Black Watch frees up US forces for major assault

US forces are poised for a major assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, a general said today, as hundreds of British troops reached a base near Baghdad to free American forces to join the onslaught.

“We’re gearing up to do an operation and when were told to go we’ll go,” Brigadier General Dennis Hejlik, deputy commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, said at a camp near Fallujah. “When we do go, we’ll whack them.”