Flight to Safety?

More grim news coming from Iraq: More Iraqis Said to Flee Since Troop Increase (NYT).

The number of Iraqis fleeing their homes has soared since the American troop increase began in February, according to data from two humanitarian groups, accelerating the partition of the country into sectarian enclaves.

Despite some evidence that the troop buildup has improved security in certain areas, sectarian violence continues and American-led operations have brought new fighting, driving fearful Iraqis from their homes at much higher rates than before the tens of thousands of additional troops arrived, the studies show.

The surveys show that 500,000 people have fled their homes since the troop buildup because of increased fighting in their neighborhoods for one reason.