Shawn Dixon May 7th, 2007

Even as I write this post it’s hard to keep up with the increasing causalities and bad news coming out of Iraq. Today alone 68 Iraqi civilians were killed or found dead; this news follows a particularly tragic weekend in which 12 U.S. troops were killed. What is worse, the White House announced today that it is expecting an increase in violence in the coming months.

From NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After another bloody weekend for U.S. troops in Iraq, the White House said on Monday Americans should brace for more U.S. casualties in the push for greater security in Baghdad.

Eight U.S. soldiers were killed on Sunday in roadside bomb attacks and were among 12 whose deaths were announced, following an April in which more than 100 died.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the deaths were attributable to efforts to bring security to Baghdad as part of a 3-month-old troop buildup.

“We are getting to the point now with the Baghdad security plan where there is going to be real engagement in tougher neighborhoods and you’re likely to see escalating levels of casualties,” Snow said.

“We’ve known that, been saying it all along. We’re getting into some of the grittiest security operations,” Snow said.

Fortunately, not all Republicans are proving as stubborn on Iraq as Kentucky’s Senator Mitch McConnell. While McConnell continues his blind support of a failing policy, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott made clear today that his support of Bush’s plan for Iraq will expire this fall without vast improvements from the current circumstances.

I do think this fall we have to see some significant changes on the ground, in Baghdad and other surrounding areas,” Lott, R-Miss., told reporters.

It will be interesting to see if Senator McConnell follows Mr. Lott’s lead in calling for accountability from the administration or if he will continue to be a mouth piece for a policy that seems to get worse by the day

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