Fallujah

The battle is joined in Fallujah.

According to Wretchard, the US Army, Marine and Iraqi troops are moving in from the west of the city, while a battalion of Brits (the famous Black Watch, a storied and fairly ancient Scottish unit) will be blocking the terrorists' retreat or evasion routes to the east.

This promises to be some of the nastiest urban combat the US has engaged in since Hue. Says Wretchard:

But the urban combat facing the troops [embedded reporters] will accompany will probably consist of small units in constantly moving through a very dangerous kind of environment, full of IEDs, snipers and close-range engagements. In this situation, getting lost may well mean dying from enemy fire or blue on blue. Sticking close to Marine infantry advancing under fire is only slightly more palatable. Everyone knows the saying that 'war is hell, you cannot refine it'; but Sherman might have added, 'you cannot describe it'. The Marines and many reporters will come to know what can never be described and what no sane person should ever hope to experience at first hand.

I can see why the Administration opted to hold off the offensive until after the election; no matter how well it may go, the media will be completely unable to report on this battle with any expertise; successes will look like bloody setbacks, and no reporter can possibly no the difference.

Cooler, non-politically-motivated heads need to prevail here.

Please devote your thoughts and prayers for our troops in harm's way tonight.

Posted by Mitch at November 7, 2004 08:27 PM | TrackBack