Posted on 11/05/2004 8:51:12 AM PST by Jeff Blogworthy
American troops in Fallujah have made loudspeaker announcements and handed out leaflets urging civilians to leave the city ahead of an expected assault.
US soldier A US soldier trains at a camp outside Fallujah
The move comes as troops prepare for a major assault on rebel strongholds in Fallujah and nearby Ramadi.
The soldiers warned they would arrest any man under the age of 45 found trying to leave or enter the city.
Roads around Fallujah have been blocked and the city has been battered by US air strikes in preparation for the offensive.
Hospital officials said air strikes overnight had killed three people and wounded four others, while troops continue to shell insurgents, who have responded with rocket-propelled grenade fire.
Most of the 300,000 population of Fallujah have already fled and US marines say they are awaiting orders from President George W Bush and Ayad Allawi, the Iraqi interim prime minister, before beginning the attack.
Mr Allawi is in Europe to meet EU leaders today and is expected to return with an agreed reconstruction package.
The EU is offering Iraq an £11.5 million aid package to support the country's January elections and the criminal justice system.
Earlier, Mr Allawi met Tony Blair and both men emphasised that the elections must go ahead.
Mr Blair said: "These people that are trying to create circumstances of chaos and instability in Iraq are doing so because of their fear of the democratic process."
Hear Hear. I hope all those who doubt the wisdom of the course we have taken on this battlefield at least see your remarks, so they will not be totally surprised when they see what has actually been happening there.
As Savage says: If we fought WWII that way, we would all be speaking German or be lampshades.
This kinder, gentler 'war' is crap.
F. their 'holy' places. Kill them and win. Simple.
I think your Moore idea just about qualifies as a 500pound bomb ... new type, though ... a "slime bomb"
Whether you believe it wise or not, "truce" conditions will be up to the Iraqi government. We are going to be supporting THEIR operations to liberate that Iraqi city. We are not going to conquer it for ourselves. Resign yourself to that reality, and you will be much more calm about the proceedings.
The Iraqis want long term victory here even more than you do, and they have a far greater insight as to the most likely route for succcess than you do.
"Hear Hear. I hope all those who doubt the wisdom of the course we have taken on this battlefield at least see your remarks, so they will not be totally surprised when they see what has actually been happening there."
Thanks for the heads up. Let just hope our losses are super low, and the anti-Iraqi elements are removed once and for all! If we can take all baddies out of Fallujah and Al Ramadi, then we just may have reduced the number of baddies of all forms to a very miniscule amount! That is, if our ongoing Intel is at all accurate.
Guess we shall know in two weeks or so, the result, providing the IG has the spine to let us start and finish what should have been done back in April.
The only good thing, is if it true that the baddies, especially Z-man and most of his forces are in either of these towns. Then the result is going to be terribly bad for world terroist once they hear the game is mostly over in Iraq!
I do not expect responses this late in this this thread but surely would attempt to respond should they occure.
take care all.
"This confuses me. If they give everyone a chance to get out, doesn't that just give the terrorists a chance to prepare and leave as well?"
Unfortunately it does.
Since the announcement of the coming attack many of them have already moved out of the city. These things should be done silently and unexpectedly if they're to be done successfull, in my opinion.
"Since France is an important ally"
Wrong answer.
Well, France has a veto in NATO.
The French could, and did, derail our efforts to make Iraq a NATO operation.
And we have to deal with the EU, of which France is the most powerful political player.
It is a pain in the ass, but we do have to deal with the French.
Well, France has a veto in NATO.
The French could, and did, derail our efforts to make Iraq a NATO operation.
And we have to deal with the EU, of which France is the most powerful political player.
It is a pain in the ass, but we do have to deal with the French.
You prove my point.
Eh?
Which part of Europe are you from ? The part whose ass we kicked ? Or the part whose ass we saved ?
I hope and pray our fighting men and women make it through this fight ok, and that all of the non-terrorists are able to leave,(ie women, children, and older men etc).
But even if they did get all the women and kids out, I can still forsee a BIG problem.
I can see Dan Rather showing Al-Jazzerra footage, over and over again, of how the religious right and GWB are responsible for the MANY innocent deaths our USAF has caused
by indescriminately bombing all the "gay" weddings in Fallujah.....
"I can see Dan Rather showing Al-Jazzerra footage, over and over again, of how the religious right and GWB are responsible for the MANY innocent deaths our USAF has caused
by indescriminately bombing all the "gay" weddings in Fallujah....."
Yes, can see where your coming from. But I thought we told Al-Jazzerra they are not welcome in Fallujah now. I thought the only ones to report things once thing heat up where going to be the Iraqi reporters now embedded with our Marines.
At any rate, as you indicated the filth bag commie bRather and his fellow cronies will figure out ways to spit their twisted remarks out to the masses of dommies that haven't a clue as why it is so very critical at this juncture in time to remove as many anti-Iraqi elements as possible very soon.
It is already entirely to close to the January elections.
As I have just mentioned in another thread on the upcoming Fallujah battle. This all should have been done months ago at best, because there are many things that must happen to assure the success of a January election. I'll leave it go at that.
We are in a different kind of war - in the midst of a city with terrorists that hide behind women and children and fade into the crowds.
This is the purpose of surrounding them, warning them to get out, and stretching this out. They are hoping that the displayed might will cause the insurgents to make a move, quit.
These are the Iraqi citizens and we do not help anyone by going in there and blazendly slaughtering them. We show care, we show restraint, we show all attempts to resolve peacefully. Then all blame will be on the terrorists for putting their fellow citizens in danger.
This was my solution several months ago. Perhaps I missed my calling as a military strategist.
"The EU is offering Iraq an £11.5 million aid package..."
Big spenders...
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