Despair

It is has been a difficult month so far. Hundreds of Iraqi deaths and over 70 military deaths. This has not been a peaceful Ramadan. I don't expect Christmas to be very peaceful either. Anyone who says this is not a civil war is in serious denial. The ethnic fighting continues to increase. Back and forth Sunni kills Shia and Shia revenges that with killing Sunni. It does not end. The attempt to secure Baghdad is a complete and utter failure. Now we have Generals stating that. Today, the AP Reports:

"BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military acknowledged Thursday that its two-month drive to crush insurgent and militia violence in the Iraqi capital had fallen short, calling the raging bloodshed disheartening and saying it was rethinking its strategy to rein in gunmen, torturers and bombers."

"The admission by military spokesman Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell came as car bombs, mortar fire and shootings around the country killed at least 66 people and wounded 175. The dead included the Anbar province police commander, slain by gunmen who burst into his home in Ramadi. The U.S. military also announced the deaths of three U.S. troops in fighting, raising the toll for American troops in October to 74. The month is on course to be the deadliest for U.S. forces in nearly two years."

Last Sunday, I had a chance to go back to Baghdad. It was an uneventful trip but I have become accustomed to the sounds of explosions and smoke everywhere. On the trip back, as our Black Hawk flew over the city I thought how incredible peaceful everything looked at that moment. Dots of lights (some looking like holiday lights) were visiable as far as the eye could see. Very deceptive though. Last weekend, the town where we are near (Balad) had dozens of brutal murders (mostly revenge killings). Then I saw fires burning and tracer rounds going off all around us. My thoughts of peace left me quickly. So we stay on alert all the time just in case. I don't know what else to say except...god help us all.