OUR GUYS

Parts of the 1st Brigade are getting it done.

And never forget, please...we are at our best when we are on the offensive.

A religious leader offered to negotiate a truce between the two sides in Karbala, but was rebuffed yesterday afternoon by the local leader of the Mahdi Army, American military officials said.

American soldiers killed at least 22 insurgents in an 11-hour battle around a mosque in Karbala that began late Tuesday night. Soldiers killed at least three more in fighting in the same neighborhood yesterday, said Col. Peter Mansoor, commander of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, who is charged with crushing al-Sadr's militia around Karbala and Najaf. At least seven Americans were wounded, one critically...

In Najaf, Shiite leaders said negotiations were under way on a deal that would include the withdrawal of American forces and disbanding of al-Sadr's militia. But other Shiites described the negotiations as extremely tentative. Shiite leaders said any deal would probably include delaying criminal proceedings against al-Sadr, who is accused of having a role in murdering a rival cleric last year.

Al-Sadr made no mention of the negotiations yesterday, but sent forth ambiguous signals about his willingness to give up without a fight.