Surge in Iraq violence spreads outward from Baghdad

As John McCain pranced around Baghdad with 100 U.S. soldiers, 3 Blackhawks and 2 Apache Gunships as bodyguards, six more U.S. soldiers lost their lives in the suburbs.  This is part of the growing trend of more violence outside of Baghdad, while more U.S. soldiers flood into the Iraqi capital as part of President Bush's troop escalation plan.

While murders are down in the capital, insurgents have simply relocated themselves and are causing the same amount of damage elsewhere, reports the Christian Science Monitor:

At least 600 Iraqis died in the violence last week, the deadliest period since the Baghdad security plan started in February.

WhileUS and Iraqi officials say that Baghdad is quieter, violence has grownoutside the capital. Bombings in Tal Afar provoked Shiite policemen tokill dozens of Sunnis in retaliation. Insurgents targeted other Shiiteareas, and in Mosul on Sunday bombs exploded at an Iraqi Army base. InMarch, some 1,861 Iraqis were killed, 216 more than in February.

A total of 81 U.S. troops died in the month of March.  3,252 U.S. soldiers have died since the war began, as of Monday, April 2nd.