Today in Iraq: Top U.S. Officer in Iraq Sees Spike in Violence

Today the New York Times reports that despite increases in U.S and Iraqi troop levels, violence in Iraq hit its highest levels in recent weeks with sectarian killings reaching over 2,500 deaths a month. The increase in violence has led U.S. commanders to suggest that the U.S. may need to maintain current troop levels of 141,000 troops until 2010. Democrats reject President Bush's failed stay-the-course strategy in Iraq and believe that we need a new direction that is both tough and smart.

Top U.S. Officer in Iraq Sees Spike in Violence
By David S. Cloud
The New York Times
October 12, 2006

"The senior American commander in Iraq said Wednesday that violence in Baghdad had reached its highest levels in recent weeks, despite the assignment of thousands more American and Iraqi troops to the capital in August.

"...General Casey said that the redeployment of troops to Baghdad in August had initially reduced the number of killings and bombings but that attacks had gone back up recently. 'The levels of violence over the last few weeks are as high as they have been,' he said....

"There are about 141,000 American soldiers in Iraq, more than at any time since January. The Army is planning for the possibility that it may have to keep that number of troops in Iraq for four more years, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, said Wednesday at a roundtable session with reporters. ..."

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