Bloodshed in Iraq

Iraq has been rocked by violence recently. Just within the past 24 hours, more than 100 civilians have been killed in two major bombings.

In response, Paul Woodward of the War in Context comments:

The much publicized terrorist "planning" document alleged to be authored by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian suspected of links to Al Qaeda, along with what are clearly attempts to sabotage the political process of Iraquification, are being portrayed by Donald Rumsfeld and other members of the Bush administration as evidence of desperation inside an enemy faced with an increasingly successful reconstruction process. These acts of violence are being treated as a form of fanatical Islamic nihilism. Though this might accurately describe the motives of the suicide bombers themselves, it's reasonable to assume that those planning the attacks have practical motives and expectations. The most predictable outcome of suicide attacks against Iraqis is not that they will foment a civil war, but that they will prolong the American occupation. The longer the occupation continues, the more despised America will be across the Middle East. The longer the Iraqi reconstruction process flounders, the more likely it becomes that this or a future president will conclude that it's time to cut and run. If that happens, there can be little doubt that a chant will rise up across the Islamic world that the infidels have been driven out. It's a prospect that America dreads, but as Rumsfeld acknowledges, the advantage is on the side of lone attackers. As he says, "it's impossible to defend in every location against every conceivable kind of attack at every time of the day or night. It is not possible."

Terrorist logic 101, it seems.

Update: Turns out the al-Zarqawi document cited above may not be genuine. Billmon has the goods on this.