Iraq rebels strike before US attack on Falluja

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LYO721442.htm

FALLUJA, Iraq, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Rebels shot dead 21 Iraqi policemen in cold blood on Sunday, a day after killing 34 people in attacks on security forces, in a clear show of force ahead of an imminent U.S. offensive on insurgents in Falluja and Ramadi.

Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is determined to crush a Sunni Muslim-led insurgency before elections in January. His spokesman was due to address media at 3 p.m. (1200 GMT).

U.S. forces say they will attack Falluja whenever they get the order from Allawi, who returned from Europe on Saturday.

Police said gunmen killed 23 policemen in three attacks in Iraq. The bloodiest assault was in Haditha, 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Baghdad, where insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars attacked a police station at dawn.

After a 90-minute battle in which six policemen were wounded, the attackers took 21 captured policemen to the K-3 oil pumping station area and shot them dead execution-style....There is a message there.

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[DELUSIONAL]

1. The fundies should be very pleased -- their plans are going well.

[VivaKerry]

2. Uh yeah, that;s a clear message.

I love the media dilution:

"Rebels shot dead 21 Iraqi policemen in cold blood on Sunday, a day after killing 34 people in attacks on security forces, "

why not call it what it is: "rebels killed FIFTY FOUR in a surprise attack...over two days" They don't want the numbers to be too big.

[Moderator]

3. Actually here is an earlier thread where 50 killed

is mentioned.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x966624

Locking as duplicate