How many times have we seen articles about U.S. soldiers being killed in "western Iraq" with no other details provided. Makes you wonder whether Fallujah is as secure and pacified as the military said it was. Here's a recent example:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7323681
BAGHDAD (Reuters) Thu Jan 13 - Two U.S. Marines were killed in action in western Iraq, the U.S. military said in a statement on Friday.
The statement said the two Marines, assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, were killed on Thursday "while conducting security and stability operations in the al-Anbar Province."
It gave no further details, saying the release of any information might be used to insurgents waging daily attacks on U.S.-led forces in Iraq.
The deaths raised to 1,071 the number of American troops killed in action since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
The story is becoming so familiar you don't even see it in the newspapers - one or two U.S. soldiers are killed in "western Iraq" or "Anbar province". The military can't say how or where because this would somehow compromise the security of troops still in the area.
Since in other parts of Iraq a soldier's death is described at least with a bit of detail, such as where it took place and whether it was by car bomb, accident, sniper bullet, etc., why this sudden mystery about what is going on in western Iraq?
Are the death squads already at work, or is "western Iraq" merely a euphemism for Fallujah and the military doesn't want to admit to the American people that the battle for Fallujah is not yet over?