Good news from the front

Yes, despite all the election hoo-hah, we're still at war, America. And it looks like we're starting to do what has been badly needed for months - take the gloves off.

U.S. poised for Fallujah assault.

More than 10,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines have taken positions around Fallujah for an expected assault, as U.S. jets Friday pummeled insurgent targets and troops blocked key roads. Iraq's prime minister warned the "window is closing" to avert an offensive.

Insurgents struck back Friday, killing one U.S. soldier and wounding five others in a rocket attack on a U.S. position. Clashes were reported at other checkpoints around the city and in the east and north of Fallujah late Friday.

With the Bush victory, it looks like Allawi is ready to play ball and do what needs to be done to start Iraq on the road to stability before January's elections.

In Brussels, Belgium, Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, warned that the "window is closing" to avert an assault on Fallujah, 40 miles west of the capital. Allawi must give the final order for the offensive, part of a campaign to curb the insurgency ahead of national elections planned for late January.

Let's keep our fighting men and women in our prayers.