I'm sickened by the thought of innocent people dying in Fallujah
in large numbers if the Marines have to storm it.
But I'm also sickened by the possibility that the longer the Marines
are kept "chomping-at-the-bit" the deadlier the results will be
for all sides.

While the 'negotiators' are buying time and accomplishing little else, hundreds and thousands of rabid anti-American sunni Iraqi-combatants in that city go about sandbagging and fortifying mosques, hospitals, schools; digging tunnels, and undoubtedly planting 100's of kilos of high-explosives under the very streets American tanks, Marine armored-transports and Humvees are expected to pass over.
And...oh yes! Those sunni Iraqi combatants are going out of their way
to make sure as many innocent Iraqi civilians are to be used as "human shields". 'Collatoral Damage' has always been used for propaganda
purposes.
Geneva Convention rules? The Iraqi fighters don't care about
those rules unless it gives them an advantage or deliverance.
That's what the Marines are gonna be up against.

Ceasefire? In name only. 10 percent 'cease'; 90 percent 'fire'.

Casualties? Tom posted a casualty figure from a recent firefight
in Fallujah: Two Marines dead; 13 bad guys dead in "one firefight".
Unacceptable ratio!
That means, if that ratio applies, and the Marines go all out to storm
Fallujah, that 200 Marines will die for 1,300 bad guys killed by them in Fallujah...Not counting innocent civilians caught in the violence.
And there won't be much left of Fallujah afterwards either.

I respect and admire the US Marines for them being prepared to do such a thankless job in such a miserable part of the world.
God bless them for their loyalty, bravery and decisiveness inspite of all.

Jacob