[Media-watch] Americans take Falluja hospital to stop 'propaganda' about civilian casualties

[LINDA LEMON]

Dear All

The bottom paragraphs of this link provide an interesting perpective on the
latest tactics of American troops especially as the world is watching.

New York Times

G. I.'s open attack To take Falluja from Iraq Rebels

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr.
and ROBERT F. WORTH

Published: November 8, 2004
"Most civilians in Falluja, a city of about 250,000 people 35 miles west of
Baghdad, were believed to have left by the time the invasion began. 
It was the second time in six months that a battle had raged in Falluja. In
April, American troops were closing in on the city center when popular
uprisings broke out in cities across Iraq. The outrage, fed by mostly
unconfirmed reports of large civilian casualties, forced the Americans to
withdraw.
American commanders regarded the reports as inflated, but it was impossible
to determine independently how many civilians had been killed. The hospital
was selected as an early target because the American military believed that
it was the source of rumors about heavy casualties.
"It's a center of propaganda," a senior American officer said Sunday. "
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