Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi closed Baghdad's international airport and the country's borders with Syria and Jordan, and declared a curfew in rebel- held Fallujah as U.S. and Iraqi forces began a ground assault.
Allawi said he gave his authority for Iraqi forces to spearhead an attack on Fallujah along with U.S. troops, and announced six measures to tackle the insurgents.
...[U.S. Marines spokesman Major Francis] Piccoli said the aerial bombardment of "pre-planned" targets was still going. "Those targets have been bombed continuously; every hour of the day we've had at least one target engaged. We won't stop anytime soon," he said.
...Fallujah itself is encircled with checkpoints and with troops,'' said...Piccoli in a satellite phone interview from outside Fallujah. ``I'm convinced that if we enter the city proper, it's going to be fast, it's going to be lightning, we will overwhelm the insurgents.''
Bloomberg articleAllawi said he gave his authority for Iraqi forces to spearhead an attack on Fallujah along with U.S. troops, and announced six measures to tackle the insurgents.
...[U.S. Marines spokesman Major Francis] Piccoli said the aerial bombardment of "pre-planned" targets was still going. "Those targets have been bombed continuously; every hour of the day we've had at least one target engaged. We won't stop anytime soon," he said.
...Fallujah itself is encircled with checkpoints and with troops,'' said...Piccoli in a satellite phone interview from outside Fallujah. ``I'm convinced that if we enter the city proper, it's going to be fast, it's going to be lightning, we will overwhelm the insurgents.''
Forty-eight hours quick, apparently.
Baghdad's international airport will be shut down for 48 hours, and the borders with Syria and Jordan will be closed to all vehicles except those carrying food and other necessities, Allawi said, speaking in English and in comments translated from Arabic.
He said the curfews, which begin at 6 p.m. local time in Fallujah and also nearby Ramadi, both mainly Sunni Muslim cities west of Baghdad, have been imposed to "spare the residents of Fallujah -- the decent people."
He said the curfews, which begin at 6 p.m. local time in Fallujah and also nearby Ramadi, both mainly Sunni Muslim cities west of Baghdad, have been imposed to "spare the residents of Fallujah -- the decent people."
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