Iraq's descent into madness only moves at a faster and faster pace. There isn't any punishment suitable for those that started this nightmare. The first link is from Riverbend who lives in the middle of this in Baghdad. All the other links only amplify her first hand experience.

Uncertainty...

We sat drinking tea, mulling over the possibilities. It confirmed what has been obvious to Iraqis since the beginning- the Iraqi security forces are actually militias allied to religious and political parties. But it also brings to light other worrisome issues. The situation is so bad on the security front that the top two ministries in charge of protecting Iraqi civilians cannot trust each other. The Ministry of Defense can’t even trust its own personnel, unless they are “accompanied by American coalition forces”. It really is difficult to understand what is happening lately. We hear about talks between Americans and Iran over security in Iraq, and then American ambassador in Iraq accuses Iran of funding militias inside of the country. Today there are claims that Americans killed between 20 to 30 men from Sadr’s militia in an attack on a husseiniya yesterday. The Americans are claiming that responsibility for the attack should be placed on Iraqi security forces (the same security forces they are constantly commending). All of this directly contradicts claims by Bush and other American politicians that Iraqi troops and security forces are in control of the situation. Or maybe they are in control- just not in a good way. They’ve been finding corpses all over Baghdad for weeks now- and it’s always the same: holes drilled in the head, multiple shots or strangulation, like the victims were hung. Execution, militia style. Many of the people were taken from their homes by security forces- police or special army brigades… Some of them were rounded up from mosques.

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The Cheney-led Civil War-Deniers

The Civil War I partly lived through, in El Salvador, cost 100,000 lives over 12 years. That's an average of 23 per day. The civil war in Algeria has cost 200,000 lives since 1988, or roughly 37 killed per day. And so on. What we're seeing in Iraq is far more horrific than your garden-variety modern-day civil war. It truly, honestly, isn't a matter of debate anymore. As for temperature, it's already twice to three times as hot of some of the most recent, deadliest civil wars.

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Civil war? What civil war?
Desperate to convince voters we're winning, Bush is denying that Iraq is having a civil war. But the facts contradict him.
by Juan Cole

Redirecting Bullets in Baghdad

Bound, Blindfolded and Dead: The Face of Revenge in Baghdad

30 Beheaded Bodies Found; Iraqi Death Squads Blamed

On the Ground in Iraq
The roots of sectarian violence

Baghdad: The Besieged Press

Lara Logan smacked down the "negative Iraq War Coverage" charges

No end but victory

Unpaid DOD spokesman Josh Trevino wants us to believe that there is a victory possible in Iraq. And I agree. There will be a victory in Iraq. But it won't be ours.

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Iraq Meltdown Continues: A Wrap-Up

The Window of Controlled Chaos Slams Shut