Military strike in Fallujah expected any day now(AM Transcript)

[everythingsxen]

AM - Friday, 5 November , 2004 08:21:00
Reporter: Alison Caldwell
TONY EASTLEY: Soldiers of the Black Watch were moved to Baghdad to help free up US forces for the much anticipated major offensive against the rebel stronghold of Fallujah, which is west of Baghdad.

The military strike is expected any day now.

Iraq's interim Prime Minister will give the green light for the attack, which is designed to destroy insurgents ahead of Iraq's elections due in January.

Overnight, US aircraft struck targets on the eastern side of the city.

Alison Caldwell prepared this report.

(sound of mortars)

*SNIP*

(sound of missiles)

ALISON CALDWELL: Shouting God is great, militants fired rocket-propelled grenades at the marines. Many believe it's just a matter of time before this becomes a full-scale battle.

Along with the nightly air strikes on suspected insurgent positions, marines regularly patrol the city's outskirts and set up checkpoints to maintain the pressure on the insurgents.

Once interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi gives the go ahead for the attack, many believe it won't take long for US and Iraqi forces to level the city.

Retired army Lieutenant General William Odom served in Vietnam before become the chief of army intelligence during the Reagan administration.

WILLIAM ODOM: If the US forces decide to destroy Fallujah, they can do that. If they just tried to be extremely surgical, that can be… cost the US more casualties and allow more insurgents to get away.

The insurgents know that, that's why they're imbedded in the city. The cities have become in Iraq, what to some extent what the jungles were in Vietnam, they're the place to hide. It was my view that when the marines made a deal there, over a year ago, that they were creating a safe zone for insurgent operations, and that seems to have proven to be the case.

More: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2004/s1235360.htm

That's right, he said destroy Fallujah. A marine in a different LBN I put up a little while ago had a Marine saying the same thing.

[wickywom]

1. Thank you Conservative so-called Christians

I'm so glad your homophobia is more important to you than
the lives of innocent people .

[everythingsxen]

3. Kerry wouldn't have saved their lives anyway

This plan has been in the works for a while and comes from the (puppet) Government of Iraq.

Kerry being elected would have changed nothing for these troops.

In a way, we are lucky Kerry lost. As a lame-duck President, Bush could have done anything - including using nuclear attacks.

[billyoc]

5. But now he's a lame duck

for 4 years, instead of 2 months. :(

[GoBlue]

2. Let me get this straight

We want to free Fallujah so they can have secure elections but we may need to destroy it in order to reduce US casualties and not allow the insurgents to get away. Now thats a plan!

[maddezmom]

4. "level the city"

:(

[delete_bush]

6. we will now have our very own Lidice

bastards.

[ze_dscherman]

7. From Reuters: U.S. Marines Set for Assault on Iraq's Falluja

NEAR FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - A senior U.S. commander said on Friday Marines were making final preparations for an imminent offensive against Iraq's rebel bastion of Falluja and awaiting orders to strike.

"We are almost ready. We are making last preparations. It will be soon. We are just awaiting orders from Prime Minister (Iyad) Allawi," Colonel Michael Shupp, commander of regimental combat team one, told Reuters.

SNIP

Shupp said he did not know if Zarqawi, whose group has claimed responsibility for hostage beheadings and some of Iraq's most spectacular bombings, was in Falluja.

"Capturing or killing Zarqawi would be a real boon," said Shupp.

But he added that the offensive would still be considered a success even if Zarqawi survived it.

"The operation will be over when the terrorists are crushed and Falluja is handed back to the legitimate Iraqi government," he said.

http://news.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6725405

Any bet they won't find the bogeyman?