Secretary of State Colin L. Powell spoke to Hubert Wetzel and the FT’s Guy Dinmore on November 8 in Washington

QUESTION: If we could begin with Fallujah, which is the story of the day, Prime Minister Allawi has given the authorization. And I’d like to see, well, does this make or break for the Iraqi process? I mean, it’s a defining moment that will set the tone for the elections and the elections are held successfully or not. How do you see Fallujah in them? So why the contacts?