Annan says Iraq in grip of civil war | Top News | Reuters.com

Annan says Iraq in grip of civil war | Top News | Reuters.com: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Iraq was in the grip of a civil war as U.S. and Iraqi forces attacked insurgent bases in a bid to shore up the authority of a government itself riven by factional rivalries.

In Washington, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was revealed to have acknowledged in a memo just before he lost his job that U.S. strategy was not working and it might be better to reduce troop numbers.

President George W. Bush has repeatedly rejected recent assertions in the mainstream media that Iraq is now embroiled in a civil war. Annan's remarks, to the BBC, might add to pressure for a swift change of policy.

'When we had the strife in Lebanon and other places, we called that a civil war -- this is much worse,' Annan said.

He agreed with Iraqis who said life was worse now than it was under deposed president Saddam Hussein." Read complete post here.