Rising Iraqi deaths loom over Bush announcement

[cal04]

Troop surge' expected to be confirmed in TV speech
Iraqi PM faces deadline to rein in sectarian fighting
George Bush is to make a television address to the nation tomorrow night setting out his long-awaited revised strategy for Iraq, as new figures from Baghdad suggested a sharp rise in the Iraqi death toll over the past six months.

The Washington Post yesterday reported Iraqi health ministry figures showing 22,950 were killed in violence in Iraq last year, with 17,310 dying in the past six months as opposed to 5,640 in the first half of the year. This reflects an increase in tension between Shia and Sunni Muslims in the second half of the year.

The reported health ministry figures are almost double that claimed by the Iraqi interior ministry for last year. The deputy health minister, Hakim al-Zamily, refused to confirm the figure yesterday but said: "I have heard there is an increase in the number of victims."

(snip)
The Democrats will be eagerly awaiting the first poll showing the public response to a troop increase. Two of the three leading candidates for the party's presidential nomination were sceptical yesterday.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1985967,00.html