Fallujah Follies

Anyone remember what the US army excused its levelling of Fallujah with? Yeah, right, that Zharkawi guy? Also remember that they presented zero evidence, while local authorities denied ever seeing a muj by that name? Now the Americans admit it, too. As Eli @ Left I put it:

Now that Fallujah has been flattened, and hundreds of Iraqis (and dozens of Americans) killed, the story changes, as we learn in the Washington Post:

Claim #1: "U.S. military officials suggested that Zarqawi might be in the northern city of Mosul.

"Claim #2: "A U.S. intelligence source said that while much of Zarqawi's organization was based in Fallujah, he apparently divided his time mainly between Baghdad and Ramadi."

Oops, my bad. I mean their bad. I wonder where the people of Mosul, Baghdad, and Ramadi will be able to evacuate to when the U.S. decides to flatten their cities.

Of course, the real intent was to crush the symbol of resistance. Or the real intent may have been even darker - the reason to hold back all males could mean that they wanted to kill all militants - and all future militants, by pushing into battle everyone who would be willing to take up arms in revenge for the death of relatives. Similar arguments by Dave Lindorff.