Civilian Deaths Down In Baghdad

But up in the rest of the country.

(BAGHDAD)—Iraqi civilian deaths have fallen in Baghdad in the two months since the Feb. 14 start of the U.S.-led offensive, according to an Associated Press tally.
Outside the capital, however, civilian deaths are up as Sunni and Shiite extremists shift their operations to avoid the crackdown. . . .
Since the crackdown began Feb. 14, U.S. military officials have spoken of encouraging signs that security is improving in the capital but have cautioned against drawing any firm conclusions until at least the summer.
Figures compiled by the AP from Iraqi police reports show that 1,586 civilians were killed in Baghdad between the start of the offensive and Thursday.
That represents a sharp drop from the 2,871 civilians who died violently in the capital during the two months that preceded the security crackdown.
Outside the capital, 1,504 civilians were killed between Feb. 14 and Thursday, April 12 compared with 1,009 deaths during the two previous months, the AP figures show.

This may be why deaths are up outside of Baghdad:

It is unclear why deaths outside Baghdad have increased. However, U.S. military officials say both Sunni and Shiite extremists left Baghdad ahead of the crackdown, instead stepping up their operations in a belt of communities around the capital.
The rise in deaths outside Baghdad may also be partly a result of clashes in Anbar province between al-Qaida extremists and Sunni tribes that have broken with the extremist movement.
For example, at least 52 people were killed Feb. 24 when a suicide truck bomber struck worshippers leaving a Sunni mosque in Anbar after the mosque’s preacher spoke out against al-Qaida.

As ghoulish as it sounds, the increase in civilian casualties outside of Baghdad at the hands of al Qaeda is something of a positive development as it is being driven by anti-al Qaeda sentiments among the civilians themselves. It’s an indication that we are winning over the Iraqis and they’re turning on the extremists.
We can only hope that they’ll be able to maintain their courage in the face of the bloody extremist response. Of course, all this rancor and defeatism here at home from the Democrats isn’t helping the confidence level of the average Iraqi, but we’re not supposed to question the Dems’ patriotism by pointing out that their rhetoric is killing people in Iraq.