[Gigantor]

By the time it was over, the Marines had effectively ceded control of Al-Fallujah to a loosely connected band of Islamist extremists and former Baathists.

I wish someone would explain to me why we ceded this area instead of crushing them...

[MNJohnnie]

the time it was over, the Marines had effectively ceded control of Al-Fallujah to a loosely connected band of Islamist extremists and former Baathists.
I wish someone would explain to me why we ceded this area instead of crushing them

If you crush them, the survivors scurry away to find new holes to hide in like they did in Afghanistan. If you allow them the illusion of success, you localize them. Notice they Terrorists only can operate successfully in 3 of 18 Iraqi provinces and is not spreading? Notice that weekly drop a couple of bombs and kill off 10-20 Terroririst in Fallujah? Fallujah is a tar baby the Terrorists have hugged to their breasts. They have to defend it to avoid a massive political and propaganda defeat and by defending it, they localize themselves in a fixed area and seriously diminish their threat to the rest of the country. Fallaujah was not a Victory for the Terrorists, it was a defeat. A defeat they are still paying the price for daily.