Mass Casualties In Iraq

CNN reports:

A powerful explosion, apparently from a car bomb, went off in central Baghdad today, killing 27 people and wounding 40, according to senior U.S. military officials. The blast destroyed the Mount Lebanon Hotel and damaged nearby houses and offices. "It's a scene from hell here," CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf said.

According to Brookings' Iraq Index, it's a scene that has been more or less repeated 61 times since August, 2003, killing a total of 722 people, and wounding 1849. While there have been fewer "mass casualty bombings" this month than in February, the insurgents appear to be getting more effective at killing and wounding:



Is the tragedy in occupied Iraq only going to get worse? A year after the war began, I'm more pessimistic than ever.

ntodd

* The Iraq Index was complete through 3/15, and I added today's reported casualties when making the chart.  ¶ 3:29 PM