So I've thought about this and I have finally found a reasonable comparison, we all remember Agent Orange from the Vietnam war, it defoliated the jungle and in a round about way turned it into a parking lot. Here's a site if you need more info. on AO:
http://www.lewispublishing.com/orange.htm
another
http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/
and another
http://www.lyghtforce.com/Homeopathy...ie_orange.html
Now I know this is not the same as the Shrine in Najaf, but if you are talking about American blunders well turning Najaf into a parking lot would rank right up there with the Americans spraying AO on the jungles, but also on their OWN troops who were in the jungles. Has America not learned it's lesson yet?
If more links are needed I have many in waiting.
Jay