Troops in Falluja encounter a labyrinth of surprises

Troops in Falluja encounter a labyrinth of surprises
By Dexter Filkins The New York Times

FALLUJA, Iraq The stars began to glimmer through a wan yellow-gray sunset over Falluja. The floury dust in the air and a skyline of broken minarets and smashed buildings combined for the only genuine postcard image this city has to offer for now.

Sitting on a third-story roof on Thursday, Staff Sergeant Eric Brown, his lip bleeding, peered through the scope of his rifle into the haze. Moments before, a lone bullet had whizzed past his face and smashed a window behind him. "God, I hate this place, the way the sun sets," Brown said.

"I wish I could see down the street," said Sergeant Sam Williams.

But these marines did see a black flag pop up all at once above a water tower about 1
00 meters, or 330 feet, away, then a second flag somewhere in the gloaming above a rooftop. And the shots began, in a wave this time, as men bobbed and weaved through alleyways and sprinted across the street. "He's in the road, he's in the road, shoot him!" Brown shouted. "Black shirt!" someone else yelled. "Due south!"

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http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/11/12/news/scene.html

in door-to-door combat operations. Good thing all those pro-war Mepublicans said that wasn't going to happen. Mission Accomplished.

same NYTimes story here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=981950