U.S. Forces Seize Western Iraqi Airfields

WASHINGTON - American forces seized important airfields in western Iraq (news - web sites) as a U.S. Marine became the first combat death while fighting for control of a southern oil field.

The airfields known as H-2 and H-3 in far western Iraq were taken without much resistance from Iraqi troops, defense officials said on condition of anonymity. But they called control of the installations "tentative."

--So far, so good.