U.S. troops ready attack on insurgents in Fallujah

[Carolab]

IS THERE NOTHING THEY WON'T DO TO TRY GAIN POLITICAL ADVANTAGE? DIDN'T THEY SAY A FEW WEEKS AGO THEY WOULDN'T ATTACK UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION?

U.S. troops ready attack on insurgents in Fallujah

October 30, 2004


BY EDWARD HARRIS
ASSOCIATED PRESS


NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq -- U.S. troops are about to attack the insurgent bastion of Fallujah, where up to 5,000 Muslim militants, Saddam Hussein loyalists and common criminals are hunkered down, U.S. officers said Friday.

U.S. planners say they believe many of Fallujah's 300,000 residents already have fled the city, which has become a symbol of Iraqi resistance and where militants last spring ambushed and killed four American contractors, mutilated their bodies and hung them from a bridge.

U.S. and Iraqi authorities want to curb the increasingly violent Sunni Muslim insurgency in order to hold nationwide elections by Jan. 31.

American officials stress that the final order to launch a big operation would come from Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who has warned Fallujah to hand over followers of terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi or face attack.

Allawi has issued no such order, but preparations are clearly under way, including the movement of British soldiers into areas close to Baghdad so that American forces there can be redeployed for the showdown in Fallujah.

"We're gearing up to do an operation and when we're told to go, we'll go," Brig. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, deputy commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, said at a camp near Fallujah. "When we do go, we'll whack them."

more...http://www.freep.com/news/nw/iraq-bar230e_20041030.htm

[still_one]

1. too bad the insurgents have left fallujah

[Occulus]

2. bloodbath n/t

[MnFats]

3. doubt they'll go before the election....bloodbath to follow...

...
already piling up lies....'most residents have fled the city'
so, hey, there won't be any civilian casualties!
anyone still there DESERVES to die!

mark my words...if Bush manages to secure a second term...I don't say 'win' or 'get re-elected,' this war will escalate beyond anyone's dreams.
bush will take a one-vote margin as a mandate to unleash hell.

[DELUSIONAL]

4. bush wants to kill more women and children

the ones who are too poor to flee.

(Referencing the story that the death total for Iraqis is really 100,000 and most of those were women and children.)

I really question the existence of al-Zarqawi -- the people in Fallujah say he isn't there.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

5. Aren't all these articles basically treason?

I mean could you imagine if the British and American newspapers had headlinse like:

"Allies preparing to invade Normandy!"

and:

"Normandy invasion about to commence!"

I mean, come on! What ever happened to operational security? Why the hell are the US military telling the insurgents in Falluja that an attack is imminent? Are they ASKING for the defenders to be even more prepared?

Or is it that the US military is actually HOPING that the "insurgents" will melt away and avoid a fight so as to reduce US casualties? In other words, are they doing the equivalent of yelling "ready or not here I come" so that they have time to hide?

[whistle]

6. Exactly my thoughts, but unfortunately there will be innocent Iraqis....

...there in Falluja who most certainly will be included in any body counts that are given out as insurgent casualties

[Moderator]

7. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=942669