[Who dat?]

This government is civilian and the civilian government makes policy!

I’ll go back through my transcript when I get time. I somehow *clearly* remember Bush stating that the decision to withdraw came from the Marines – that they made a military decision to handle it the way they did.

That appears to NOT be the case, unless you consider their following orders to be the "military decision."

[Poohbah]

And the result has been that the jihadists of Fallujah, denied an opportunity to shoot at Marines, have engaged in all manner of violent crime against the residents of Fallujah...

...who are now passing all manner of extremely valuable intel to the Marines and the Iraqi Civilian Defense Corps.

"Rope-a-dope. It's how Ali took the championship from Foreman in Zaire." Maj. Vic Deakins, USAF

[TN4Liberty]

I’ll go back through my transcript when I get time. I somehow *clearly* remember Bush stating that the decision to withdraw came from the Marines – that they made a military decision to handle it the way they did.

I honestly don't remember that at all. I remember that the US knew we could take the city at any time, and we held back because we didn't want a massacre that would turn the civilian population against us. Perhaps you are confusing this with the decision to consolidate to defensible positions within the city to hold their gains. I do remember that happening, since the US basically controlled the travel corridors within the city.

[evad]

I somehow *clearly* remember Bush stating that the decision to withdraw came from the Marines

He clearly did indeed. Made a big impression on me when I heard it.

I 'almost' went back to one of the previous threads on the subject to ask 'wassup wit dat' but decided what's the use.

People already have their minds entrenched on this subject.