Policemen and residents gather at the site of a bomb attack in Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, on Aug. 15. Ali Abu Shish/ReutersSurging Iraq Violence: Have We Seen This Story Before? -- Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor
The death toll in Iraq yesterday, with at least 70 murdered in attacks across the country, was bad enough. But the scope of the killing carries worrying echoes of the way sectarian warfare ramped up across Iraq starting in late 2003, leading to the country's civil war.
There seems little doubt that most of the attacks were carried out by Sunni Arab militants opposed to the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite Islamist, given the nature of the attacks and the types of targets: Security officials supporting his writ, civilians in largely Shiite towns in the south, and Sunni Arabs who had joined hands with the government.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Iraq, the forgotten war -- Babak Dehghanpisheh, The Daily Beast
Pakistan has made a grave error allowing China to inspect downed US helicopter -- Con OCughlin, The Telegraph
China’s aircraft-carrier: Name and purpose to be determined -- The Economist
Gloating China, Hidden Problems -- Niall Ferguson, Daily Beast/Newsweek
Iran is using the PKK to trap Turkey -- Emre Uslu, Today's Zaman
Mark Steyn: Lessons for us from London in flames -- Mark Steyn, OC Register
What a comparison of Chavez's and Calderon's wars on crime can teach -- James Bosworth, Christian Science Monitor
Build, Hold, and Clear: An American Strategy for Asia -- Michael Auslin, AEI/NRO
America is rotting at its core -- Hugh White, Sydney Morning Herald
Virginia Cowles: The American who saw Britain at its best -- Charles Moore, The Telegraph
Europe’s corporate bonds send an ominous signal -- Boyd Erman, Globe And Mail