[AIBC]

I think the rocade with former Saddam generals is just a time gaining strategy. The US should bring in the Abrams tanks from Germany. The RPGs, it turns out, are quite effective against the Humvees, besides that, they are also portable and easily concealed. To attack a tank of the Abrams kind, one needs a more serious weapon like the SPG-9, or at least a 100 mm antitank cannon, not to mention the PTURS - from the former Soviet arsenal.
It seems to me the marines are not equipped well for Fallujah, which is why we see the newly-formed Iraqi army going in and out of the city for some time. I am no military expert, but it seems to me that if you want the problem resolved militarily, you must bring in the tanks!
As an example, Israel fights the same kind of guerrilla force, armed with similar weapons, and is successful with far less casualties.

[Dave Elias]

The Mujahideen used the RPG-7 to great effect against reactive armor equiped Soviet MBTs.

http://www.teamhouse.tni.net/Info/RPG/rpg_tactics.htm

[kiskutya]

The problem is that the Abrams are heavy and expensive to maintain and they are sluggish in town. and they could be trapped in narrow streets...
It also needs a lot of fuel and the supply routes are not very safe... Imagine to replace the Humvees with Abrams...
The costs, the supply,the mobility and the different skillsets to operate them...

Might as well use a MOAB... But that would further isolate the US on the international field

Do not forget that Israel deploys its tanks from next door and the Palestins are very purly equipeed against them.

I think the problem needs more attention on the political side.

The problem is with the superior firepower.
The soldiers are itching to use it before really exhousting other means.
It needs to proove to the Iraqis that the US is capable to do other things than leveling buildings from the sky...

Back to the Israel example:
They are able to fight the Palestinians and more less keep them in bay only because the huge help from the US. (Even so after 30 years the problems are not solved...)
But the US has nobody else to rely on for financial or military aid if the Iraq war getting longer.

I think that the strategy need some rethink.