Lynn C. Woolsey: “Monday, yesterday, was the most violent day so far this year in Iraq. In what the Associated Press called a ``relentless…”

“Monday, yesterday, was the most violent day so far this year in Iraq. In what the Associated Press called a ``relentless cascade of bombings and shootings,'' insurgents killed more than 100 people, not to mention hundreds of wounded and maimed, in a series of coordinated attacks. Both civilian and security forces came under siege: a bombing outside a restaurant in Kut province; another at the mayor's office in Tarmiya; another at a market in Suwayra; and security checkpoints throughout Baghdad hit by gunmen disguised as street cleaners. At a textile factory in the city of Hillah, the bombing was timed at the end of a shift, maximizing the bloodshed and the casualties. When people rushed to help the wounded, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in the crowd, just adding to the carnage. According to the AP account, the wounded in Hillah could be heard cursing their government for its inability to protect them. A few years ago, you'll remember we were told the insurgency was in its ``last throes.'' But it is clearly capable of wreaking havoc--and doing so with precision and sophisticated planning. The continuing political instability in Iraq is contributing to the chaos, as the elections held more than 2 months ago have yet to produce a clear winner and a new government.”