In Baghdad, a suicide bomber has managed to kill more than 100 people, and wound more than 200, at a crowded market in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood. The attacker was driving a truck carrying food.
It’s extraordinarily difficult to prevent the regular occurrence of suicide bombings. The Israelis were unable to do so for a long period of time inside a country where its military was the sole force. Even with the surge in Baghdad, I expect suicide bombings to continue, and for their occurrence to help persuade Americans that our mission is failing.
JOHN agrees: My biggest concern about the surge is that we are signing on to the concept that “success” in Iraq means not having much violence in Baghdad. This may be a standard of success that cannot be achieved in the time the administration has available, and it isn’t obvious to me that peace in Baghdad is a prerequisite to achieving our strategic goals. Nevertheless, President Bush has concluded, and has stated publicly, that in his view, a far lower level of violence in Baghdad is indeed a prerequisite to success; hence the surge. I hope that he is right in believing that increased American force in Baghdad can make a big enough difference to matter.
Via Power Line News
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