Another deadline for Fat Boy's fighters

Iraqi Government Gives Militants Deadline

U.S. and Iraqi forces battled militants Tuesday in Najaf, sending plumes of black smoke over the holy city, as Iraq (news - web sites)'s government warned fighters loyal to a radical cleric "they have hours to surrender" in their weekslong standoff inside the Imam Ali Shrine or face attack.

"The decisive hours are near," said Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan.

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"We tell her and her gang that you survived today from our arrows, but there are many other arrows in the case that will not miss its targets, God willing," said the statement, whose authenticity was impossible to confirm.

In his threat to the militants at Najaf, the defense minister said guardsmen would use loudspeakers to urge the followers of firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to evacuate the shrine and surrender.

Addressing Iraqi National Guard troops in Najaf, Shaalan said Iraqi troops were working to cordon off the Imam Ali shrine.

"When your brothers approach the holy shrine compound, they will direct calls of mercy to those (militants) to surrender," he said. "They have hours to surrender."

This is beginning to reek like the 12 year taffy pull that left Saddam in power till Bush called his bluff and sent him scurrying into his spider hole.

Time for Allawi to do the same with al Sadr. We say: "Shi'ite or get off the pot!"