the troops have to launch small mortars nearly straight up. practically firing on top of themselves. ammunition is running low. and it's worse than anyone first thought. as the battle rages, the soldiers find two more americans, both severely wounded. under fire, the soldiers load the injured men on to stretchers. and carry them off the roof. with so many men hurt, loftus moves in. he takes up a machine gun and lays down suppressive fire. after 30 minutes, the fighting stops. a medevac helicopter ferries away the wounded. the americans have won the day. but why? for nearly a decade, there have been fights like this one repeated in iraq's fallujah and