Iraq is getting better?

We've been hearing alot how Iraq security is getting better. I don't have a tight eye on the statistics, but let's take a look at some of the security events of just the last several days.

1) 5 US soldiers were killed in an incident where a sniper shot one soldier, then lured the rest into a booby trapped building that exploded around them.

2) The governor and police chief of Diwaniyah were killed.

3) The deputy oil minister and four other officials were kidnapped in broad daylight. ((NYTimes) "at least 100 gunmen in Iraqi Army uniforms.")

4) An increasing US death rate.

5) The very bloody bombings today in the north of the country.

All of these are complex, planned operations, and they seem to indicate that (whether or not August is "bloodier") this period coming up to the September reports will be marked by serious efforts to influence that opinion.

For all the talk of "successes" in security, I think we should watch these types of attacks to get a real sense of the existing operational capacities. I would expect more kidnappings and assassinations, and probably some efforts to kidnap more US soldiers.

I don't know if August will actually be "bloodier," but I feel certain the red team will be pulling out the stops.