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Operation Valiant Resolve photos.

Operation Valiant Resolve Today marks the start of Operation Valiant Resolve, the (finally) Marine action to (supposedly) quash Falluja. The Marines have "addresses" they're checking out (yeah, sounds like war to me). Reports confirm that the town has remained completely uncooperative when it comes to bringing those who killed the Americans to justice. Not surprising, because the entire town is responsible and we should respond accordingly. I remain concerned that this will be a police action, not a visit of war upon Falluja. The reason violence is increasing in Iraq is because Iraqis have seen that there is no punishment...

Operation Valiant ResolveThe operation on Fallujah has commenced. From preliminary reports, it seems that the enemy will fight. Marines are taking mortar fire from town and have responded with air support. This will be an extremely difficult operation, and the degree of enemy entrenchment fully justifies the Marine decision not to rush into the fray. As noted in earlier posts, the enemy will use counter-siege tactics by creating incidents elsewhere to divert the Marines. The Marines are currently trying to evacuate the town, using leaflets, loudspeakers and taking over the airwaves. Expect a fairly extended period in which no apparent...

FALLOUJA, Iraq — Thousands of Marines surrounded this anti-American stronghold early today in preparation for a complex raid to retake control of the city and apprehend those responsible for last week's slayings of four U.S. security contractors. The highly anticipated action, dubbed Operation Valiant Resolve, was expected to be one of the biggest military offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government a year ago. All roads leading to this city of 300,000 were cut off and barricaded with tanks and concertina wire. Working through the cold and windy desert night, under a large moon, Marines set up camps for...