a general strike today." It read, "The people of Fallujah condemn the massacre which was committed on Friday against people dedicated to the protection of Fallujah. Let aggressive (American) leaders and soldiers know that we are capable of protecting the city's security and safety, and ask them to lift their hands from the city." The clerics demanded talks with local US commanders. Falluja has long been roiled by tense relations with the US soldiers there, since local Sunnis either remain committed to Arab nationalism or have become Sunni fundamentalists or even radicals. Cities such as Falluja received special treatment from Saddam and enjoyed a disproportionate share of the country's wealth and power. They know that the American advent implies for them a demotion, and an elevation of the