Yahoo! News - Car Bomb Near Fallujah Kills 8 Marines
NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - A car bomb killed eight U.S. Marines outside Fallujah on Saturday, the deadliest attack against the U.S. military in nearly six months. Marines pounded guerrilla positions on the outskirts of Fallujah, where American forces are gearing up for a major assault on the insurgent stronghold.

The Marines later reported a ninth combat death Saturday but did not say whether it was in the car bombing or another action. Efforts to contact the Marines for clarification were unsuccessful.

In Baghdad, another car bomb exploded outside an Arabic television network's offices, killing seven people and injuring 19 in the biggest attack against a news organization since the occupation began last year.

It was a day in which at least 30 people died in politically motivated violence across the country — stark evidence of a security situation threatening to spiral out of control. Late Saturday, the decapitated body of Japanese hostage Shosei Koda, 24, was found in an insurgent-infested neighborhood of Baghdad. The Japanese Foreign Ministry confirmed Koda's identity through fingerprints.

Meanwhile, back at the war...the Army has extended by two months the Iraq tours of about 6,500 soldiers. Instead of coming home in November, they have to stay till January. Merry Xmas, guys.