Panic in Iraq

Possibly 1,000 Iraqis have died from a stampede on a bridge over the Tigris, induced by a rumor that there was a suicide bomber in the crowd. This is really one of the most dreadful days of the war. Terrorist tactics have put these people at hair-trigger alert levels. No one will ever know how the rumor started. I hesitate to think that the terrorists could be this clever or ruthless, but 9/11 was a similar surprise. Terrorists will take the credit anyway. Shiites will blame Sunnis. Americans will blame Americans.