Dan Senor announced that an agreement had been reached between the Coalition and leaders in Fallujah. The cease fire will continue, under the following terms:
The Coalition:
*Will allow unfettered access to the general hospital in Fallujah;
*Will allow removal of the dead;
*Will extend the curfew to 9 pm (it is now set at 7 pm) to permit religious exercises; and
*Will allow 50 families per day to gain access to the city.
The leaders of Fallujah agree:
*To turn over illegal arms (for which they will not be prosecuted, if they turn them over voluntarily); and
*Permit regular patrols by joint Coalition and Iraqi security forces patrols.
I have said before that Iraqis subscribe to a philosophy that respects strength and not weakness. As a case in point, one Iraqi reporter asked the following question: "Fallujah resisted the most powerful army in the world for two weeks. What does this mean?" And thus you see the problem of respecting life in a region which respects power.
Ive got to admit that this one has got me baffled. In Najaf we can afford to run out the clock. Is it chariness of a lack of domestic support?