Recently the US adjusted its troop deployment in Iraq to bring more forces in to quell violence in Baghdad. We were told that Baghdad was the key to preventing full-scale civil war. It probably is.
Yesterday's numbers speak for themselves. Carnage on a record scale, at least until tomorrow or next week. There was one incident in yesterday's violence, though, that was telling of just how bad this civil war has become.
For two hours yesterday, a gang of about 30-Sunni militiamen, armed with assault rifles, machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, brought the Shia-controlled, Iraqi Health Ministry offices under fire. This, is in Baghdad. This went on for two hours. Only after two hours of assault did Iraqi security forces and American helicopter gunships show up to drive the gunmen away.
Two hours to respond to an attack inside what is now a heavily-armed fortress. Two hours - those are people who just don't want to go out in the rain.
The response to the attack on the health ministry doesn't bode well for the Iraqi government's prospects of quelling this civil war. It appears that both the Iraqi government and the American forces are reluctant to get drawn into the middle of this madness.
The Iraqi government tried to put Baghdad under a lockdown today but to no avail. Shia militia are reported to be storming Sunni mosques today, the Muslim holdy day, in retaliation for yesterday's carnage.
At last count, seven mosques were reported to have been attacked, three completely destroyed. Government forces were unable, or unwilling to stop them. A group of Shia legislators meeting at Sadr's headquarters fix the blame for the violence on the presence of American forces and demand a withdrawal of US troops.
Welcome to Anarchy Central.
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