Surging

Is this what chickenhawks are talking about when they say the surge is "working"?

A suicide car bomb detonated Sunday evening near a market in Balad, killing at least 25 people and wounding 40 others, an Interior Ministry official said.

The bomb exploded near an Iraqi army checkpoint outside the market in Balad, north of the capital.

The bombing came as U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit.

So the security situation in Iraq continues to improve, but nearly five fucking years after the invasion, Bush administration officials still can't even announce their visits to the country in advance.

Talk to me about improved security when one of these tools puts his -- or her (I'm looking at you, Condi ) -- money where their mouth is.