necessary to secure fallujah on behalf of the iraqi people. >> this fight starts. the first thing that happens is we're going to go in and get control of fallujah. and very quickly, it boils down into a fight, and then to a siege. >> they were fighting zarqawi and al qaeda. we realized, you know, holy [ muted ], this guy is for real. >> u.s. troops are attacking on several fronts. but they're under fire everywhere, and the casualties are mounting. >> as an effort was made to recapture the city, it was pushed initially and it was halted for political reasons. >> tonight there are reports that two of the three marine battalions surrounding fallujah have now pulled back from their front line positions.