U.S. troops seized control of the center of Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit this morning. Arab television network Al Jazeera broadcast pictures of U.S. tanks in the central square. Al Jazeera is reporting U.S. troops encountered fierce resistance. Twenty-two tribal leaders had sued for peace in a last-ditch effort to stave off an assault on the town, but U.S. troops apparently ignored the appeal and attacked.