One 9/11 A Week.

Andrew Sullivan on the Iraqi civilian deaths:

CIVILIANS IN IRAQ: We now have the U.S. military's own data. I don't think we'll ever reach consensus on the actual numbers, but every measure agrees on the trend. What is beyond dispute is that the insurgency is now stronger today than it has ever been - if measured by its ability to launch attacks and kill civilians and Iraqi security forces. Money quote:

Iraqi civilians and security forces were killed and wounded by insurgents at a rate of about 26 a day early in 2004, and at a rate of about 40 a day later that year. The rate increased in 2005 to about 51 a day, and by the end of August had jumped to about 63 a day.

It's easy to dismiss these numbers from a distance, or to say they are a function of the insurgents' failure to kill U.S. troops. You could even argue that this kind of widespread slaughter will help undermine the insurgency - as it murders more and more Muslims, and reveals the nihilism of the enemy. You could argue that the critical indicator is whether the political process is continuing and if the infrastructure can be better protected and rebuilt. At least, those are the more plausible arguments I'm hearing these days, as evidence of progress in Iraq. They're not insane arguments. But imagine if the United States endured such a terrorist casualty rate. If you callibrate for population, imagine an America where 700 civilians or cops are murdered each day by insurgents able to operate at will. One 9/11 a week. And each week, the number grows. How likely is it that a successful transition to constitutional government can be maintained in such a climate?

Something to think about.