"U.S. patience also showed signs of fraying in Falluja, the flashpoint town west of Baghdad, after Mohammed Latif, the Iraqi general put in charge of security to end a bloody month-long Marine siege, said he had no plans to disarm insurgents.

"Major-General James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division encircling Falluja, said time was running out for that demand, one of several by U.S. commanders, to be fulfilled.

"Weapons are not the problem. They are easy to collect," Latif said. "What we need to do is rebuild our country. There is no need for American soldiers. I am sure the Americans would be happy to go to their homes.".