Coalition and Iraqi forces are now in the process of storming the terrorist and Baathist stronghold of Fallujah.  Just prior to the offensive, a US CENTCOM press release described the Iraqi forces order of battle, and the visit of Iraq's Minister of Defense to these Iraqi units about to go into combat.  The Iraqi elements include five Iraqi army battalions, Iraqi Special Operations Forces, Special Police Commando Battalions, and Iraqi National Guard units.

Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan addressed the Iraqi troops during his visit.  His own words show the resolve of the Iraqi people in the ongoing fight.

'God bless you brothers,' Iraqi Minister of Defense, Hazem Shaalan said, addressing Iraqi army 3rd Brigade soldiers outside the city. 'You are the nucleus of Iraq.  It doesn't mean that you are fighting your own people,' he said. 'It means that you are fighting for your people and for peace.  Islam orders us to respect Muslims, Jews, all people,' Shaalan said. 'The many [terrorist] operations in Najaf, Mosul, Fallujah ... corrupt Islam.'

The desire to rid their country of terrorists is so strong, that Iraqi soldiers too ill to fight still struggled to join their units for the operation.  Brig. Gen. James Schwitters, the Commanding General of the Coalition Military assistance team, said that six Iraqis tried to stow away on the convoy taking their units to Fallujah, even though they were wounded or injured and not fit to travel.  Schwitters noted that,

... the end result was discovery of the soldiers by their command, with four allowed to rejoin the unit despite their maladies.  The other two were sent back — too ill to be effective in the fight.  The Iraqi soldiers, Schwitters said, are ' ...Guys who do exactly what we would hope they would do.'

The outcome of this battle should never be in doubt.

Douglas Hanson 11 8 04