Iraq: More Violence

It's starting to feel like the same story over and over again. Another attack; this time nine more are dead. And we don't even know why they are there.

The roadside bomb killed seven U.S. soldiers in northwest Baghdad and two Marines were killed in western Iraq on Thursday as insurgents continued their attacks ahead of the Jan. 30 elections.

Just three weeks before the vote, the commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq acknowledged that security is poor in four of 18 Iraqi provinces. But Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz told a briefing in the capital that delaying the vote would only increase the danger.

"I can't guarantee that every person in Iraq that wants to vote, goes to a polling booth and can do that safely," Metz said. "We're going to do everything possible to create that condition for them, but we are fighting an enemy who cares less who he kills, when he kills and how he kills. A delay in the elections just gives the thugs and terrorists more time to continue their intimidation, their cruelty, their brutal murders of innocent people."

And what makes anyone think it will stop AFTER the election? Why would it? Holding an election that people can't actually vote in is supposed to stop the violence? How?