As U.S. Troops Prepare for Withdrawal, Violence Erupts in Iraq

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Alyssa Morin

Just a week before U.S. troops are to begin pulling out of Iraq and transition control back to the Iraq Security Force, violence has rocked Iraqi cities, leaving upwards of 200 dead in a series of bombings that started last Saturday.

On Saturday, June 20, a suicide bomber attacked a Shi'ite mosque in Taza, killing 73 and wounding 250, in what was, until yesterday, the deadliest bombing of the year.  Yesterday a motorcycle strapped with explosives was detonated in a busy Baghdad market.  The death toll is currently 76 and climbing.

Seven bombings were reported just today, resulting in the death of 9 coalition force members and several Iraqi policemen and civilians, in what was the latest in this violent upswing that Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell says is to be expected: 

Based upon the pattern of behavior that we've seen over the past few weeks and frankly, historically in Iraq, leading up to seminal dates...I think we have reason to believe and I think our forces have been alerted to the possibility that we will likely see an uptick in violence leading up to the June 30th deadline for U.S. combat forces to leave Iraqi cities and towns.

Political observers believe that the recent surge in violence is an attempt to make Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki appear impotent in his ability to keep his country secure and that the attacks will only become more frequent after the scheduled June 30 urban withdrawal.

Despite the recent increase in violence, Morrell claims that the overall security climate in Iraq is stable, and General Raymond Odierno, top U.S. commander in Iraq, maintains that "[t]his is the right time to transition security of the cities to the ISF [Iraq Security Force] who are ready for this task."

American deaths in Iraq have reached 4314.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

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