http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-iraqassess2feb02,1,5476635.story?coll=la-home-headlinesWhen two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside the offices of the two main Kurdish political parties Sunday, they not only killed scores of civilians but further crippled Iraq's move toward self-governance.
The violence will likely reduce chances of elections for an Iraqi government before the end of June. And the longer elections are delayed, the stronger the insurgents' ability to create instability in the country will become.
The insurgents' latest tactic is to strike potential members of an independent Iraqi government, among whom the Kurdish political parties are expected to play a significant role.
The Kurds, staunch U.S. allies for many years, occupy a semi-autonomous region of northern Iraq known as Kurdistan and are among a handful of influential members of the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council. They are crucial to Iraq's quest for sovereignty because without the cooperation of the Kurds, the country would likely splinter.