Okay, so it wasn't al-Douri

Got your hopes up there, didn't they? In fact, the Iraqi puppet government is in synch with American media. Announce it with fanfare, and people will believe it forever. So the Bush's RNC campaigning on winning the war on terror got its boost. Never mind that it was another lie that gave it.

In the meantime, Falluja is still paying for the sins of Mohammed, but not going down without a good fight.

Seven US marines and three Iraqi national guards were killed Monday in the deadliest anti-coalition attack in months, as Iraqi officials sheepishly retracted claims Saddam's deputy had been captured.

  Turkish press article

As for the al-Douri fiasco, the Salaheddin province governor apparently hasn't been clued or clubbed. Loose canon there.

"Today, I am happy to say there was a person arrested. But after making appropriate checks, it was not Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri. It was one of his relatives. He is also wanted but he is not on any major lists," interior ministry spokesman Sabah Kadhim said.

Doubts over the initial claim first emerged on Sunday.

"There was no operation to arrest Izzat al-Duri in my province and I have no idea where all this false and irresponsible information came from," said Hamad Hmud al-Qaissi, the governor of Salaheddin province.

...Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's office announced Sunday that DNA tests were being carried out on a suspect, but an official from the health ministry denied such tests were being carried out on any detainee.

All for the press. To feed the coalition of the willing to believe Bush. (Better club that health ministry official, too.)

Meanwhile, attackers set ablaze a pipeline providing gas to a major electrical plant south of the northern city of Kirkuk, threatening power shortages in large swathes of northern Iraq, local officials said.

And here's a very interesting account of the Falluja offensive from Arabic News...

Two Iraqis were killed and other 8 were injured in an American artillery bombardment that targeted a military barrack for the Iraqi forces which assume peace keeping in Faluja city to the west of Baghdad.

The American tanks opened fire from its artillery intensively at al-Shuhadaa ( martyrs ) quarters to the east of the city. The bombardment came following demonstrations that took place in the city following Friday's prayers in protest of the American raid on Wednesday when some 20 Iraqis were killed.

The demonstration was called for by mosques preachers in Falluja who also asked for the need of keeping the Iraqi police and army forces in the city.

  article

It may be propaganda. However, it would certainly fit in with what I believe is actually happening in Falljua, which is that we are committing genocide. And it seems odd that they would offer the information that the U.S. bombed Iraqi peace-keeping forces without any explanation or comment, as though no one would question it. As though it were simply part of the U.S. program. Falluja has been specifically targeted for bombing into submission ever since the four mercernaries were killed and their bodies were strung up from a bridge amidst great celebration.

For more on the systematic razing of Falluja, I've got a listing of my posts on the subject here.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.