U.S. says Falluja battle won't break insurgency

And This Is News To Whom?

"The U.S. military says this week's Falluja offensive will not shatter Iraq's insurgency, while analysts argue that merely seizing real estate does little to stop rebels able to relocate and keep fighting.

U.S. officials have said Iraqi rebel leaders and foreigners, including al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, used the Sunni Muslim city west of Baghdad as a safe haven from which to direct a campaign of bombings, killings and kidnappings.

But U.S. commanders acknowledged Zarqawi and other senior insurgents probably left Falluja before Monday's launch of the long-expected offensive to take control of the city."

We've lost 18 American soldier's lives in a matter of days, killed and injured dozens of civilians for ... ?