Administrative note

Whisker is traveling, so we'll miss his daily roundup of security incidents for a few days. We hope Susan can post her daily magazine later tonight.

Meanwhile, we note the deaths of three U.S. soldiers in the current offensive in Salah ad Din Province. Two more were injured and transported to a coalition hospital.

The campaign of bombings of Christian churches continues, with two churches attacked in Kirkuk.

We'll be back to the normal posting schedule at the end of the week.