One Thousand Dead. A number that seemed unimaginable to the Neocon Chickenhawks, who really don't care, and were looking for that walk in park, with candy, flowers and docile grateful Iraqis at the end of the road.

The rising death toll includes more than a dozen US soldiers killed in fighting and attacks by insurgents since Friday. Nearly 7,000 US soldiers have also been wounded since the invasion.
...

At the Pentagon, General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, blamed the increase in US combat deaths on an insurgency that "is becoming more sophisticated in its efforts to destabilise the country".

"Make no mistake, we will continue to pursue those who seek to disrupt progress in Iraq," Gen Myers said.

Can't possibly imagine why anyone would be displeased with that whole set-up if they were Iraqi. Interestingly, with all the talk of "freedom" in Iraq, the buzz I seem to hear is that the repressive Islamists are getting the upper hand, and they are being aided by the piss-poor planning and efforts of the 1600 Crew in its efforts, minimal as they are to "rebuild" Iraq into some kind of Third-World Jeffersonian Democracy in the image of Grover Norquist and Stephen Moore. It's only a matter of time before the Islamo-Fascists and Christo-Fascists join forces in Iraq to propose a flat tax and a Contract With Iraq. Can't wait.