-5b8a-a73d-5c211c6a771b.html

One wonders why the Obama Justice Department is so keen on representing the interests of the Egyptian Government (as espoused by repatriation happy former Antiquities Minister Hawass) rather than letting the Egyptians themselves file suit against the museum if they really think they have a valid claim.

Meanwhile, there is no indication that the Obama Justice Department (or anyone else for that matter) is keen on investigating whether the U.S. taxpayer was ripped off by sticky-fingered Egyptian officials with regard to the millions upon millions spent in supporting Egyptian archaeology. See
http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2011/03/egyptian-authorities-investigate-hawass.html

In my opinion, scarce prosecutorial resources should used for that first.