The situation in Iraq has taken a very dangerous turn. Events there recently are reminiscent of those that led to virtual civil war in 2006 and resulted in the need for a surge in U.S. troop levels, a new strategy and very heavy fighting.
Indeed, the places where the violence has erupted are eerily familiar, as many were strongholds of al-Qaida in Iraq at the outset of the "surge," before the spread of the Awakening movement that fostered reconciliation between disaffected Sunni Arabs and the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.
Recent events come on top of increasing incidents of horrific attacks by al-Qaida in Iraq, with last month seeing the largest losses in years — and take place against a backdrop of increasingly serious political discord. These developments require the attention and support of the international community, led by the United States.