Some Reconstruction

Not only is the violence continuing in Iraq nearly unabated, but our supposed victories are crumbling.

Fifty-five people were killed today near a holy shrine:

BAGHDAD - A parked car exploded Saturday near one of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines in the city of Karbala as people were headed to the area for evening prayers, killing 55 people and wounding dozens, officials said.

And the things we've declared successful reconstruction efforts are in tatters:

In a troubling sign for the American-financed rebuilding program in Iraq, inspectors for a federal oversight agency have found that in a sampling of eight projects that the United States had declared successes, seven were no longer operating as designed because of plumbing and electrical failures, lack of proper maintenance, apparent looting and expensive equipment that lay idle.