NYT: "For American troops, Baghdad has become a deadlier battleground..."

[ProSense]

Patterns of War Shift Amid U.S. Force Buildup

By ALISSA J. RUBIN and EDWARD WONG

BAGHDAD, April 8 — Nearly two months into the new security push in Baghdad, there has been some success in reducing the number of death squad victims found crumpled in the streets each day.

And while the overall death rates for all of Iraq have not dropped significantly, largely because of devastating suicide bombings, a few parts of the capital have become calmer as some death squads have decided to lie low.

But there is little sign that the Baghdad push is accomplishing its main purpose: to create an island of stability in which Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds can try to figure out how to run the country together. There has been no visible move toward compromise on the main dividing issues, like regional autonomy and more power sharing between Shiites and Sunnis.

For American troops, Baghdad has become a deadlier battleground as they have poured into the capital to confront Sunni and Shiite militias on their home streets. The rate of American deaths in the city over the first seven weeks of the security plan has nearly doubled from the previous period, though it has stayed roughly the same over all, decreasing in other parts of the country as troops have focused on the capital.

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Thousands of Iraqis stream to anti-U.S. protest

By Khaled Farhan 12 minutes ago

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Fiery Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's call for a big anti-U.S. protest on Monday was answered by thousands of Iraqis who flocked to the southern holy city of Najaf.

Sadr, who blames the U.S.-led invasion for Iraq's unrelenting violence, issued a statement on Sunday urging Iraqis to protest on the fourth anniversary of the day U.S. forces swept into central Baghdad.

"In order to end the occupation, you will go out and demonstrate," said Sadr, who had been keeping a low profile in the last few weeks.

The U.S. military says Sadr, who is popular among Iraq's urban Shi'ite Muslim poor, is in neighboring
Iran. His aides say the cleric is in
Iraq and have denied suggestions he fled to Iran to escape a security crackdown in Baghdad.

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[gratuitous]

1. I don't think anyone could have foreseen this

Okay, except the sentient 75% of the population that doesn't believe everything the Bush administration says.

[zulchzulu]

2. Bush says he's doing a heck of a job...

I wish he would say that so that he fires himself.

[AshevilleGuy]

3. Yep. The "Surge" is going exactly as expected. n/t