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LOU DOBBS: Michael Ware reports tonight from Baghdad
on the worsening violence in Iraq. Three and a half
years after the beginning of the war.
We turn first to Michael Ware in Baghdad. Michael?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, with only three
days gone, October is already a bloody month for U.S.
forces here in Iraq. Twelve U.S. servicemen have
died, all but one from hostile fire.
This is on the back of the previous month when 73
U.S. servicemen were killed: soldiers, marines and
sailors. This is coming at a time of increased
violence during the traditional Ramadan offensive,
during the Muslim holy month. This is the fourth
Ramadan offensive since the fall of Saddam's regime.
We are seeing attacks on the rise across the board,
suicide bombings are at high levels.
Last week U.S. military general spokesman -- Major
General William Caldwell described it as a tough
week. We're waiting to see how he describes this
week. Meanwhile, violence against Iraqi civilians
continues unabated. We have been seeing Iraqis dying
at the rate of 2,000 or 3,000 a month on average.
Today in the capital alone, 30 more executed and
tortured bodies were found. Seven other civilians
were wounded in bombings. That does not include
figures from the rest of the country.
In the meantime, the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki
announced a four point plan to bring security,
however much of it we have seen before. The essence
of the prime minister's plan is the establishment of
committees on three levels.
At a local level, a city level and a media monitoring
committee. The politicians likely to be involved in
these committees do not represent the Sunni
insurgency and in fact many of them represent the
militias which are currently embedded within this
government and who are responsible for many of the
death squads creating much of the violence. Lou?
DOBBS: Michael Ware reporting from
Baghdad.