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Iraq-Jordan
90 Minute Cease Fire Over, Residents escaping to Naimiyah
2004-04-09
Obviously Aljazeera is Anti-American, but has just about the only reporter in Fallujah
US occupation forces have bombed the Iraqi town of Falluja, belying administrator Paul Bremer’s announcement that his forces were suspending military operations there. "As of noon today coalition forces have initiated a unilateral suspension of offensive operations in Falluja," Paul Bremer told reporters on Friday. But, the US-led occupation’s deputy director of operations, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, denied the reports of a ceasefire.
"No hudnas, thank you..."
Minutes after Bremer’s announcement, US forces carried out a fresh offensive on Falluja bombing the town from the air. Scores of residents were injured in the attack, reported our correspondent. "There is no brokered agreement for a ceasefire in Falluja," Kimmitt told AFP. "There is no agreement between the rebels and the coalition forces." Earlier, the Iraqi Governing Council member Mohsin Abd al-Hameed in a statement on behalf of his Iraqi Islamic party to Aljazeera said military action in Falluja would end for a period of 24 hours.
24 Hours? It’s not that easy, pal!
Upon commitment to a ceasefire by the occupation forces and Iraqi resistance fighters the ceasefire would continue, the statement said. The Islamic party political bureau would send a delegation to hold talks with prominent figures in the town, the statement said.
Thereby presenting themselves as men of substance, men who can control the insurgency, men to be negotiated with...
Aljazeera, meanwhile, has learnt that during negotiations to end the military offensive, US forces imposed many conditions including getting the Aljazeera crew out of the town. At dawn on Friday, US forces asked the residents to evacuate the town, reported our correspondent. This was preceded by bombardment by US forces since late on Thursday. Helicopters were seen hovering after the bombings. Violent clashes also erupted between US forces and resistance fighters. US tanks too reached central Falluja and bombed the Golan area as well as Nazzal, Zubat and Askari. The bombardment destroyed 10 houses while three went up in flames. Our correspondent witnessed a large family arriving at the hospital with two of its members dead.
That's too bad. Maybe they should have beat it out of the combat zone. Or were the deaders Pop and Sonny, lately Heroic Fighters of the Resistance™?
Other members were still under debris, he said, adding that one shrapnel hit a pregnant woman while another pierced the eye of a child.
Being a human shield ain't all it's cracked up to be, is it?
Ambulances were bringing in casualties all night while people have started fleeing the city fearing more attacks. Men, women and children were fleeing on foot through backstreets and paths that cut through fields, carrying small bags, food and medicines. Most were seen heading toward the nearby village of Naimiyah, south of Fallujah, which has been under effective US siege since Monday. Bodies were left to rot in the streets as people cowered indoors.
Did anybody remember to mutilate them?
On Thursday, the US marines tried to enter the neighbourhoods of Zubat and Nazzal but the Shia militia pounded them with anti-tank rockets and mortar fire, forcing them to retreat.
Shia in Falluja?
The fierce confrontations have left more than 300 people dead and over 500 wounded, our correspondent reported, citing hospital sources.
Posted by:CobraCommander

#19  The gloves are off - no more celebratory firing in the air for the rebel forces.

That should have been one of the first new laws from the IGC, alongside an explanation that "if the Americans think you have a weapon pointed in their direction, they will kill you, so it's best not to even risk it".

We need to treat gunsex like the British treated suttee: "It's our tradition to return fire".
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-04-09 10:57:18 PM  

#18  I like the Pandora's box metaphor. Now its been opened, you can't close the lid and walk away. You have to deal with the contents as they emerge.
Posted by: Phil B   2004-04-09 8:04:18 PM  

#17  Talk about turning points in history...we may be witnessing one. As Tom Friedman said months ago (paraphrased), now that the Pandora's Box is open we have to be willing to go all the way...or the Western World is lost.
Posted by: anymouse   2004-04-09 3:49:01 PM  

#16  From Fox News: U.S. soldiers used loud speakers to warn people in Arabic that if they had weapons in the area, they would be shot.

The gloves are off - no more celebratory firing in the air for the rebel forces.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2004-04-09 3:43:43 PM  

#15  Remember what Kimmitt said earlier - that the response would be deliberate but tough. The Fallujah operation is going to be something that the rebels will remember for a long, long time. It's like the clearing of Hue (also done by Marines - watch Full Metal Jacket*), but with fewer US casualties and less full-bore firepower.

