But the destruction of the Samarra Mosque's goldendome reminded us of an issue that has had archeologists and experts worried for years: The conflict that is killing people is also dealing a severe blow to Iraq's heritage.
In December 2006, during the height of the ethno-sectarian violence that escalated in the wake of the bombing of the goldendome mosque in Samarra, the leaders in Iraq at that time, General George Casey and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, concluded that the coalition was failing to achieve its objectives.