I know you werent there but do you remember that whole Civil War thing we had? Most American's dont know much about history, ours or anyone else's, but once upon a time, our Nation didn't feel like one people and they killed each other over it.

The news from Iraq continues to get worse. The past week has been one big bombing after another, culminating with the destruction of a holy site. Men dressed in police uniforms (who may or may not have been police) walked into one of the top 4 holiest sites in Iraq and blew it up.

This is big trouble.

Attack deepens Iraq's divide

Blasts at a major shrine set off widespread Shiite protests.

By Dan Murphy | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

BAGHDAD - An attack Wednesday that destroyed the soaring gold dome of one of ShiiteIslam's holiest shrines is being interpreted by most Shiites here as a direct attack on their faith - and has sharply raised sectarian tensions.

It's unclear if any people were killed in the massive explosion in Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad. But the destruction of the shrine may be the most emotionally charged of attacks on Shiite targets thus far in the war, and could set back already hamstrung efforts to form a government of Shiite and Sunni unity.

As citizens deserted the streets of Baghdad in the wake of the attack, many said they feared this could be a seminal moment in Iraq's low-intensity civil war.

"The war could really be on now,'' says Abu Hassan, a Shiite street peddler who declined to give his full name. "This is something greater and more symbolic than attacks on people. This is a strike at who we are."

Iraq has been having a "low grade" civil war since we invaded. I hear this is widely recognized in Iraq although it is not mentioned much (until recently) by the media here and never even hinted at in the President's comments. Acts like this bombing promise to increase the intensity so that the nation either pulls together or the 3 regions pull apart. Since the USA is the main actor trying to keep the country together, I would expect the later not the former to result.

The trends in Iraq are just not good.

Despite the umpteen Billions of tax dollars we are spending, and the efforts (and lives) of our troops, Iraq is anything but "mission accomplished" even after years of trying. And things are getting worse not better. The Pentagon tells us there were 35,000 attacks last year with a 40% growth rate from the year before. The attacks continue to get more sophisticated and more deadly. (And no one even reports the Iraqi deaths. Rest assured that for every 1 American wounded or killed, some multiple of Iraqis are wounded or killed.)

And what is worse, the attacks are coming from the inside; no one seems able to tell friend from foe. When 9/11 happened, the White House was very quick to point the finger at a clear enemy, "Dont ask why we let this happen, let's go kick Osama's ass!" His actions were very effective but what are we going to do here?

More and more of these attacks are committed by men in uniforms. If you cannot trust the police, who can you trust? Another story this week talked about the Iraqi oil pipelines (which Bush told us would pay for the war) and how little oil is being produced. Apparently there are terrorists inside the oil system and they know exactly when and where to sabotage the pipelines to keep the oil from flowing. How's that for a kick in the pants?

Fresh Woes Hinder Iraqi Oil Output

Infighting, Provincial Rifts Deepen Pipeline Problems; U.S. Tussles Over Explosives

By CHIP CUMMINS in London and HASSAN HAFIDH in Baghdad, Iraq

February 21, 2006

Iraqi oil production has fallen sharply in recent months amid a series of bureaucratic and political tussles in Baghdad, raising questions about the country's ability to keep its petroleum industry from spiraling further into disrepair.

For more than two years, insurgents targeting pipelines and oil workers have stymied the recovery of Iraq's oil industry. Slow funding from Washington, poor project planning and widespread smuggling and corruption also have hindered the effort.

Since I have not been to Iraq myself, I am hesitant to have a personal opinion but things dont look good. It is hard to say if our presence really is making it worse, an argument that supports a quick pullout. It is also possible that the three regions of Iraq just dont have enough desire to become a single country and that our external influence to keep it together just isnt enough to overpower the external terrorists influence to pull shit apart.

What a mess :(