US Iraq casualties ease amid drop in rebel attacks (only 430 attacks/week)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N31407325.htm

US Iraq casualties ease amid drop in rebel attacks


WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The death toll among U.S. troops in Iraq dropped back to average levels in December and January after a bloody autumn, and U.S. officials said on Tuesday insurgent attacks have been waning since October.

The number of attacks conducted by insurgents has dwindled from more than 700 per week in the first week of October, just before the Oct. 15 referendum on a new Iraqi constitution, to the current level of about 430 per week, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad.

This counts all attacks against U.S. and other foreign troops, Iraqi government security forces, civilians and infrastructure targets, Johnson said. Attacks that cause damage or casualties are considered "effective."

"They've had a fairly consistent effectiveness rate of about 24 percent throughout that period," Johnson said.