As The General Gabs, Baghdad Burns

General David Petraeus testified before Congress yesterday, providing a rosy assessment of the level of violence and asking for a â��a continuing of the troop â��surgeâ�� through July…and then a 45-day pause before reviewing once again whether there should be a further troop reduction.â�� [New York Times]

Back in Iraq �

• The Green Zone: Over the weekend, 3 U.S. soldiers were killed and 31 wounded in rocket attacks against the U.S. base in Baghdad, â��once considered an American oasis â�� a protected bubble of comfort food, large, American-made sport-utility vehicles and enforced speed limits.â�� [Washington Post]
• Not so green: The attacks, which continued Monday and Tuesday, â��underscored the vulnerability of housing facilities in the Green Zone to artillery and missile attack, spreading fear among thousands of security contractors, interpreters, American soldiers and embassy personnel.â�� [Washington Post]
• Sadr City: In the Shiâ��ite neighborhood controlled by Muqtada alâ��Sadr, a rival of the Maliki government, U.S. forces are engaged in Shiâ��ite on Shiâ��ite violence which has killed at least 22 people since Sunday. [VOA]
• Basra: In the southern city of Basra, roadside bombs and explosions continue to take casualties as the aftershocks from last weeks failed offensive still rumble. [McClatchy]

The bottom line: Iraq is suffering the �worst violence since the first half of 2007� � when the surge began. [Al Jazeera]

Um…what progress?

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