Iraq Violence Eclipses Rosy Declarations: "Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and President Bush have declared that Iraq is on the road to stability, with the Iraqi leader saying elections would be possible in all but three or four of Iraq's 18 provinces. But the map of Iraq is scarred with violence every day. The capital is wracked by kidnappings and bombings. And September is shaping up as one of the deadliest months for American soldiers.
... September has been a record month for car bombings - more than 30, according to the U.S. military. Hundreds have died.
On average, nearly three U.S. soldiers have been killed each day this month - the highest rate since April. Insurgent attacks are averaging 56 per day this month. In August, they averaged 87 a day - their highest level since major combat ended in May 2003.
Allawi himself told PBS that in the past five months, 3,600 civilians have been killed by insurgents and 12,000 have been wounded.
Allawi didn't list the three provinces he acknowledged as still dangerous. But significant attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces have occurred this month in at least six provinces - Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Salahuddin, Kirkuk and Nineveh. "
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