U.S. military death toll in Iraq climbs to 100

WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (Reuters) U.S. military deaths in Iraq climbed to 100 today, making October the deadliest month for American troops in a year as militias and al Qaeda stage fierce battles in Baghdad and elsewhere.

The violence, unrelenting despite a four-month security crackdown in the capital and additional U.S. troops on the ground, had been blamed on the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when attacks generally rise and on increased patrols in tense areas.

The Pentagon also said that insurgents fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces have been motivated by the Nov. 7 congressional elections in the United States.

''The level of attacks has gone up, true,'' said Pentagon press secretary Eric Ruff. ''What is the reason for that? Ramadan is one and because of our elections.'' ''It would seem that if they can increase the violence, they can increase opposition to the war and have an influence against the president,'' Ruff told reporters on Friday, discussing the month's rising death toll.

But defense officials did not say what information had led them to that conclusion. Ruff said he had not seen intelligence to back it up.

He and others have also declined to say whether the Pentagon expects attacks to decline after the elections in which polls show President George W. Bush's Republicans may lose control of Congress due in large part to anger over Iraq.

Ruff stopped short of saying insurgents in Iraq or al Qaeda want Democrats to take control of Congress.

The death of a Marine in western Anbar province yesterday announced by the U.S. military today, brought U.S. military deaths in Iraq to 100 for October.

November 2004 was the deadliest of 42 months of war for Americans, when 137 died. In April 2004, 135 died. Defense officials attributed those tolls to offensives in Falluja.

In all, more than 2,800 have died in Iraq, the military says. There are about 147,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

The United Nations estimates more than 100 civilians die every week in Iraq. More than 300 Iraqi police and troops died during Ramadan, according to U.S. Gen. George Casey.

U.S. and Iraqi forces are engaged in intense, regular battles in Baghdad and Anbar. The violence swept away any hope in the Pentagon of reducing U.S. troop levels soon and has led the Bush administration to press Iraq's government to take on more responsibility for security.

REUTERS SAM SND1312