BREAKING: Bremmer: US unilaterally suspend offensive in Faluja

[konijn]

Banner at teh BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/

[kattracks]

U.S. halts offensive operations in Falluja

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BAGHDAD, April 9 (Reuters) - The U.S governor in Iraq said on Friday that U.S. forces had suspended military operations in the Sunni town of Falluja at midday (0800 GMT).

"As of noon today coalition forces have initiated a unilateral suspension of offensive operations in Falluja," Paul Bremer told reporters. He did not say how long the ceasefire would last.

[konijn]

MISSION NOT ACCOMPLISHED!!
The Marines are being used for political Iraqi games!!!

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[Barlowmaker]

Get a grip. You're a merchant of doom and gloom.

[PLMerite]

Good. Let the Marines rest, and give the Iraqis a chance to get together in one place for the coup de grace.

[Fledermaus]

Sounds different from this report:

U.S. Military Says S. Iraq City Retaken

Apr 9, 4:19 AM (ET)

(AP) A resident inspects a badly damaged house following clashes between militiamen of radical Shiite...
Full Image


BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - U.S.-led coalition forces have retaken control of the southern Iraqi city of Kut, a military spokeswoman said Friday.

The spokeswoman had no other information about how troops regained control of the city, which had been overrun by a militia led by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

On Thursday, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. general in Iraq, vowed that coalition forces would move "imminently" to break al-Sadr's hold over Kut, 95 miles southeast of Baghdad, and destroy his al-Mahdi Army militia across the country in a new operation dubbed "Resolute Sword."

Ukrainian troops in Kut abandoned their base Wednesday in the face of mortar fire and gunbattles, allowing al-Mahdi Army fighters to sweep in, seizing weapons stores and planting their flag.

The militia also has full control over the southern cities of Kufa and the central part of Najaf. Police in the cities have abandoned their stations or stood aside as the gunmen roam the streets.

[Steve Van Doorn]

I hope konijn isn't correct.. military action must be under military control not government.

[konijn]

Kut is not Falluja

[leadpenny]

Should be in Breaking News.

[konijn]

The U.S. military today said it was suspending offensive operations in Fallujah to allow negotiations with a delegation of local tribal leaders. Fallujah has been the site of fierce fighting between U.S. Marines and Iraqi insurgents.

[leadpenny]

Carl Rochelle reporting same from Baghdad on MSNBC.

[Barlowmaker]

CNN reported the cessation of the American-Peshmerga advance was to open the channel to a negotiated resolution with Fallujan city leaders. Having the Marines and Kurds coming into town with ill intent gets folks' minds and survival in focus.

[Poundstone]

This halt may be because a number of members of the interim Iraqi council were threatening to resign if the attack on Fallujah continued.

At any rate, it doesn't look too good.

[Barlowmaker]

What in the world would lead you to speculate on the most negative possible eventuality?

[kattracks]

U.S. Marines halt offensive in Fallujah

FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) — U.S. Marines halted offensive operations in Fallujah on Friday to allow talks with a delegation of sheiks from the city, a stronghold of Sunni insurgents that has been besieged by American forces this week, a commander said.

"I would not describe this as a cease-fire. We are still aggressively defending our positions. However we have ceased offensive operations for now," said Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne, commander of the 1st Battalion 5th Marine Regiment.

The offensive halt began at noon Friday, he said.

[TigerLikesRooster]

U.S. Marines Halt Offensive in Fallujah

FALLUJAH, Iraq - U.S. Marines halted offensive operations in Fallujah on Friday to allow talks with a delegation of sheiks from the city, a stronghold of Sunni insurgents that has been besieged by American forces this week, a commander said. "I would not describe this as a cease-fire. We are still aggressively defending our positions. However we have ceased offensive operations for now," said Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne, commander of the 1st Battalion 5th Marine Regiment. The offensive halt began at noon Friday, he said.

[Keith in Iowa]

We're giving them one last change to play ball before we shove the bat up their (bleep).

[LdSentinal]

Are these the same city leaders that condemned the mutilation of the 4 contractors last week but not the killing?

Continue the offensive. The Pakistanis held a cease-fire last month and a bunch of Al-Queda fighters escaped during the truce.

[konijn]

They were not in the town but on the outskirts!
Try to get the facts right.