(NOT QUITE OCTOBER) DEBATE SURPRISE

Just reported by CNN: U.S. military have moved in a major offensive on Samarra, Iraq, mounting a full-brigade operation, in what they call "a battle for Samarra."

UPDATE: After luring children with chocolate to the sewage plant opening that resulted in 35 dead Iraqi children and over 100 horribly wounded, I surely hope and pray our military was careful to send in leaflets warning innocents to evacuate before the operation began and gave them time to do it. I should explain, I'm sure our individual troops offered the chocolate in all innocence and good intentions, but what were they thinking? Any gathering of Iraqis with U.S. forces HAD to be seen as a natural target for violence. A terrible tragedy, and not only for the Iraqis -- every soldier that offered chocolate to an Iraqi child will have to live with the result forever. What are we doing to our young troops?