- Associated Press

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - U.S. forces are gearing up for a major operation against the insurgent stronghold Fallujah, a U.S. general said Friday, as hundreds of British troops reached a base near Baghdad to free American forces to join the assault.

“We’re gearing up to do an operation and when were told to go we’ll go,” Brig. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, deputy commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, said at a camp near Fallujah. “When we do go, we’ll whack them.”

Hejlik’s comments confirmed that plans are underway for a major assault on insurgent strongholds west of Baghdad in an effort to end the wave of car bombings, kidnappings and attacks that has escalated since Fallujah fell under guerrilla control last spring.

I’m sorry, but I’ve heard this numerous times before and there has been too many rumors that the United States and Iraqi forces are going to enter and clean out Fallujah. I do hope this is a sign that we will finally once and for all take down a terrorist network operating inside of Fallujah, but I’m a bit skeptical.

It should be noted that the body of Japanese man Shosei Koda was found in Tikrit late last night, therefore it is reasonable to assume much of Zarqawi’s Tawhid wal Jihad might have left the city of Fallujah knowing of an impending strike. U.S. bombers have turned Zarqawi’s safe houses into rubble and there are various rumors that question whether Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is still alive.

Fallujah needs to be cleaned out, then we must exercise an assault on Western Iraq where terrorists are reported in the thousands. Despite what Senator Kerry says, Iraq is part of the Global War on Terror and it should be evident to anyone who has heard of the intelligence that indicates this, much less to someone who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

You must read the story about the giant hairy spiders inside Fallujah. Not only is it hilarious, but it also describes the mentality that we are up against inside of Fallujah. It’s one of disregard for life and demented as the story explains.