Violence in Iraq Reaches New High, Report Says

By DAVID S. CLOUD and MICHAEL R. GORDON

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 — There were an average of 959 insurgent and sectarian attacks against American and Iraqi targets every week in Iraq over the last three months, the highest level ever recorded, according to a Pentagon report on security trends in Iraq issued today.

Overall, the report, which covers the period from early August to early November, described a worsening security environment in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.

The rise in attacks was a jump of nearly 160 a week compared to the weekly average in the previous three months. Civilian casualties reached an all-time high of more than 90 a day, the report said. While the majority of attacks were directed at American forces, most of the casualties were suffered by the Iraqi military and civilians.

The report was issued on the same day as Robert M. Gates was sworn in as the new defense secretary, replacing Donald H. Rumsfeld. At an afternoon ceremony at the Pentagon attended by President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, Mr. Gates asked military commanders to give him “unvarnished” advice “on how to proceed” in Iraq.

The Pentagon report, titled “Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq,” is mandated by Congress and issued quarterly. It covers a broad range of subjects, including the economy, public attitudes and security, including the training of Iraqi security forces... http://tinyurl.com/wukms [Open in new window]

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