The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer

The images of butchered, incinerated corpses strung from bridges and lying charred in the streets of Fallujah could not fail to shock and anger Americans and others around the world, including Iraqis.

There was no denying the eerie resemblance to the depredations 10 1/2 years ago against the bodies of brave American soldiers who died in Somalia.

But Iraq is not Somalia. The United States will not be driven from Iraq by rampaging mobs, hit-and-run mujahedeen, or other cowardly leavings of the murderous Saddam Hussein regime.

The June 30 handover of sovereignty is not a deadline for U.S. withdrawal, nor should it be interpreted as such.

Iraqis' top concern remains security. Without U.S. forces, there is none.

There is no lessening of U.S. resolve to hunt down the insurgents behind recent attacks.

Wednesday's atrocity should refocus attention on the need to deny terrorists a foothold.

That means working with any Iraqi not bent on extremist goals or violent means, including Shiite and Sunni hold-outs who've so far felt alienated from U.S. plans.