DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ ON SATURDAY

John Partlow reports in today's Washington Post that seven U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq on Saturday.

"The soldiers deaths' come on the heels of what was the third-deadliest month for American troops in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, and indicate that the intractable insurgency shows no sign of abating in June.

"The killings ran the gamut from suicide bombers, small arms attacks, and roadside bombs against foot and armored-vehicle patrols, and were scattered in and around Baghdad, and in Diyala and Nineveh provinces north of the capital."

Juan Cole also reports quoting Reuters that the U.S. was engaged in bombing Habibibya, a civilian section of Baghdad, on Saturday night.

"The US was engaged in a bombing campaign against the civilian neighborhood of Habibiya in Sadr City (Shiite East Baghdad) on Saturday evening. The strikes probably targeted Mahdi Army militiamen; however, you can't bomb civilian neighborhoods without killing civilians."