[Poundstone]

It's beginning.

We may want to go in "with precision," but we can be sure there will be plenty of "collateral damage" as well.

But that's the price of war, and those vermin who murdered those four guys last week must be brought to justice one way or another.

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[leadpenny]

. . . five Marines were killed when a bomb exploded under their vehicle in a village near Fallujah.

Not important, but I believe they were US Army Soldiers.

[MeekOneGOP]

Marines Encircle Fallouja
(Operation Valiant Resolve commencing)

FALLOUJA, Iraq — Thousands of Marines surrounded this anti-American stronghold early today in preparation for a complex raid to retake control of the city and apprehend those responsible for last week's slayings of four U.S. security contractors.

The highly anticipated action, dubbed Operation Valiant Resolve, was expected to be one of the biggest military offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government a year ago.

All roads leading to this city of 300,000 were cut off and barricaded with tanks and concertina wire. Working through the cold and windy desert night, under a large moon, Marines set up camps for detainees and residents who might flee any fighting. Before dawn, several Marine positions were hit by mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Bursts of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout the city.

Click here to go to FR article

[Gerasimov]

The Marines and Iraqi security forces were poised to enter the city to arrest suspected insurgents

Am I the only one who prefers that the U.S. Marines kill people, rather than "arrest" them?

Because of this

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

"The Marines said they intended to take a softer approach with Fallujah residents, hoping to win popular support."

That was their first mistake. They need to take a much harder approach to those ignorant scumbags.

[noutopia]

Kill the sorry bastards.Then celibate!

[BunnySlippers]

"The city is surrounded," Vanzant said.

Surrounded by insurgents or surrounded by Marines?

[TomGuy]

FoxNews just reported 1 Marine already KIA in Fallujah today.

[big_Rob]

Only one way to deal with this

MOAB

[Solamente]

I hope the Marines have the good sense to round up the French Associated Press crew and escort them out of the city for their own "safety."

[Toskrin]

We should park 100 empty SUVs around Fallujah, set them on fire, and bomb the crowds that show up.

[VadeRetro]

The Marines said they intended to take a softer approach with Fallujah residents, hoping to win popular support.

You evidently have to tear them down before you build them up (if you're still interested by then).

[P.O.E.]

Here's some prayers for the success and safety of our troops. It's gotta be done, and we thank you for doing it.

[bondjamesbond]

It's an aside, but I am sick and tired of the PR office coming up with operational names. "Valiant Resolve"?!?

This sort of thing just makes us look like idiots.

Time to break out the random name generator out of moth balls and come up with names like "Whiskey Birdbath" or "Apple Hammer". The great operational names are great because the operations themselves were great. If the pacification of Fallujah was named "Apple Hammer", those words would take on a meaning of their own and be repeated across the Islamic World for a hundred years. People will forget "Valiant Resolve" in a week, because it sounds like the rest of the BS/PR operational names from this war.

[blackie]

Death to all terrorists ~ Hang 'em High ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Smartass]

TAKE NO PRISONERS!