Editorial: As casualties mount, Iraqi regions fall

Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004 | 8:49 a.m.

This week the number of our fighting men and women who have been killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom surpassed 1,000. Included in that number are four Nevadans -- Marine Lt. Fred Pokorney, 31, of Tonopah, Marine Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, 21, of Sparks, Army Capt. Joshua Byers, 29, of Sparks, and Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Cameron Sarno, 43, of Las Vegas. As always throughout U.S. history, our active and reserve troops are responding when called. They are continuing to serve honorably amid the mounting casualties. We think of our fallen troops and their families, and also of the troops still fighting, and take renewed pride in the veterans who have defended our nation through the generations.

Another number associated with the war is growing as well -- the number of Iraqi cities that have fallen under the control of insurgents. The New York Times has been reporting on this downturn in the war, which is a reflection upon the Bush administration's management of it and not on the members of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard who are fighting it.

"One by one, Iraqi cities become no-go zones," read a headline on Sunday. "U.S. conceding (that) rebels control regions of Iraq," read a headline on Monday. The city of Falluja and its surrounding region, the Anbar Province, is ruled by a regime similar to the Taliban. Sadr City, in eastern Baghdad, is controlled by rebels. Ramadi, Karbala, Najaf, Baquba, Samarra -- all of these areas and more are dominated by insurgents. Iraq is divided throughout, with factions warring against each other, Iraqi national police and U.S. troops. Saddam is gone but the country is ravaged with fighting, terrorism, sabotage and instability. Increasingly, the prospect of January elections looks hopeless.

Our troops, our country, our allies and Iraq all deserve far better leadership than they've been getting from the Bush administration.