In one of the deadliest days in Iraq since the start of the war last spring, the Ashoura religious festival was rocked today by six separate attacks in Karbala and at least three in Baghdad aimed at Shiite shrines and areas packed with religious pilgrims. The attacks come on the same day the U.N. weapons inspection team is set to release a report stating that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction after 1994 – an independent confirmation of chief U.S. weapons inspector David Kay's report last month. As President Bush tries to convince the nation to trust his judgment on international affairs, the emerging record in Iraq exposes more of the administration’s incompetence and misleading claims about the war.

• The Bush administration's real record in Iraq – no WMD; no Saddam-al Qaeda connection; no reduction in terrorist violence on the ground; and no effective plan for democratic transition. Nearly one year after our rapid invasion of Iraq to avert what the Bush administration deemed an "imminent threat" from weapons of mass destruction, no one can find any evidence of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. No one can find any meaningful evidence of what Vice President Cheney claimed was a clear connection between Saddam and al Qaeda. Terrorist attacks have increased not decreased. And there is still no viable plan for elections and sovereignty in Iraq.
• The administration has failed to adequately secure Iraq in preparation for the rapid transfer of authority this summer. As today's attacks show, no one can credibly claim that the U.S. has secured Iraq effectively enough to ensure a smooth transfer of authority to Iraq officials by July. In denying on-going security problems, the administration appears more interested in claiming military success and cutting out in an election year than in building a real democracy in Iraq.
• The administration's unwillingness to admit and learn from its mistakes means more chaos and instability going forward. The administration's refusal to admit errors in the wake of massive intelligence and post-war failures in Iraq spells trouble for future endeavors. The American people deserve to know that the administration has learned something from these mistakes and is adjusting its national security strategy and plans accordingly.

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