US says Falluja truce remains despite firefights

[Robbien]

By James Drummond in Baghdad
Published: April 28 2004 19:17 | Last Updated: April 28 2004 19:17

A ceasefire remained in place in the besieged town of Falluja on Wednesday, US military spokesmen in Baghdad insisted, even though warplanes were targeting insurgents there for a second day. Brig Gen Mark Kimmitt, US military spokesman, said US Marines and aircraft were engaged on Wednesday in firefights at two sites in the town against "enemy forces in small cells". He said the Marines were exercising their right to self-defence.

<snip>

"There is still a determined aspiration on the part of the coalition to maintain the ceasefire and resolve this situation by peaceful means," said Gen Kimmitt. He added that no heavy weapons were handed in on Wednesday. "We do remain concerned that these leaders are not delivering but we remain engaged."

Gen Kimmitt said that the pyrotechnic images of Tuesday night were caused by an air strike against two vehicles that had moved with lights dimmed through an area associated with the insurgents, dropping off "bundles and personnel". The vehicles were hit, he said, and proved to be carrying ammunition. This was followed by a strike against a building to which the insurgents fled, which also contained ammunition.

<snip>

Elsewhere Gen Kimmitt said that six US servicemen had been charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners held at Abu Ghraib prison, outside Baghdad. Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of US ground forces in Iraq, ordered an investigation after a soldier came forward in January and made allegations against his colleagues.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1079420680414

[progressiveBadger]

1. Do we need to send dictionaries to these people?

Main Entry: cease-fire
Pronunciation: 'sEs-'fIr
Function: noun
1 : a military order to cease firing
2 : a suspension of active hostilities

[hang a left]

2. OMG

They are kidding......right?

[maddezmom]

3. and yet, CNNI showing live video fo new fires and bombing n/t

[hang a left]

4. Do you ever feel like you are losing your mind?

I swear I should get away from here (DU). But, I am so hopelessly addicted.

[belladonna]

6. You're not losing your mind

You're just living in the upside down, black is white world of the boy king and his minions.

[Just Me]

8. Reading and watching neocon spin can cause anyone to question,...

,...their sanity from time to time.

:bounce:

But, I know the neocons are either delusional and/or criminal.

[maddezmom]

9. it all seems surreal

and news from my part of the world:

After mayor lynching new protests 'out of control': Peru interior minister
Tue Apr 27, 3:06 PM ET Add World - AFP to My Yahoo!

LIMA (AFP) - Thousands of Peru's Aymara Indians protested anew, a day after a mob lynched the mayor of Ilave, took three city officials hostage and attacked a police station to free protest leaders.

"There is no way to control the mob, there is no way," Peru's Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi said.

The Aymara, enraged by reports of corruption, descended on Ilave from their farming villages in southeastern Peru to rally in the main square.

Thousands of residents have blocked roads into Ilave since April 2, demanding the mayor resign after corruption allegations. They blamed Lima for ignoring the problem.

Rospigliosi acknowledged authorities did not know the whereabouts of the three officials taken hostage Monday.

~snip~
more: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040427/wl_afp/peru_protest_040427190652

[Jacobin]

5. And in other news: Clear skies remain despite thunderstorms

Orwell has nothing on these dimwits.

[progressiveBadger]

7. I went to the library this weekend so I could reread 1984

And they were all checked out. All 25 copies.

[Jacobin]

10. No kidding??

Wow. I actually bought another paperback copy a month or so ago because it had been 20 years since I read it.

It's amazing how well Orwell nailed it. Just 20 years too early

[progressiveBadger]

16. Yes indeed

And I remember just 9 years ago, when I first read it, how I thought that it could never get that bad here...

[Iceburg]

11. If I hear one more time about precision sniping & bombing on CNN

I am going to put my foot thru the set.

[PurityOfEssence]

12. Each photo chips away at their credibility

As the flaks drone on about a cease-fire being in place and only insignificant fighting going on, we see live photos of gunship hits at night and combat footage of the Marines. The filth of the world like Miles O'Brien can insult the defenders as madmen bent on martyrdom as much as they like, but the sympathies of the world lie with the defenders, and much as it's claimed there's a significant diplomatic track at the moment, the pictures show another story.

