reality-based educator

The news from Iraq:

BAGHDAD, March 6 — The American military command in Iraq reported today that nine American servicemen were killed in two blasts north of Baghdad on Monday, making it the deadliest day in weeks for U.S. troops.

Six soldiers were killed and three others wounded by a blast that struck near their vehicles during combat in Salahaddin Province, the vast Sunni area that stretches north from the capital through Samarra and Saddam Hussein’s hometown Tikrit to northern Iraq.

Another bomb attack killed three soldiers conducting combat operations in Diyala Province, the restive area northeast of Baghdad where Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias fight daily for control of the large city of Baquba and the fertile region around it.

Also, at least 10 Shiite pilgrims were killed today as they trekked from Baghdad to the holy city of Karbala south of the capital to mark a Shiite holy day.

The holy day, Arbaeen, marks the end of 40 days of mourning for the death of Imam Hussein, the revered Shiite martyr, who was killed in Karbala in 680 A.D. Hundreds of thousands of devout Shiites are traveling to Karbala as part of the commemoration.

The latest violence follows the attack by a suicide car bomber on Monday in Baghdad. The powerful bomb hit a book market, slicing through the heart of the capital’s intellectual scene and killing at least 20 people and wounding more than 65.

I just heard a promo for The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams on MSNBC. The clip showed a soldier telling Williams (I'm paraphrasing): "Don't make me leave Iraq before I finish my job."

There was no mention of the news from either yesterday or today, of course.

The news from Iraq has not been good despite the additional U.S. surge troops.

But you wouldn't know that from watching either the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams or the promos for the broadcast.

UPDATE: The news from Iraq hasn't gotten any better as the day has progressed:

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Insurgents slaughtered at least 118 Shiite pilgrims in a surge of attacks across Iraq on Tuesday that included a double suicide bombing on a crowded street that claimed 90 lives.

The attacks marked one of the bloodiest days since the start of a US-led security plan designed to quell sectarian violence, and triggered fears of reprisal attacks by Shiite militiamen on Sunni targets.

Police Lieutenant Karim al-Hamzawi said the two suicide bombers triggered their explosives at Hilla, south of the capital, amid a packed crowd of Shiite pilgrims walking to the holy city of Karbala.

Preznut Bush believes "there are some encouraging signs'' that the surge policy is working.

Where?

While violence has decreased in Baghdad where the additional U.S. and Iraqi troops were added, it has increased elsewhere in Iraq. Suicide bomb incidents have also increased since the start of the surge. And U.S. military casualties are at the same or slightly higher levels than before the start of the surge.

QUESTION: So where are the "encouraging signs?"

ANSWER: They're in the preznut's little alcohol-damaged brain; but they're not actually on the ground in Iraq.