A U.S. soldier stands guard near the Golden Mosque that is being rebuilt in Samarra, 100 km (62 miles) north of Baghdad in this September 24, 2008 file photo. A ring of scaffolding around charred bricks is all that now stands in place of the golden dome that adorned one of Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrines. Now, with violence sharply down and Iraq's coffers swollen with oil revenues, officials hope the mosque can be restored to its former majestic glory in a few years. Picture taken September 24, 2008. To match feature IRAQ-MONUMENTS/MOSQUE REUTERS/Erik de Castro/Files (IRAQ)
REUTERS/ERIK DE CASTRO