A suicide car bomber has struck outside an Iraqi hospital south of Baghdad, killing at least 30 people and wounding two dozen others, including four American soldiers. The U.S. military says the hospital in the town of Mahmoudiya appears to have been the bomber's target, but he was unable to penetrate the outer security rim before detonating his explosives. South of Mahmoudiya, in Hilla, police say a car bomb exploded near some shops killing at least three people and wounding a dozen others. Elsewhere, the U.S. military says a roadside bomb killed two American soldiers southwest of Baghdad. Wednesday, three soldiers died of gunshot wounds. Insurgent violence has been surging ahead of the December 15th election for a new four-year parliament.