From today's BBC News:

"The first hurdle therefore that this operation has to overcome is to avoid major civilian casualties.

If it turns out to be a blood bath, the warning from the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that it might jeopardise the very political process it is designed to support, could come true."

And we all know that keeping the sham elections on schedule is much more important than protecting civilian lives, their homes, and the cities' infrastructures and institutions like hospitals and clinics.

The BBC finishes up with this:

"Key problems will remain after the battle is over.

The hope among US and Iraqi government strategists is that the insurgents will at last be on the run and that the tide will be turned.

The fear is that the insurgents will gain more support, that they will be dispersed but will not disappear."

Funny isn't it, how when you hear a slaughter referred to as a "battle" or a "military operation" or even a "siege" you just don't think about the civilians at all?