Is violence on the rise again in Iraq?

[Barrett808]

Is violence on the rise again in Iraq?
By Steve Lannen | McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD — Violence is increasing in Iraq, raising questions about whether the security improvements credited to the increase in U.S. troops may be short-lived.

Car bombs in Baghdad on Monday killed at least 11 people and injured a prominent leader of one of the country's most influential American-allied tribal militias.

The Ministry of Electricity announced that power to much of the nation, already anemic, is likely to lag in coming days because insurgents had blown up transmission facilities and natural gas pipelines that fuel generators.

CBS News confirmed that two of its journalists are missing in Basra, in Iraq's south.

A leading parliament member warned that budget disputes have paralyzed the legislature.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, finishing a two-day visit to Baghdad, said that he was likely to advocate a pause in troop withdrawals to evaluate the situation after the last of the additional troops sent here under President Bush's so-called surge strategy had left later this year.

...

After months of declining violence, February is certain to be the third straight month to see increases in the numbers of Baghdad residents killed in car bombings and suicide attacks.

According to statistics kept by McClatchy, the low point in such killings came in November, when 76 people died. Thanks to a pair of pet market bombings that killed 99 people Feb. 1, February's tally already is 131.

(more)

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/27346.html

[doc03]

1. Repeat after me the surge is working the surge is working

the surge is working

[bigbrother05]

2. I fear that it will only get worse

when the trials begin.

[rpannier]

3. Yes... According to ABC news (Asia-Pacific News out of Australia)

ABC (Asia-Pacific) reported throughout the surge the spike in deaths in other parts of the country.

As one of their reporters put it (paraphrase), "It's not surprising. If I put 50 police on one street corner the criminals move to the corner where there are none. They're criminals -- they're not stupid. The same applies toward the insurgents. They're not stupid."

This has forced the coalition (read: US and Poland) to either bribe indigenous groups (which have allowed them to purchase enough weapons to be more powerful than the police) or relocate 'resources' (read: people) to other areas to deal with those crisis'.

on edit:
Asia-Pacific is a rather conservative network. Their network openly supported John Howard. Yet they have been very critical of 'the debacle in the Middle East'

[citizen4democrats]

4. That's the impression I get

It increased in January and I have heard about multiple bombings in the last few days.