Three U.S. soldiers have been killed in Baghdad in the past 24 hours. A British freelance journalist was killed on Saturday. Seven Iraqi police recruits were killed a few days ago in a bomb blast just after they finished a U.S. training school.

Twenty-seven American and six British soldiers have been killed in Iraq since US President George W Bush declared major hostilities over on 1 May.

The locals don't want us there. Who can blame them?

President George W Bush's declaration that the United States is preparing for a "massive and long-term undertaking" in Iraq will have confirmed the fears of many in Baghdad - that the US is establishing itself as a force for occupation, not liberation.

Steve Gilliard over at Daily Kos tells us why the U.S. recently has been losing a man a day.

According to U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, there is a 70-30 chance Saddam is alive .

The U.S. is setting up a reward scheme for information leading to the identity of the murderers. This is in addition to the existing $25 million reward in place for Saddam and his sons. US Central Command , whose website is down for "routine maintenance," says its troops will continue to conduct active patrols. Reward schemes don't impress us. No one has turned in Osama or Saddam. We have a different solution: Send the troops home.