Actual serious post:

The situation with the hostages in Falluja reminds me of the Boxer Rebellion:

Ordinary country folk are transformed into deeply radicalized fighters by a prominent family playing on frustration and humiliation by offering a spiritual reward for violent resistance.

The radicals attack a multinational group of civilians. The attacked citizens are representatives of the various different countries and interests jockeying for influence over the economic colonization of an important resource.

American Marines get bogged down in some brutal combat.

They key difference is that the Chinese didn't have any friendly neighbors who were also allies with the Americans, British or Japanese.