Replies

"For many of the Americans, the battle for Fallujah promises to be their first time in combat, but some of the Iraqi soldiers about to join them have seen battles before."

This is a good thing if Iraqi vets do the real work.

"Some told NBC News that they were with resistance units that fought former President Saddam Hussein in the Kurdish north. Others said they were Shiite fighters from the south. Others, however, said they were once members of Saddam’s army, a few of them having been involved in the invasion of Kuwait, the incident that started the first Gulf War. Sunni clerics have threatened to boycott the election if Fallujah is attacked, "

With a flattened city and a multi-ethnic Iraqi army cleaning out the scum, the Sunni clerics may find they have less influence with the people of Fallujah as well as other nearby cities.