Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bomber Kills 11

Gunmen killed Baghdad's governor in Iraq's highest-profile assassination in eight months and a suicide bomber killed 11 people at a police checkpoint on Tuesday in an escalating campaign to wreck the Jan. 30 election. The shooting of Governor Ali al-Haidri in a roadside ambush showed insurgents' power to strike at the heart of the governing class, raising fresh doubts as to whether security forces can protect politicians and voters as the ballot draws near. A group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, behind most of the bloodiest attacks since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, claimed responsibility for the assassination, saying its fighters had struck down a "tyrant and American agent." In a sign that violence could be taking a political toll, Iraq's president urged the United Nations to look into whether or not the country should hold the election as scheduled even though other officials have vowed to stick to the timetable. In Washington, the White House press secretary, Scott McClellan, reiterated Mr. Bush's call for a Jan. 30 ballot. "What we are focused on right now is doing everything we can to support the situation on the ground by improving the security situation and making sure that we can see as full participation as possible in those elections," Mr. McClellan said. [more] and [more]

• Pictured above: Iraqi security forces examine the bullet-riddled vehicle that carried the governor's guards. Haidary's convoy was attacked from several directions. [more]
• Blistering attacks threaten Iraq election [more]