In case Spc. Ziegler is still reading ...

The number of roadside bombs exploded or found in Iraq rose in July to the highest monthly total since the war began, offering more evidence that the anti-American insurgency has continued to strengthen despite the killing of the terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June.

"The insurgency has gotten worse by almost all measures, with insurgent attacks at historically high levels," said a senior Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak for attribution.

The new reports by the military and the intelligence community provide evidence that insurgent attacks and sectarian violence are at their highest levels.

This is a significant rise since the time of expectation that followed parliamentary elections in December.

The bombs planted in July represent a near-doubling from January.