concerned by this trend

[winterbadger]

more fighting in Falluja

"I think it's one last surge by the mujahideen and criminal type elements in the city to get one last attack in before the political situation snuffs them out," he said.

But Mr Rumsfeld warned that coalition troops would not wait indefinitely for gunmen to surrender in Falluja.

"Thugs and assassins and former Saddam henchmen will not be allowed to carve out portions of that city and to oppose peace and freedom," he said at the Pentagon in Washington.

I've noticed quite a few unexplained references to criminals lately in respect to fighting in Falluja. I hope this is not a shift to the Soviet/Russian practice fo referring to anyone who opposes us as "criminals." After all, we've already started adopting the Soveit "Homeland" terminology...