US, Fallujah insurgents reach ceasefire

Jerusalem Post ^ | Apr. 11, 2004 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Not to mention it was a American unilateral cease fire. And it's a Chrisitan holiday today. We can afford to be munificient for one day.

[tubavil]

It's not insane. It's strategy. We've offered them a truce with conditions that they will not fulfill under any circumstances. I could very well be wrong, as war is unpredictable, but by this Friday at the latest, I think that Fallujah will be under control and there will be a lot of new sod over their football field...
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What is required is some *serious* military action, action this administration is unwilling to take.

We will have to politely disagree.

[Criminal Number 18F]

Some media sources reported that the three Japanese hostages were released Sunday morning. Tokyo has not confirmed the reports.

This is not surprizing. The Japanese were anti-American radicals looking to meet their Iraqi pals and stage a media event. Mission accomplished.

The helicopter that was shot down, unfortunately the crew of two was killed. Names to be released after NOK notification is complete.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Rokke]

I'm stunned. A voice of sanity amidst a chorus of ignorant wailing. Thanks.

[Rokke]

"What is required is some *serious* military action, action this administration is unwilling to take."

Yes, this administration has such a well established record of being afraid to take military action. I guess you must have missed some minor events in our military history during the last three years.

[ASA Vet]

On April fools day General Kimmitt said regarding our response to the murder mutilation of four Americans,

"It will be at a time and a place of our choosing.
It will be methodical, it will be precise and it will be
overwhelming."

I'm still waiting for the "overwhelming" part.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

The generals should stick to reporting what has happened.

Every time they start promising what will happen, the politicians make them look foolish, and vice versa.

[tubavil]

Sarcasm noted.

I said *serious* action.

Get back to me when bombing a mosque compound doesn't require pre-approval via scrambled sat. from bush himself and PC light tonnages are no longer used.

[Rokke]

I'm back with you. Bombing mosque's has already been pre-approved and 500lb laser guided bombs are standard combat issue. Not PC lite.

[alexandria]

US commanders have said that for a truce to hold, the militants must hand over the Iraqis who killed and mutilated four American civilians on March 31 and allow the return of Iraqi police to their stations to keep order, Othman said.
No chance of this happening.
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told reporters Saturday that fighters must also "lay down their arms" and renounce their membership in extremist groups to fully end the insurgency that has made Fallujah its stronghold.
No chance of this happening.
Thus, the truce fails, though it looks like we tried to make it work. Next step: stomp the cr@p out of these lunatics.

Exactly, after this much time and more than one warning to leave the city for your own safety, we need to go in with a vengeance. Doing our best to make sure that even if we cannot get ALL those involved in the March 31 incident we can make damn sure that anyone who thought about repeating such will have second thoughts

[tubavil]

mosque-ectomies have not been pre-approved.

My info says...only in extreme circumstances (too many marines are already dead) can one order PC light (which 500 pounders are, as they are at the far end of the tonnage spectrum) weapons against not the mosque itself, but the compound. This still requires approval from a very high level.

I would like to see pictures of the bombing that happened a few days ago to see what the reality is.

When the local mosque has the same status as Achmed's Coffee Shop I'll know we're making progress.

The next time we are fired upon from a mosque, a 2000 pounder through the filthy dome should be the response.

[Rokke]

"My info says...only in extreme circumstances"

True, which has been defined as when the mosque is being used for offensive operations against our troops, which nullifies its protection under the Geneva Convention. I don't consider that too restrictive. It becomes a legitimate military target at that point, and does not require anything resembling Presidential approval to be hit. In fact, the decision can be made by the troops in contact.
Don't discount the destructive ability of a 500lb bomb. It is more accurate than its 2000lb brother, and is more than capable of flattening a mud walled mosque. Plus, it has the added side affect of not flattening the friendly Marines within 1/2 mile of its impact point. Sure, 500lb bombs are the smallest we carry...but they are the weapon of choice for countless reasons that have nothing to do with PC.
Bottomline, I agree with your final statement with one editorial adjustment..."The next time we are fired upon from a mosque, two 500 pounders through the filthy dome should be the response. "

[af_vet_1981]

We can afford to be munificient for one day.

Who can afford it ?

They are holding (and presumably torturing and mutilating) American and other coalition hostages.

This is not the shuk ...

[af_vet_1981]

I'm still waiting for the "overwhelming" part.

Words have meaning. American credibility is diminished when American leaders do not follow through on their words. This is turn costs more American lives.

[af_vet_1981]

This is turn
This in turn