The targetting of Shiites in Iraq has become
more pronounced in the wake of the Iraq election:
Eight suicide bombings in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq killed at least 22 people and injured 70 as Shiite Muslim worshippers around the country celebrated their holiest day of the year.
The attacks came one day after at least 36 people, mostly Shiites, were killed in a string of attacks. Saturday's bombings, during the religious festival of Ashoura, occurred despite stepped-up security around the country. Authorities had hoped to prevent a repeat of last year's attacks during Ashoura in which insurgent blasts killed at least 181 people in Karbala and Baghdad.
The issue of security in Iraq seems intractable at this time. When can American troops come home? Not very soon it appears.