Free Republic

Reading between the lines, we present this week’s news: Yasser Arafat is dead. It’s about time, too. Right about now he should be at the pearly gates, hearing the bad news that 70 virgins aren’t waiting for him. I’m saddened only because Arafat’s death resulted from some physical illness rather than an Israeli missile strike. Naturally, the Palestinians are blaming Israel, saying he was poisoned. Nice thought, even if it isn’t the truth. Arafat is given a lovely eight-page online obituary in The New York Times, which remembers his order of a massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics...

LAST CHANCE BAGHDAD, Iraq  — A massive strike on the rebel-controlled city of Fallujah (search) could be imminent if a peace deal isn't reached soon, Iraq's leader warned Friday. Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi (search) said an attack by U.S. and Iraqi forces on the city could begin soon. Troops want to clear the region of insurgents in order to be able to hold elections in January as scheduled. U.S. jets struck Fallujah with five air raids in 12 hours overnight, softening up the insurgent stronghold. Guerrillas responded with a rocket attack Friday afternoon, killing a U.S. soldier and...

The combat hospital on the chief U.S. base near Fallujah has set up a morgue and doubled medical staff and supplies in preparation for an expected stream of casualties from an anticipated assault on the rebel stronghold. ''We've had 20 to 30 casualties on a given day here. We expect maybe double that on a serious day. And we can handle them,'' Capt. Eric Lovell, a Navy doctor, said Thursday at the base hospital, a low concrete building announced by a sign saying ''Cheaters of Death.'' The hospital added a Marine Mortuary Affairs team last month, a unit charged with...