The Pentagon, as required by Congress, has released a pretty nasty update on the security situation in Iraq. A review of the report can be found at the following
NY Times article, just posted.
Take a look at some of the report "highlights" below the fold....
Iraqi casualties soared by more than 50 percent during the roughly three-month period ending in early August
The American-led coalition suffered the brunt of the attacks, but an increasing number are being directed against civilians. In Baghdad, for example, civilian targets accounted for 22 percent of all the attacks, up from 15 percent in April.
...the number of Iraqi casualties -- civilian and well as military -- has jumped to almost 120 a day.
The Pentagon Report concludes that the terrible security situation is Iraq does not met the "strict" definition of "civil war". <strike>I suspect the only thing preventing the application of that definition is that Iraq continues to have a "functional government"....but what type of functional government exists when it's very members cannot leave the 4 mile x 4 mile square Green Zone without realistic fears of being blown to bits?</strike>
According to GlobalSecuirty.org:
"A civil war is a war between factions of the same country. There are five criteria for international recognition of this status: The contestants must control territory, have a functioning government, enjoy some foreign recognition, have identifiable regular armed forces and engage in major military operations."
UPDATE: Here is a link to the actual report.