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A Humvee from Phantom troop fitted with a Long Range Acquisition System (LRAS) was moved to within two kilometres of the mosque, well inside its maximum range of 15km, to get a second opinion on what was happening. "The strike was so sensitive that it took more than an hour to approve it," said Maj John Reynolds, operations officer for 2-2. "Normally it happens in minutes."
American tanks engage insurgents on the streets of Fallujah Lt Prakash was asked to provide a grid co-ordinate, accurate to within a metre, to minimise the chance of hitting the mosque, about 50 metres from the building.
At about 3pm, the higher authorisation came through and Lt Col Pete Newell, commanding 2-2 and with the call-sign Ramrod 6, gave the order to fire a barrage of 20 155mm high-explosive shells from howitzers about three miles away from the mosque.
Specialist James Taylor, manning the LRAS, watched the burst of shells hit.
"They landed on the left side of the building and I saw three bodies fly into the air," he said. "It was awesome."
Lt Prakash radioed that the rounds were right on target and requested 10 more to ensure maximum killing effect.
"One of the men was in a sniper position on the building," said Lt Prakash. "I saw him fall off, hit the ground and bounce up. There were about five bodies that went three, four, five storeys up in the air. I'd already counted between 40 and 50 men going into that building. There were men running out, coughing and doubling over. The second lot of rounds took them out and all those who had been crossing the road.

This is PC BS when are soldiers are under fire..all the conceern over a d*** building [mosque]...but it was DAMN GOOD WORK TO GET IT DONE right!! We are proud of you all and may God protect you with his Divine shield!!

Although a good article, this reporter is only surmising why the Americans waited an hour to blow the building apart. There may well have been worthwhile strategic reasons (such as allowing more of the bad guys to gather).

Specialist James Taylor, manning the LRAS, watched the burst of shells hit.

"They landed on the left side of the building and I saw three bodies fly into the air," he said. "It was awesome."

I love that line!

Awesome!

Given that EVERY mosque we've ever taken has been used by bad guys for cover, weapons, and mayhem, it's about time that someone in senior command stepped up to the plate and stated that any mosque that housed combattants that resisted would autoatically be deemed a target, and engaged as such...no delays for approval up and down the chain of command..