Through Saturday, Iraq Body Count counts 507 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month. That averages out to 33.8 violent deaths a day.
Friday, Ana Marie Cox (Guardian) noted:
Hey, there's still a war going on there! A milder, less deadly one, but sectarian conflict did not end with the official US military exit (over 5,000 armed private security contractors remain). Of all the other stories Americans should be aware of as the Syria debate continues, this is the most significant – and not just because the disaster looms so large in American memories, but because of the disaster that continues today – and has recently escalated. Car bombings and suicide attacks were killing a manageable 200-300 people per month last year; in July, that number was 900, and 700 in August – the deadliest months in five years. While far less than the 2,500 per month that died at the height of US involvement, the higher tolls are linked to Sunni extremists morbidly encouraged by the chaos next door in Syria.
Arming or aiding the Sunni rebels in Syria could give Iraqi Sunnis even more reasons to react with greater violence to the repressive techniques of the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
And the most the US can do is send Brett McGurk to Iraqi politicians to talk some more about a conference to focus on positive solutions for the country.
More and more, the White House is being called out around the world for their slavish devotion to Nouri al-Maliki who is a thug and is seen as such. It's only in the US that Barack manages to escape blame -- at least so fae.
His refusal to immediately withdraw US troops from Iraq means he owns the war. (US troops remain in Iraq today.) Owning it means he is held accountable for things that go wrong.
And while he has been attempting to start a war on Syria, Iraq has burned in the background.
At some point, Barack's going to have to answer for his failures on Iraq. They are his failures. Didn't have to be. Voted into the White House to end the war, Barack could have kept his 16 month promise (from the minute he was sworn in, he insisted, he would implement that 16 month plan). By refusing to do so, he is responsible as much as Bully Boy Bush and, right now, it doesn't appear history will remember Barack any more kindly than Bully Boy Bush will be remembered.