No, I’m not trying to rain on the parade here unnecessarily. It is fantastic news that the walking, talking, living, breathing poster boy for abortion has gone to be judged and hopefully, have to face those who preceded him into eternity at his bloody hands.
He was killed along with seven aides, officials said. They said his identity has been verified by fingerprints and other methods.“Today Zarqawi was defeated,” said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, appearing at a midday news conference with top U.S. General George W. Casey and American Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. “This is a message to all those who use violence killing and devastation to disrupt life in Iraq to rethink within themselves before it is too late,” he added.
Zarqawi was killed in a rural house in the village of Hib Hib, 5 miles north of Baqubah, Maliki said.
The statement was met by applause among Iraqi reporters assembled in a briefing room. The announcement, which was confirmed by a Website linked to al-Qaeda in Iraq, was also met by celebratory gunfire in the streets of Baghdad.
But we’ve been talking a lot recently about “facing the reality of war.” If so, the basic reality we have to face is that killing Zarqawi, while a necessary step on the road to victory, is also just a milepost on that road and that the likelihood that this will slow down al Qaeda in Iraq is very small. That outfit is so diverse and nebulous with cells spread out all over the country that the death of its high profile leader means little to the overall effectiveness (or ineffectiveness as has been proven lately) of its operations. The amount of latitude given these cells to mount their own missions also means that outside a blow to their morale, there will be little decrease in AQI’s operations, a stated goal of which is fomenting a sectarian civil war.
And Zarqawi’s death doesn’t affect the thousands of Sunni insurgents who show little sign that their attacks will abate. The Sunni’s share AQI’s wish that the sectarian violence currently roiling the streets of Iraq escalate into a full scale civil war.
With dozens of dead everyday as a result of Shia on Sunni violence, the Iraqi people’s confidence in the government to protect them has been sorely tried. However, an even brighter spot than the death of the al Qaeda mastermind is the news that finally, the government is complete as the remaining ministerial posts in the national security establishment have been filled:
Minutes after the Zarqawi’s death was announced the long-debated interior, defense and national security posts were filled in a giddy session of parliament. Abdul Qadir Muhammed Jassim, a Sunni Arab and former Iraqi army commander, was named defense minister, Jawad al-Bolani, a Shiite, was put in charge of the interior ministry, and Sherwan Alwaeli, a Kurd, was named the country’s top official for national security.“I call on Iraq’s various communities to take responsibility for bringing sectarian violence to an end, and for all Iraqis to unite behind Prime Minister Maliki,” Khalilzad said.
Still a Shiite in charge of Interior, but hopefully one without ties to the Iranians like the man he is replacing, Bayan Jabr. Jabr famously said when news that torture was being carried out at Ministry detention centers came out “[N]o one was killed or beheaded.” Hopefully, al-Bolani will have a little more humane concept of detention than his predecessor.
Defense Minister Jassim is a former Saddam-era General but apparently emerged as a candidate after having been sufficiently vetted by the Iraqis (and Americans, no doubt). And the fact that a Kurd, Sherwan Alwaeli, will be Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s chief national security advisor and head up a National Security Council made up of all factions in the government is good news indeed. It will be this Council that will have to make the tough recommendations on disarming the militias, reining in the roving gangs of thugs, and generally restoring order to a country without clamping down too heavily on civil liberties.
The good news about Zarqawi couldn’t have come at a better time. As the government dithered about filling the national security posts, the violence was escalating and the militias had begun to assert themselves by taking over “security.” At times, their idea of security was to kill anyone they found not of their sect. This has caused more than 100,000 Iraqis to flee their homes and either leave the country or move to more hospitable climes where they would be among their co-religionists.
But now that the government is complete, we’ll see about the leadership skills of al Maliki as well as the willingness of the Sunnis to start to participate fully in the national life of the country and marginalize their militias and gunmen who make up the bulk of the insurgency.
7:28 am
I found two things interesting about the death of Zarqawi:
1. The fact that it was information from an Iraqi, apparently from within his organization, that led to his death. Is this a sign that Iraqi’s are starting to realize that they ultimately are responsible for cleaning up the mess in Iraq and need to get involved in assisting the coalition?
2. That upon the annoucement the Iraqi media, who was covering the Iraqi’s PM announcement of Zarqawi’s death, erupted in applause and cheering. How come they can differentiate between good and evil and our own media cannot?
