US assault expected on Fallujah (PM Transcript)

[everythingsxen]

(Bold added by me)

MARK COLVIN: For more than 18 months US and Iraqi forces have been held at bay by insurgents in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.

Now it appears that an all-out assault to take and occupy the Sunni-Muslim city will begin soon.

Several thousand followers of the terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi are believed to be in the town.

Overnight, there's been heavy bombardment of insurgent positions which caused further civilian casualties.

Now all that's needed for the ground troops to move in is the go-ahead from the Iraqi Prime Minister.

Michael Vincent compiled this report.

(sound of explosions)

*SNIP*

This doctor, who works at Fallujah's General Hospital says a young boy and his mother were brought in overnight. He says the mother suffered serious wounds to her back and her boy lost his leg. Their relatives are angry.

The boy's aunt blames the Americans.

AUNT (translated): Is this child Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was injured with their mother in a house district outside Fallujah? Are they Mujahedeen? The American pretext was the Saddam Hussein had weapons so they invaded our country and now they're occupying the country and stealing the oil?

*SNIP*

MICHAEL VINCENT: At a memorial service for their fallen friends, the marines displayed a range of emotions talking about their lost comrades.

MARINE 1: He never wanted to be here in the first place, but now he's in a better place, a place where there's no fear.

MARINE 2: It breaks my heart to lose one of my brothers, it happened so fast and it was very shocking. And I know you guys are going through the same pain.

MARINE 3: He wants to burn Fallujah down for what those bastards did to him and that's exactly what's going to happen.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Talk of burning Fallujah down is not what the officers of these marines need or want to hear right now. Instead they will want their soldiers to focus for the fight ahead.

More: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1235081.htm

Tell me things are not going to get really ugly in the next 12 hours.

Tell me someone has a plan? If not, I have a plan. I doubt it will do anything, but I have a plan.

[punpirate]

1. No bad press...

... before the election. Funny what one candidate can do when he occupies the White House....

[Poll_Blind]

2. I saw that report! I did a double-take when the marine said that.

Because I knew he meant it.

"He wants to burn Fallujah down for what those bastards did to him and that's exactly what's going to happen."

Makes for great movies, though, doesn't it? It's too bad there isn't someone there to clarify with him "So, when you say that, does that mean you're going to grease women and kids if you see them, too? Oh, no? Ok, just wondering, because burning the whole fucking town down isn't, um, the words fail me....oh, it's going to make you more of a monster than the asshole who shot you buddy, who was wearing a soldier's uniform and, by ALL rules, ever, fair game. 'Bring it on'? Is that the phrase your boss used?"

PB