In Iraq, a female suicide bomber killed at least forty-two people near a mosque in Karbala Monday, while Vice President Dick Cheney was making a surprise visit to Iraq. Despite the ongoing violence, Cheney claimed the 2003 US invasion of Iraq has been a success.

Dick Cheney: “So if you reflect back on those five years, I think it’s been a difficult, challenging, but nonetheless successful endeavor and that we’ve come a long way in five years and that it’s been well worth the effort… I’m pleased to be able to return next week to Washington and report to the President that we are making significant progress in Iraq.”

Republican presidential candidate John McCain shared a similar analysis based on his trip to Iraq.

Sen. John McCain: “We find a continued success of the strategy, continued training and equipping of the Iraqi military and them functioning more efficiently.”