Iraqi Suicide Bomber Kills 36

A female suicide bomber killed 36 and wounded at least 50 in the Shiite city of Karbala today, even as John McCain and Dick Cheney visited Iraq to tout American successes in increasing security, reports the Los Angeles Times. A roadside bomb also killed two American soldiers on a road north of Baghdad.

The suicide bomber, a Sunni, detonated her explosives near a shrine holy to Shiites, as well as the offices of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The bombing occurred after McCain told CNN, "We are succeeding. And we can succeed and American casualties overall are way down."  At a press conference, Cheney said political progress had been made. "Without question, there has been dramatic improvement in the security situation, as well," said the VP. (More suicide bombing stories.)