By Sam Dagher
Baghdad - American war planes hammered suspected rebel positions in the Iraqi city of Fallujah early on Thursday, with some Iraqis believing that United States President George Bush's election victory gives him full licence to quash the insurgency.
Meanwhile, the fate of hostage Margaret Hassan was in the balance ahead of a threatened deadline by her kidnappers to hand the aid boss over to the ruthless militant group headed by Iraq's most wanted man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
US planes bombed rebel positions overnight in Fallujah, believed to be a stronghold for Zarqawi militants.
"US air force aircraft struck a pre-planned target with precision weapons, striking known anti-Iraqi (insurgents) barricaded fighting positions" the military said in a statement.
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There were no reports of any casualties.
Thousands of families have already fled the rebel city, 50km west of Baghdad, as an all-out assault by US troops on suspected insurgents based there appeared imminent.
Many Iraqis believe Bush's win now gives him full license to quash the stubborn insurgency across Iraq ahead of scheduled elections in January.
"US troops will enter Fallujah, Latifiyah, Ramadi and Qaim all at once in the next few days after Bush's re-election," said Mohammed Al-Askari, a former army officer turned political analyst, referring to other flashpoints in Iraq.
"There is an agenda that must be implemented... Bush is now free from the pressures of his electorate."
In Fallujah, many residents were glued to their television sets on Wednesday watching the tight race between Bush and John Kerry hoping up until the last minute for a win by the president's Democratic challenger.
US ground troops have encircled Fallujah since mid-October, and Prime Minister Iyad Allawi issued an ultimatum to the city on Sunday to surrender insurgents holed up inside or face an all-out military assault. - Sapa-AFP
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