“It was all for naught,” a former Marine who fought in the second battle of Fallujah lamented to ABC.

Al-Qaeda: ‘We Declare Fallujah an Islamic State’

A police truck full of prisoners being transported was set afire by al-Qaida fighters after they freed prisoners:

“We declare Falluja as an Islamic state and we call on you to be on our side. We are here to defend you from the army of Maliki and the Iranian Safavids. We welcome the return of all workers, even the local police, but they have to be under our state and our rule.”

There is no way to let al-Qaeda keep any foothold in Anbar,” one tribal leader tells Reuters. But the battle “is not easy because they are hiding inside residential areas.”

Hiding behind women and children is traditional Mohammedan warfare.  (Newser)

In other news:

Kerry’s Fools Errand:

U.S. can fight al Qaeda in Iraq without troops: Kerry

The Sunnis of al Qaeda fighting the Shi’te Iran-backed government is not a conflict we can prevent or end.

Iran offers to help Iraq in fight against al-Qaida

But he ruled out sending troops, so his statement is essentially equivalent to John Kerry’s “We’re rooting for you from the sidelines.”

Saudi Adviser Wonders What Obama has been Putting in his Tea

“Every time that Obama had to choose between his enemies and his friends, he always chose his enemies,”

If this is what they’re willing to go on record as saying, you can imagine what they’re saying in private.

The lights are on at the white house, but no one seems to be home:

• Iranian Muslim cleric and lawmaker says Iran can build a nuke “in two weeks” in order to “put down Israel”

My allah is better than yours:

Rebel-on-rebel fighting spreads in Syria

The rebel-on-rebel violence marks the strongest pushback yet by moderate and ultraconservative anti-Assad fighters against radical extremist insurgents linked to al-Qaida who have sought to impose their strict interpretation of Islam on opposition-held areas of the country. (By Diaa Hadid, The Associated Press thanks to Mullah, pbuh)