White House Spokesman Snow: Expect 'escalating levels of casualties'

Above: The place settings for tonight's state dinner at the White House, which features gold trim china set on cream damask tablecloths with beige strié. One hundred thirty-four guests will be seated in the State Dining Room. The menu will include five courses: Appetizer/Soup, Fish, Meat, Salad and Dessert. Attire is white tie. Left: Mourners at the Sunday funeral for one of nine paratroopers killed in a double suicide bombing in the Diyala province of Iraq less than two weeks ago.

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) - After another bloody weekend for U.S. troops in Iraq, the White House said on Monday Americans should brace for more casualties in the push for greater security in Baghdad...

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the deaths were attributable to efforts to bring security to Baghdad as part of a 3-month-old troop buildup.

"We are getting to the point now with the Baghdad security plan where there is going to be real engagement in tougher neighborhoods and you're likely to see escalating levels of casualties," Snow said.

"We've known that, been saying it all along. We're getting into some of the grittiest security operations," Snow said.

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