There is a part of me that wishes we could just turn those towns into heaps of rubble. I've been told that when allie forces were sweeping through southern Germany towards the end of WW2, the word was put out that the Allies wouldn't damage a town if it surrendered and didn't form a point of resistance. Those few that did were leveled, the rest got the message.
But I also remember the Brit officer in 'The Patriot' who savaged the innocents to get the info on the Continental Army. Not quite the same comparison though. I guess it is the ethic of trying to avoid killing non-combatants from my active duty days wanting some restraint. Perhaps restraint is counter productive and an example needs to be made.
Lord 'Zilla, I'm sorry I made the comment preceeding yours. Makes me sound like a damn SS officer. I'm not certain there is an easy solution to the stuff we're dealing with in Iraq. It may come down to the quiet professionals (SF) going door to door and house to house, just like they went cave to cave in Tora Bora and hunt down the scum and shoot them with 45's.....It'd be bloody but it'd be honorable.