Actually, iirc, there was a big thing a few weeks ago about how Marines were rebuilding and repairing holy sites (like mosques and what-not) in some towns. Morale of local Iraqis skyrocketed, far more than could have been predicted. This is one of those cultural differences -- they really care about their mosques. While most of the rest of us view it as a building, perhaps even a nice, well engineered, pretty-looking building, it's a holy site and a symbol of their religion, so desecrating it is a pretty much unforgiveably crime.
Either way, Al Sadr's backing down. Be happy?
Dan