It's a funny thing but I have just been watching this being reported by CNN's Nic Robertson(Senior International Correspondent) live from the area.

His report stated that unlike previous cordon and search operations this one was targeting specific sites, six isolated farms to date. The operation was instigated and planned by Iraqi forces with US forces providing support. 48 people had been arrrested, of which 17 have been released, the remaining 31 have been detained. At these farms caches of weapons, detonators, timing devices, explosives and high powered cordless telephones have been seized. He also very clearly stated that these swoop and search operations had met NO resistance and that as of a few minutes ago there had been NO casualties.

Right now that as a report of what is happening is all well and good. I have no reason to believe that Nic Robertson is lying, he is after all CNN's senior man on the spot and his job is to report what he sees. Now what about the presentation of the report.

Nic Robertson's audio report was presented as a sort of voice-over to video coverage of what appeared to be the initial stages of the assault on Falluja. For almost the entire length of the report any viewer was confronted with nightime footage of what was a fairly intensive fire fight in a location that was clearly a built up urban area. Now why was this done? remember the voice you are listening to is telling you NO resistance, NO casualties, that specific isolated farms were being targeted. I'd certainly like to ask CNN what they were playing at, and can clearly see why those posting to this thread above believe that people are getting the crap bombed out of them - According to Nic Robertson, that is simply not happening.

Almost immediately after this report as a follow on Nic was back on air, with coverage showing troops being flown into the area, the bulk of the aircraft were shown as being transport helicopters, Chinooks and Black Hawks. He reported seeing Chinook helicopters on the ground right next to the targeted farms, now that you most certainly do not do if you are under fire, and it tends to support the content of his earlier broadcast.