Why wont the British Museum give the Parthenon Marbles back to Greece?

Question: Why wont the British Museum give the Parthenon Marbles back to Greece!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The marbles were removed from Greece by Lord Elgin with the permission of the then government of Greece!. They wre subesequently bought and paid for by the British Government!. They were not stolen!.They belong to the British Museum, and there is no reason for the museum to return them to Greece!. Athens is fearfully polluted, and what remains of the Parthenon is rotting away, so it wouldn't do the Elgin marbles any good if they were returned!. Which they are not going to be!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hey, the British stole them, fair and square!.
(ok, not fair and not square)

Because they're the British Museum, and when you're the British Museum, you don't have to explain why you do things!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Because they're greedy and want to keep a part of Greece's history to themselves!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Because they want to keep them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com