Editing Second Battle of Fallujah (section)

===Coalition forces===
[[File:US Navy 041117-N-4388F-004 Construction Electrician 3rd Class Joe Tank mans a turret mounted M-240B machine gun atop a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) to provide security while Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile.jpg|thumb|A [[Bradley Fighting Vehicle]] and [[Humvee|HMMWV]] providing security while Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four (NMCB-4) clear debris from the streets of Fallujah, Iraq.]]
[[File:I Marine Expeditionary Force - November 2004.svg|280px|thumb|I Marine Expeditionary Force. November 2004.]]

Before beginning their attack, U.S. and Iraqi forces had established checkpoints around the city to prevent anyone from entering, and to intercept insurgents attempting to flee. In addition, overhead imagery was used to prepare maps of the city for use by the attackers. American units were augmented by Iraqi interpreters to assist them in the planned fight. After weeks of withstanding [[air strikes]] and [[artillery]] bombardment, the militants in the city appeared to be vulnerable to direct attack.

U.S., Iraqi and British forces totaled about 13,500. The U.S. had gathered some 6,500 Marines and 1,500 Army soldiers that would take part in the assault with about 2,500 Navy personnel in operational and support roles.<ref name="Ricks 2007 399"/> U.S. troops were grouped in two Regimental Combat Teams: Regimental Combat Team 1 comprised 3rd Battalion/1st Marines, 3rd Battalion/5th Marines, and U.S. Army 2d Battalion/7th Cavalry. Regimental Combat Team 7 comprised the 1st Battalion/8th Marines, 1st Battalion/3rd Marines, U.S. Army 2d Battalion/2d Infantry, 2d Battalion/12th Cavalry<ref name="lowry1">Lowry, Richard S. (2010). ''New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah''. Savas Beatie. pp. 269–279. {{ISBN|1-932714-77-4}}.</ref> About 2,000 Iraqi troops assisted with the assault.<ref name="Ricks 2007 399"/> All were supported by Marine fixed and rotary-winged aircraft, Navy and Air Force fixed-wing aircraft; and USSOCOM Sniper Elements.

The 850-strong 1st Battalion of the [[Black Watch]] was ordered to help U.S. and Iraqi forces with the encirclement of Fallujah.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/black-watch-ordered-to-join-us-cordon-for-assault-on-fallujah-544600.html |work=The Independent |location=London |title=Black Watch ordered to join US cordon for assault on Fallujah |date=22 October 2004 |access-date=1 July 2011}}</ref> As part of [[Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War#Task Force Black/Knight|Task Force Black]], D Squadron of the British [[Special Air Service|SAS]] prepared to take part in the operation, but British political nervousness about the possible scale of casualties stopped any direct UK involvement in the ground battle.<ref>Urban, Mark, ''Task Force Black: The Explosive True Story of the Secret Special Forces War in Iraq '', St. Martin's Griffin, 2012 {{ISBN|1250006961}} {{ISBN|978-1250006967}}, p.65</ref>