This a simplistic term.
So if Nouri's saying he's extending a cease-fire for Falluja the meaning does not require extreme analysis to comprehend its meaning. Cease fire.
Fighting stops.
But Nouri is the biggest liar on the world stage and would still hold the title even if Kim Jong Il were still alive.
If 6 'terrorists' were shot dead today in Falluja, for example, there is no cease-fire.
If the military's shelling of western Falluja (Nassaf Village) today left three civilians injured, there is no cease-fire.
If another Falluja shelling leaves 1 child dead and nine people injured, there's no cease-fire.
So Thursday's hoseannas repeated by Sabah Karhot, Chair of the Anbar Provincial Council, to All Iraq News that Nouri's extended a 'cease-fire,' "'The duration granted by the Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki to suspend the military operations in Fallujah city, was extended for a week''?
It's garbage.
All Iraq News notes Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of the Iraqi Supreme Islamic Council, stated today, "We believe that we can win only though cooperation and we think that no peace without involving all sides in rule."
That was and is the only answer.
Nouri thought his assault on Anbar would be a quick move. That was at the end of December. It's now March.
And all he's demonstrated is that he's a despot whose actions resulted in the central government out of Baghdad losing control of multiple cities and towns.
His show of 'strength' only demonstrated, highlighted and revealed weakness.
Iraq Body Count counts 2,000 violent deaths in Iraq for the first two months of this year. (930 for February alone.) The attack on Anbar has not reduced violence.
In fact, you have to drop back to 2007 to find a January and a February where violence killed more people than it did in the last two months.
And still the violence continues . . .
National Iraqi News Agency reports a western Baghdad roadside bombing (Abu Ghraib) left six people injured, 4 police members were shot dead in Ramadi, a Kirkuk rocket attack left four people injured, Babylon security announced they killed 3 suspects, 2 Baladruz bombings left 1 woman dead and one child and five more women injured, 1 man was shot dead outside his home in Abu Saida, the Interior Ministry announced they killed 1 suspect in Nineveh Province, the Interior Ministry also announced they killed 31 suspects to the south of Nineveh (but, you understand, other suspects moved all 31 bodies before security forces could -- what? desecrate? -- the corpses), a Baghdad sticky bombing left one Iraqi military officer injured, Anbar security announced they killed 7 suspects, the military announced they killed 7 suspects "west of Ramadi," an armed battle in Ramadi left 2 Iraqi soldiers dead and three more injured, an Abbasi sticky bombing left Commander Nayif Hussein dead, and the corpse of 1 Iraqi soldier was discovered dumped in Ateyrah Village. All Iraq News adds a Shurqat bombing left 3 Sahwa dead, a bombing at a Tuz Khormato fish market left 3 people dead and ten more injured, and a Beiji bombing left 2 Iraqi soldiers dead and two more injured.
The following community sites -- plus Susan's On the Edge, Pacifica Evening News, Cindy Sheehan and Ms. magazine -- updated last night and today:
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