More than 3,700 people were killed in Iraq in October, mostly in kidnappings and execution-style murders perpetrated by death squads. Iraqi insurgents are funding themselves through illegal activities such as oil smuggling, according to a report in The New York Times.
Joost Hilterman of the International Crisis Group tells Andrea Seabrook that a mix of factors is fueling the violence, including a "failed state" situation in Iraq and the proliferation of revenge killings. He says sectarian tensions are at play. But he also points to violence stemming from problems at the neighborhood level and by crime gangs.
Amid this backdrop of rising anarchy and violence, President Bush meets this week with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss plans for turning over more security responsibility to Iraqi forces.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAzMjM2NDYzMDEyMzc1Njk5NjAxNzY3OQ001))
