US and Iraqi ground forces move into Fallujah

[ECH1969]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American troops and Iraqi special forces launched a major operation in Falluja late Thursday aimed at disrupting future attacks by insurgents who control the volatile city, the U.S. military said.

U.S. warplanes pounded targets in the Sunni Triangle city that has been a hotbed for the insurgency for months, lighting the night sky and producing plumes of smoke.

The operation, on the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, marked the first time U.S. forces have gone into Falluja since April, when a tenuous cease-fire was reached to try to restore calm.

Since then, U.S. forces have operated in the region but not the city itself, and the insurgency has gotten bolder around Iraq.

"We've been looking forward to this for a long time," said 1st Lt. Lyle Gilbert, a spokesman for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

"This operation is going to set the stage for Fallujans and for the Iraqi people to go out and elect their government and live in freedom and security as they deserve," Gilbert said.

Two infantry battalions -- one from the Marines and one from the Army -- were participating "in and near the city" along with Iraqi special forces, he said. Marine attack jets and helicopters were providing close air support and troop transport.

The operation began with "precision air strikes" on targets around the city, enabling the ground forces to begin their move, according to a Marine news release.

Hours earlier, Iraqi national security adviser Kasim Dawood said the government was preparing to "smash" the entrenched insurgency in Falluja if city officials failed to turn in militants.

The government had been trying to get Falluja leaders to hand over terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his allies.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/14/iraq.main/index.html
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This strongly looks like the start of an all out push into Fallujah.

[Eye and Monkey]

1. "setting the stage for elections"...???

"This operation is going to set the stage for Fallujans and for the Iraqi people to go out and elect their government and live in freedom and security as they deserve," Gilbert said.

Such utter nonsense - they are setting the stage for civilian casualties.

[ECH1969]

2. Civilians will die

And, so will US and Iraqi troops.

But, if they kill or capture Zarqawi, it will be more then worth it for Bush. Which is what this is all about really. He is the hyped up UBL jr that Bush knows he actually has a chance of catching.

[aneerkoinos]

3. No push yet

Only 2 battallions. IIRC the resistance beat 2-3 Marines battallions last time, the attack was stalled and the cancelled before enough reinforcements arrived.

More like preparing positions for attack. I don't think they will try to go in with anything less than 6 battallions this time. Probably much more, cause they want blitz, not Stalingrad.

[ECH1969]

4. While I agree this isn't the big push as yet

But, I know we have at least two or three Iraqi battalions in the area and probably several more US battalions.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Do you happen to know who's side the 2 or 3 Iraqi battalions are on?

Just curious.

Don

[meisje]

5. Bush's last gamble

This was not planned until after the election, but now bunny pants knows he needs some kind of victory. Roll the dice... victory means votes... U.S casualties means a Kerry win.

[ECH1969]

7. It is a pretty large gamble

But, considering how sucessful Zarqawi's car bombs have been at killing US troops the past few weeks, I think Bush looking like he is doing nothing and waiting until after the election to act would be even more damaging. Carter pulled a major boner with that surgical strike into Iran that went FUBR, but it still sent has popularity up for a while because it looked to the public like he was doing something.

[leftchick]

13. I think you are believing too much in the power of Zarqawi.....

Do you really think it is this mysterious terrorist, no one has seen in two years, responsible for every car bomb in Iraq? Wow! He is pretty powerful! :eyes:

[JCMach1]

11. HE needs Zarqawi... since he can't get osama

haven't you noticed Z. being mentioned in almost every Iraq fighting report in the media. That's the setup.

Welcome to the October surprise...

[4dsc]

6. US troops don't TRUST the Iraqi's??

I just heard tonight that US forces don't trust the Iraqi's fighting alongside them..

[NNN0LHI]

9. I am sure the feelings are mutual n/t

[livinbella]

10. Why now?

Why now?

[saigon68]

12. I'm sure Gilbert will lead them "Over the Top" (NOT)

"We've been looking forward to this for a long time," said 1st Lt. Lyle Gilbert, a spokesman for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

I guess the mothers of those about to be killed for Halliburton profits will bake you a cake when you get back to the good old land of the big BX --- Gilbert--- you Idiot.

[leftchick]

14. Apparently Allawi did not want to negotiate.... Bombs are better!

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/84092543-03D2-43B7-B873-FBEAE10801ED.htm

<snip>
He said delegates were close to reaching a breakthrough in talks that would allow Iraqi forces to come back into the city before Allawi imposed "impossible conditions."

"Basically he was telling us that he did not want to negotiate, so we suspended the talks from our end," he said.

Allawi on Wednesday demanded that Falluja turn over al-Zarqawi or face a military invasion as he sought to recover the city from the grip of fighters ahead of national elections in January.

In Baghdad, the government's national security adviser, Kasim Dawud, said on Thursday evening he hoped the delegates could mediate a truce and rid the city of foreign fighters to avert a military showdown.

"I hope they kick them out, otherwise we are preparing to crush them," he told reporters.

[Disturbed]

15. Crushing "them".

Will that get Allawi elected by the Iraqis in Jan.?