[Lothar5150]

Originally Posted by Kobuchi

Good one.

Did you know that, once, Falluja was a peaceful city? There was no insurgency. Americans could go where they pleased without being shot at. Wandering in the markets and so forth. Some marines decided to set up base in a conveniently empty schoolhouse: they piled the desks outside as a roadblock, stationed guns at the windows. Do you remember what happened when parents and teachers brought the children there to protest, at the start of Iraq's school year?

Some would think those actions prudent. Sound "force protection" at every fateful step.

Did the school look like this, I'm sure it did. Saddam piled weapons at all the elementary schools. The locals wanted us to occupy this school if for no other reason to keep the children out of it...There where three kids at the local hospital who had blown off their hands playing with mortar rounds.

Originally Posted by Kobuchi

Did you know that Fallujan rebels are now believed to be mostly hiding, waiting for soldiers to enter buildings? So now the orders, according to the troops interviewed, are to fire into houses before entering. Every house still standing must be raided in this fashion. No choice, because Falluja just gets nastier by the day.

That’s normal clearing procedure for urban warfare. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. You don't know the square root of jack. This operation is actually going allot better than anyone expected.

Originally Posted by Kobuchi

I think the whole chain of events in Falluja guided by insecurity and cowardice. I speak plainly too.

The Marines (make sure you capitalize it next time...it is one of the few actual titles in United States) and the Iraqis attempting to secure the town right now are all heroes.