Britain backs Allawi in assault

BRITAIN yesterday said Iraqi leaders had exhausted all political options in Fallujah as the US war ally gave its backing to the all-out US assault on the rebel-held city.

“Are we absolutely satisfied that (Iraqi) prime minister (Iyad) Allawi has tried to get a political way forward, as has happened in Samarra and elsewhere in Iraq? The answer to that is yes,” British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman said.

The Downing Street statement was made minutes before Mr Allawi formally authorised US-led military forces and Iraqi soldiers to enter Fallujah, the heart of the Sunni insurgency.

In preparation for what many see as a major offensive to conquer the city, US forces staged major air strikes on Sunday and seized two bridges, while Iraqi special forces took control of a hospital.

The spokesman said the military operation was: “to allow people to have their say and that is not possible if you have armed insurgents using a city both to mount direct attacks and indirect attacks on, not just the multinational force, but also the Iraqi army and Iraqi police and Iraqi government officials.”