This is unquestionably bad news. Here’s the statement from Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and General David Petraeus on the attack:
“We strongly condemn this morning’s vicious attack on the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra. This brutal action on one of Iraq’s holiest shrines is a deliberate attempt by al-Qaeda to sow dissent and inflame sectarian strife among the people of Iraq. It is an act of desperation by an increasingly beleaguered enemy seeking to obstruct the peaceful political and economic development of a democratic Iraq. “We share in the outrage of the Iraqi people against this crime, and we call on all Iraqis to reject this call to violence. We can not allow these terrorists to work against the interests of the Iraqi people who are seeking peace and prosperity for all.”
I’m sure Roggio will have some more information on the bombing later today.
