Between the horror in Virginia, the hideous decision of the Supreme Court, the ongoing outrage over the US attorneys, and half a dozen other scandals underway, it's understandable that Americans are a bit distracted today. It may not be making the top of today's news, but Baghdad is exploding.
Suspected Sunni insurgents penetrated the Baghdad security net Wednesday, hitting Shiite targets with four bomb attacks that killed 183 people — the bloodiest day since the U.S. troop increase began nine weeks ago.... Nationwide the number of people killed or found dead was 233, which was second only to a total of 281 killed or found dead on Nov. 23, 2006. Those figures are according to AP record-keeping, which began in May 2005.
For the last few weeks, the Bush administration has twisted every possible statistic to try and extract some shadow of "progress," but today's violence should put to rest any theory that the massive escalation of US forces is the solution.
U.S. officials have reported a decrease in sectarian killings in Baghdad since the U.S.-Iraqi security crackdown was launched Feb. 14. But the past week has seen several spectacular attacks in the capital, including a suicide bombing inside parliament and a powerful blast that collapsed a landmark bridge across the Tigris River. The number of bodies dumped in the streets of Baghdad also has risen significantly.
We're seeing a surge all right -- a surge in the rate of US forces dying, a surge in number of Iraqis dying, a surge in the speed with which the US-backed government is crumbling.
You think this is what Bush intended?