The Golden Dome: A Blast Too Far?

Will the destruction at the al Askariya Golden Mosque in Samarra today mark a turning point in in Iraq?

Most Iraqs seem to be sick and tired of sectarian violence, so one can only hope so.

Less likely is that the incident will end the battle of wills between Shiites and Sunnis over forming a new national government. It may even spark the full-fledged civil war that many have feared.

The mosque and its centerpiece "Golden Dome" is a Shiite holy site. Or I should say was after a group of men dressed like Iraqi police commandos set off explosives and pretty much destroyed the dome. The explosion, in a province with a large Sunni population, triggered other attacks elsewhere between Shiites and Sunnis.

Foreign fighters were likely responsible, and the attack bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda in Iraq, said Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie.

"They are really testing the patience of the Iraqi people," he said, calling on Muslims around the world to condemn "this act of terrorism."

Like I said, one can only hope so.