The Ashoura bombings

River at Baghdad Burning has a wonderful post about the attacks in Karbala and near Baghdad. I think it captures perfectly the sense of tragedy in Iraq, but also the way it has united the Sunnis and Shi'a, at least temporarily. This is not a reaction that I expected from the Iraqi people, but now that I think about it, I should have. Catastrophe tends to bring people together, at least in the short term. I believe that it is now in the hands of both the United States and Grand Ayatollah al Sistani to help this unity grow beyond the near term in a way that our president could not in the days after September 11. I think there is a wonderful opportunity here that must not be missed.

Robert