With each passing incident where our politicians directly contradict live footage, their credibility falls. Funny thing, credibility: it doesn't regenerate very well.

[NickB79]

13. And in other news

Jenna Jamison's virginity remains despite starring in 100+ pornos.

[maddezmom]

14. U.S. Forces Launch Aerial Assaults on Three Fronts in Fallujah :link

U.S. Forces Launch Aerial Assaults on Three Fronts in Fallujah
Plans for Joint U.S.-Iraqi Patrols in City Postponed
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Fred Barbash
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, April 28, 2004; 2:49 PM


FALLUJAH, April 28 -- U.S. forces launched intense aerial assaults on three fronts in the embattled city of Fallujah Wednesday in response to what a military spokesman described as "numerous violations" of the cease-fire in the city by insurgents.

At the same time, plans to have Iraqi police officers and civil defense troops form joint patrols with U.S. Marines to secure the city have been postponed until Friday at the earliest, said Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne, commander of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. It was not immediately clear the reason for the delay, although Marine commanders are known to be concerned that the Iraqis may need additional training and others argue that the situation needs some time to cool down following the two-days of intense fighting.

Nonetheless, the decision to postpone the patrols is a setback for the U.S. efforts here. The patrols, which are to enter sections of Fallujah not under Marine control, are part of a U.S. plan to find a peaceful solution by allowing Iraqi forces to take the lead in controlling the city and handling the insurgents.

"The whole purpose is to see how hold up . . . ," Byrne said. "This is what it will take to tame Fallujah. You will have to go out and look for the bad guys."

Jet fighters and attack helicopters struck insurgent positions repeatedly Wednesday, sending earth-rattling booms across the city as dark plumes of smoke rose into the sky, framing in black the minarets on the skyline.

~snip~

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48811-2004Apr28.html

doesn't sound like the "cease-fire" is holding to me.

[samsingh]

15. this truce is like the bush presidency

a lie, sham, fantasy.

[symbolman]

17. Anyone feel

like they are watching the Movie "Mars Attacks"?

"WE COME IN PEACE" as they blast the holy SHIT out of everything that casts a shadow..

do they really think that people are going to SWALLOW this? Joe Sixpack?


Or as the old cartoons goes, "hey, Mr Whipple told everyone Not to squeeze the Charmin and Now HE'S doing it!.."


Here's my latest flash on the troops, I've coined the Term "McSoldiers" (they die for pennies on the dollar, un armored - unlike the 'contractors' MERCENARIES)--

"Murder By Numbers"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/murderby.html

[teryang]

18. MSNBC expert says Fallujah like Stalingrad?

Get a grip. This fight will not be decisive for the Iraqis no matter what the outcome. They can go back to the leisurely IED/ambush stategy and sooner or later we will be forced out. They have an entire country in which to harass our forces and kidnap and kill westerners. The hard core are the relatives and loved ones of people that we have killed and maimed. The dead enders are nationalists. The militants are fanatical. This struggle isn't ending anytime soon.

By forcing the American side to modify its force structure and troop rotation plan, to stop "reconstruction," to abandon its political plan, to increase expenditures, and admit equipment failures and redisposition plans, they have already inflicted huge costs on us. Our leadership is still in denial. The American leadership can kill thousands in Fallujah if they want to and claim to have taken the city, it still won't change anything about the lack of security there and elsewhere and the fundamental dilemna of an ill considered elective invasion and war.

Fallujah isn't the center of resistance. There is no center. The popular reaction in Fallujah is in response to a series of provocations, unwitting or not, that can happen almost anywhere in Iraq given the right conditions. It could easily spread to other countries with the numbskulls with have running things.

[damnraddem]

19. Wow, peace reigns in the world!

The economy is perfect. The environment is pristine. Everybody loves everybody else. No one has any problems. We're all happy as can be.

It's just amazing what you can claim when your words no longer have any meaning.