A new wave of violence in Iraq

After a brief period of calm, a series of deadly attacks hit Iraq.

Published February 20, 2007 2:27PM (EST)

After a short period of relative calm following the beginning of the president's "surge" plan, violence in Iraq has resumed unabated.

The New York Times speculates today that Shiite leaders have gone to the south of Iraq, traditionally a Shiite stronghold, to wait out intensified military operations, but that in the meantime Sunni militants have stepped up their insurgency.

Monday saw a particularly daring frontal assault by insurgents on an American base, heretofore a rare occurrence. That attack, on a base in Tarmiya, killed two American soldiers and wounded at least 17 more. Today brings news that a tanker truck carrying chlorine gas exploded in a town 12 miles north of Baghdad, killing five or six and wounding at least 100, and that in Baghdad itself, two car bombs have exploded, killing 11 and wounding 18.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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