Iraq's Death Toll From Violence Continues It's Downward Trend

The attack in Haditha is the first major instance of violence in the town since a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a bank, killing nine people and wounding eight others on March 2011. (Reuters)

Deaths See Large Drop In Iraq From January To February 2012 -- Musings On Iraq

After a series of articles warning that violence in Iraq was increasing, and that the country might be on the verge of a new civil war, the number of deaths was cut nearly in half in February 2012. Rather than marking a new trend in security, January’s high casualties were simply a result of the large number of targets available during the Shiite pilgrimage of Arbayeen to Karbala, and insurgents trying to make a statement after the U.S. troop withdrawal in December 2011. With only one mass casualty bombing, and an especially bloody day when militants were able to carry out attacks in seven provinces, February returned to the norm of monthly casualties.

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My Comment: Tthe trend is downward in Iraq's sectarian conflict .... but .... Iraq is still politically unstable, and if Iraq's history is any indication .... it may be calm now, but a full blown civil war can quickly develop as it did in 2006.