The Second Ashoura Attacks

They knew it was coming. The href="http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4148257" target="_blank"> Scotsman reports:...

They knew it was coming. The href="http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4148257"
target="_blank">Scotsman
reports:

Iraq partially sealed its land borders today as part of stepped up security
on the eve of the holiest day of the Shiite Muslim calendar as violence
persisted unabated around the country. Iraq's fledgling government is hoping
to avert the bloodshed that marred Ashoura last year, when twin blasts ripped
through crowds of worshippers at Shiite Muslim shrines in Baghdad and Karbala,
killing at least 181 people.

The precautions weren't good enough. According to the href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1489953,00.html"
target="_blank">UK
Times, "As many as 30 people are believed to have died in an
suicide bombing during Friday prayers at a Shia mosque in Baghdad today. A
further 22 people have been wounded, although that total is expected to
rise."

target="_blank">Ireland
Online says the attack was carried out by a 'suicide bomber',
and now a second
attack has taken place.

"In the first blast this morning, a suicide bomber killed about 30
people when he blew himself up outside one of Baghdad's main Shiite mosques
during Friday prayers, a National Guard officer said. The attack took place
near the al-Khadimain mosque in the capital's Dora district, Lieutenant
Ahmad Ali said."

These mirror the twin attacks on the same occasion last year which took the
lives of 181 people. Much of the press at that time reported that Iraqis blamed
America for 'failing to provide security'. A contemporaneous href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0303/p01s02-woiq.html"
target="_blank">Christian
Science Monitor article said, "many Shiites, reeling from the
bloodiest day in Iraq since Saddam Hussein was toppled from power, were swift to
pin blame on the US and 'outsiders.'" At the time the US suspected Abu
Musab Zaraqawi of carrying out the attacks. It will be interesting to see what
the reaction will be this time.

Although the loss of life has been heavy, it has not been as bad as the
Ashoura carnage of 2004 -- so far --  possibly due to the precautions taken
in anticipation.