Fallujah begins

From ABC News International: bq. U.S. Warplanes Pound Targets in Fallujah U.S. warplanes pounded Fallujah late Friday in what residents called the strongest attacks in months, as more than 10,000 American soldiers and Marines massed for an expected assault. Iraq's prime minister warned the "window is closing" to avert an offensive. bq. Residents reached by telephone said the aircraft were striking targets in the central city market that had not been hit since April as well as neighborhoods in the north, south and east of Fallujah. There was no confirmation from U.S. officials. Earlier Friday, residents said U.S. planes dropped leaflets urging women and children to leave the city, 40 miles west of the capital, Baghdad. bq. Meanwhile, the insurgent group al-Qaida in Iraq called for the release of the kidnapped executive of the CARE charity, Margaret Hassan, and promised to free her if she fell into their hands. bq. In a message posted on the Internet, the group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said it wanted the world to know "if (the kidnappers of Margaret Hassan) handed us this captive, we will release her immediately unless it is proven she was conspiring against Muslims." Yeah - they are not in much of a position to bargain right now so they are acting like nice guys. They are even negotiating for a Hudna: From the Washington Post bq. Battle Near, Iraqi Sunnis Make Offer As Marines step up preparations for military offensives on two major Iraqi cities, a number of Sunni Muslim leaders are forwarding a plan to establish the rule of law in those areas through peaceful means, with the promise of reducing the insurgency across a large swath of the country. bq. The bid is led by groups that have encouraged violent resistance in central, western and northern Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion 18 months ago. The groups say they'll withdraw their support for violence if Iraq's interim government can reassure Sunni leaders wary of national elections, which are scheduled for the end of January. Emphasis mine - Hudna is a very common practice in Arab lands. To Western eyes, it looks like they are negotiating for a truce but they are just asking for time to regroup. Say your prayers guys -- this is the end of a long downward spiral for your culture (the perversion of Islam with its attendant fundamentalism, corruption and fascism -- not Islam itself). B.T.W. -- the Koran said 72 virgins. They didn't say young, female or not diseased -- enjoy eternity.