Al-Qaida released a video aimed at demeaning Barack Obama in the eyes of its supporters today.

With a few carefully worded phrases, the US military is apparently stepping back from its strict demands on ending the siege of Fallujah, creating an opening for an Iraqi force to take control of the city from 1,000 or more guerrilla holdouts.

THE first strikes against Iraq illustrate a radical new form of military thinking, a defence expert said yesterday.