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David Warren: Fallujah again
As I write, the U.S. Marine Corps is taking Fallujah all over again. There is a rumour they have captured "Zarqawi" -- the semi-legendary terror mastermind believed to be holed-up in Fallujah -- which I don't think is true. But in the unlikely event it does prove true, I want you to know you read it here first.The new Iraqi army led the assault into Ramadi, and I gather there were about equal credits in the taking of Samarra the week before: these were two of the three largest among about 30 pockets of enemy control in the "Sunni triangle". Fallujah has been the biggest problem: the queen bee in the hive. And it takes the Marines. I do know for sure that the Americans arrested Khaled al-Jumeili as he walked out of a mosque in a village just south of Fallujah, yesterday. This showed they meant business. Al-Jumeili, though personally untouchable, had been negotiating on behalf of the curious coalition of Saddamites, "Afghan Arabs", Palestinians, Syrians, and miscellaneous religious nutjobs who have been ruling Fallujah since the Marines and the Iraqi police last backed off in April. He had also been delivering sermons locally, calling for the usual holy war against the infidels. Well, that's one off the street. Posted by: tipper 2004-10-17 |
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