In Case You Missed It: A Guide to the Weekend in Iraq
Situation: Fallujah is out of control. Coalition soldiers are under attack; attempted cease fires are cracking. We've killed more than 600 Iraqis and established no foothold of order in a town quickly becoming a haven for armed Iraqis bent on fighting the US. Those responsible for brutalizing the 4 Americans have still yet to be brought to justice.

Solution: Stop playing tiddly-winks and attack the city like we mean it.
Nope...too many civilians will die and it could lead to similar situations all over the country.

Solution #2: Lt. Gen. Conway on the ground has agreed, in a surprise, to pull the troops out of that town and hand over control to General Saleh and his growing, makeshift army of hundreds of men.
Oops...turns out Saleh's a thug who worked for Saddam. He won't work with us. It's a good deal for the US troops on the ground because it makes the people happy and gives the ceasefire some teeth, and perhaps a chance at legitimate US-Iraqi cooperation, but the Pentagon and State Dept. won't go for it, and never would even admit that control was handed over to the General.

Solution #3: Mohammed Latif will replace Saleh. A bit of an outsider, but an Iraqi and that keeps our troops out.

That's where we stand. Is negotiating our retreat a victory, or a failure? Only time will tell. Speculation abounds. But one thing is for sure, from my perspective: these are moves of desperation, not of planning on our part. If good comes from it, that doesn't mean we're not scrambling. We are.