Here's an understatement:

Attack Shows the Limits of U.S. Control
By Peter Slevin and Bradley Graham - Washington Post Staff Writers - Wednesday, August 20, 2003

It was one of the most troubling days for the White House since Saddam Hussein's government fell four months ago. First came the explosion that tore into the U.N. offices. It was followed within hours by a suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed at least 18 and raised fresh obstacles to Bush's ambition to bring peace to the Middle East.

In the case of Iraq, the bombing raised questions about whether the 139,000 U.S. troops are sufficient to secure the country. While U.S. commanders have insisted they have the numbers they need, some defense experts have said the forces are spread too thinly and are too heavily American.


Some Democratic presidential candidates saw the bombing as evidence of trouble to come...

Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) said each day brings evidence "that the administration misread the situation on the ground in Iraq and lacks an adequate plan to win the peace and protect our troops."