Monthly death toll has doubled in Iraq ; now highest figure since end of war . Increasing toll is related to authoritarian streak of PM Nuri al-Maliki , says Shashank Joshi . Joshi : When the last American troops left Iraq at the end of 2011 , al-Maliki pounced . Sectarian is closely linked to protests , concentrated in Sunni-majority areas . Iraqi government blames Sunni militants for attacks on Shiites and other minorities.
Monthly death toll has doubled in Iraq ; now highest figure since end of war . Increasing toll is related to authoritarian streak of PM Nuri al-Maliki , says Shashank Joshi . Joshi : Sectarian is closely linked to protests , concentrated in Sunni-majority areas . Iraqi government blames Sunni militants for attacks on Shiites and other minorities.