I agree that this is a hard call. History, as usual, will decide.

One things for sure is that the Marines are fully capable of urban warfare. I think that the insurgents learned that the Marines are a whole lot worse then any Air Force "Shock and Awe." The mission was a success in that the Marines wiped out the enemy (ain't heard a lot about any survivors) in what may go down as one of the great military operations in a long time. I don't think the battle of Fallujah will be a great Al Queda training video.

I'm not real sure if that will lead to stratigic victory though.
_________________________
"Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them." Ronald Reagan

"The trouble with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." Margaret Thatcher.

"How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think." Adolf Hitler