U.S. Marines Clearing Fallujah Roadblocks

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040430/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq&cid=540&ncid=716


FALLUJAH, Iraq - U.S. troops began clearing rolls of razor wire from the main entrance to Fallujah on Friday, as U.S. commanders met with local representatives to work out details of a deal aimed at lifting the monthlong siege of the city.

The agreement would lead to the creation of a local force of some 1,100 members called the Fallujah Protective Army that would patrol the city under the command of an Iraqi general from Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s military. U.S. Marines would pull out of the city.

A Marine officer in Iraq (news - web sites) said Thursday that a deal was reached in principle but "fine points" needed to be fixed. U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, however, said there was no deal yet and officials were "still working on it."

The commander of the proposed force met with tribal leaders in a mosque on Friday morning. He wore his uniform from the former Iraqi military with his general's insignia.