* Full Metal Jacket's story line is weird in the sense that there is no way a platoon of Marines would go after a single sniper. As far as I can tell, they're trained to take care of the problem by either calling in fire support or backing away.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2004-04-09 3:31:26 PM  

#14  I think that has to do with what you call a civilian. A women packing an AK47 is not a civilian but a combatant.

Plus you have their oh-so couragous and brave practice of hiding behind women and children. We should get pictures of this to show on local TV as well as the threats to burn alive hostages and the like.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-04-09 3:25:58 PM  

#13  basically to provide some political cover to the IGC who are feeling alot of heat from Iraqis, esp in Baghdad, who are under the impression that civilians are getting hurt in Fallujah. You want to show youre reasonable, and maybe give civvies a chance to leave.
Posted by: Liberalhawk   2004-04-09 3:21:14 PM  

#12  If I'm reading this story right there were 300 killed in Fallujah. What have our losses been? 4?

Assuming those killed are almost all combatants, that's a pretty hefty ratio in our favor. So why would we negotiate anything?
Posted by: RMcLeod   2004-04-09 3:10:14 PM  

#11  LH, you're right it only applies to U.S. press corps. I think I got the idea from the Clancy book "without remorse".
Posted by: Jarhead   2004-04-09 2:28:52 PM  

#10  RC isnt that a prohibition on CIA operatives using (US) journalistic cover? Would it really apply to running an agent in a foreign press org?

In other news, the Govt of the Peoples Republic of China just declared that every member of the Peoples Liberation Army is a journalist, and will get a column in the peoples daily, just as space allows.
Posted by: Liberalhawk   2004-04-09 2:18:36 PM  

#9  Has our intel folks, i.e. CIA ever thought of infiltrating Al-Jiz for the purpose of finding out how they're on the scene so quick?

I'm pretty sure it's still illegal for US agents to pose as reporters.

Stupid rule, especially since al'Jazeera appears to be working alongside every jihadi group on the planet, but there you have it.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-04-09 2:13:51 PM  

#8  This article has a certain odor to it. I'm not buyin' it. The jihadists (Al Jiz included) have little or no understanding of the West's concept of combat....they're completely misinterpreting what is taking place there, and it does not help.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2004-04-09 12:50:55 PM  

#7  Meeting for what? The insurgents are being given an offer they can't refuse - Surrender or Die!
Posted by: Anonymous4105   2004-04-09 12:48:08 PM  

#6  For everyone to comment on, and maybe Old Spook knows: Has our intel folks, i.e. CIA ever thought of infiltrating Al-Jiz for the purpose of finding out how they're on the scene so quick? Seems to me if tips are flying we could get in on them. Just a thought.
Posted by: Jarhead   2004-04-09 12:17:11 PM  

#5  I like the fact that they want to kick Al-Jizwad's ass out of the town. They should be barred from the whole country. A-holes.
Posted by: remote man   2004-04-09 11:43:12 AM  

#4  Didn't say anything about killing civilians, unless all of Fallujah's residents are disillusioned Baathists. We're trying to set them straight, and there's some that don't want to go down that road. Those "some" need a bullet in their head, no questions asked. And since appearances seem to carry a lot of meaning with those types in the Middle East, being willing to spill blood without feeling a need to negotiate sends a nice, clear message.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-04-09 11:43:06 AM  

#3  We can't risk pissing off the rest of the population if we are seen as killing civilians left and right. It's bullshit, but we have to at least make the appearance of trying.
Posted by: Vis   2004-04-09 11:27:19 AM  

#2  A meeting for what? This little insurgency needs to be snuffed out. End of story. Since it's pretty damn obvious that these disillusioned Baathists aren't going to go quietly, then the solution is to kill them, and kill them ALL.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-04-09 11:11:31 AM  

#1  I'm not sure what time Kimmet made these statements, but FOXNEWS has an update:

There were reports that the suspension had been canceled, but Kimmitt told Fox News it was holding.

"Maybe some of the confusion has been we still have Marines in contact with the enemy," Kimmitt said.

The top U.S. civilian administrator, L. Paul Bremer, confirmed the offensive halt.

"As of noon today coalition forces have initiated a unilateral suspension of offensive operations in Fallujah to allow for a meeting between members of the Governing Council, local Muslim leadership and the leadership of anti-coalition forces," Bremer said.

Shooting was still heard in the city after the noon suspension began.
Posted by: CobraCommander   2004-04-09 10:38:34 AM  

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