Attacks in Iraq at record high: Pentagon

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http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2006-12-18T223304Z_01_N18192987_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-IRAQ-REPORT.xml&WTmodLoc=Home-C1-TopStories-newsOne-2

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Attacks in Iraq on U.S.-led forces, local security personnel and civilians have surged 22 percent to record levels, the Pentagon said in its latest quarterly report on Iraq published on Monday.

The report also noted a rise in civilian casualties and said this was directly linked to the rise of sectarian death squads, which were helped by elements of Iraqi forces.

The report was released on the day Robert Gates was sworn in as U.S. defense secretary and as President George W. Bush considers changes to his Iraq policy. Gates replaces Donald Rumsfeld, heavily criticized for his handling of the war.

"Attack levels -- both overall and in all specific measurable categories -- were the highest on record during this reporting period," said the report, "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq", produced for the U.S. Congress.

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1. Now the GOPers said that the surge was only due to the US election and

that it would die down after they won more seats.


Seems like they were wrong on both counts.

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2. Stop the Madness.