Just as we’re starting to ignore Iraq and refocus our attention on Afghanistan, things are getting very dicey again:
A series of explosions targeting government and commercial buildings struck Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 75 people and wounding more than 300, Iraqi police and medical officials said.
The blasts in the capital followed a string of attacks in Iraq this month that have claimed hundreds of lives and raised concerns about the ability of Iraqi security forces to keep the lid on violence in advance of an American withdrawal.
The deadliest was a car bomb near the foreign ministry, which killed at least 59 people and wounded 250. Officials said the toll may climb as rescue workers continue to search through rubble and debris. The ministry is close to the fortified Green Zone. The officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Sadly, the terrorists will likely always have the capability to wreak havok in this manner. That’s true even in very secure societies, with Israel being the most obvious example.
We’ll simply never be able to withdraw from Iraq if perfect security is the benchmark. It’s in our interest to continue to provide logistical and technical support indefinitely; but we’ve past the point where a continued large scale military presence will provide additional benefits.