7:39 am
What great news and yes I am celebrating a murder’s death! Only it wasn’t as ugly as his beheadings but he is dead nevertheless.
Now to await the MSM spin on how this will harm our efforts, another body count, world opinion about hitting house set in neighbor. Anyone mention the ARAB STREET? Haven’t heard that one in months but I’m sure it’s coming. Oil has droped $1.00 a barrel with the news.
Oh no, baby booties, teddy bear found in rubble. Surely that miserable terrorist cleared the house of women and children before he entered.
7:54 am
The killing of Zarqawi is great news and I have a different take than Rick does about its effect on the insurgency.
Was it just a coincidence that 600 Sunni prisoners were released just a day before? Was it also a coincidence that right after the disposal of that Zarqawi trash can that the three most important slots after PM were filled (Interior, Defense and National Security)?
I think not. This could very well be the tipping point in the war against the Sunni insurgency aided and abetted by the demise of Zman and a political resolution to what was becoming a dangerous and bloody deadlock for the duly elected Iraqi government.
Ahmadinejad and his agents in Iraq could suddenly find themselves with the klieg lights pointed solely upon them.
8:01 am
ZARQAWI IS DEAD!
Iraqi Prime Minister Al Maliki and General Casey have announced that it is official that Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi has been killed in a US Air raid. He has been positively identified by finger prints. Also killed in the raid were 7 of his henchmen.
FoxNew…
8:26 am
Let’s celebrate his death for what it is and what it means… no more, no less.
It’s always good when someone evil gets squashed. He can no longer kill anyone. He can no longer enjoy his 15 minutes (in this case, 15+ months) of fame. And it restores order in the cosmos, it brings things back into balance. It’s important that goo…
8:41 am
[...] More at All Things Beautiful, Captain’s Quarters, Atlas Shrugs, The Anchoress, Power Line, Michelle Malkin, Iraq the Model, Mark in Mexico, Hot Air, Wizbang, Hugh Hewitt, Counterterrorism Blog, Outside the Beltway, Stop the ACLU, American Future, Blackfive, Blue Crab Boulevard, Right Wing Nut House, Right Winged, Sister Toldja, Confederate Yankee, Real Clear Politics, Publius Pundit, MilBlogs, Libertarian Leanings, Gateway Pundit. [...]
8:57 am
Check out al Zawqawi’s obituary – one of many, I’m sure. But I need some traffic, dammit!
http://caninepundit.blogspot.com/2006/06/al-zarqawis-obituary.html
8:57 am
Dead Again
Zarqawi TM, the Butcher Terrorist Murderer, is dead again, probably for the last time. After being killed several times before, it’s finally over. Zarqawi has been eliminated. This sober morning George Bush says:
Zarqawi is dead, but the di…
9:08 am
Zarqawi Killed
[EXCLUSIVE PJM PODCAST: Iraq the Model Reacts to Zarqawi’s Death: What does it mean for Iraq? Listen to Richard Fernandez of the Belmont Club interview Omar from Iraq the Model—direct from Baghdad. Play or download it here.] UPDATE…
9:47 am
They already got his clone ready to go, as you imply.
9:50 am
al-Zarqawi Dead … Bombings Continue
A 500 pound bomb dropped from an F16 took care of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi – the head of al Qaeda in Iraqâ„¢. Good riddance. Of course, this so-called victory in the War on Terrorâ„¢ shoves the Dear Leader’s defeat in
9:56 am
Zarqawi killed in air raid – Washington Times
Abu Musab Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said today. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq. ...
10:20 am
At least the left wingers are happy. A high level terrorists death overrides the news of their “tide turning” election they “lost” in Calif and the hype (lies) being spread around the country by another ‘Kennedy’ drunken druggie. I’m waiting for one left wing dim-wit to wake from their drugged fog and realize that they lost in 2000/2004 and President Bush is not running in 2008. It’s good that there is no Republican front runner, that really confuses the lefties when they don’t know who to campaign against. I guess they’ll just have to continue to campaign against the U.S. military and see how many more Americans they can get killed. Ninety percent of the American and Iraqi deaths in the past two years lay at the feet of the lefties, liberal congress members and their supporters in the antique anti-american MSM. I think they should be held legally responsible for the support they have provided to the terrorists. For the most part they have comitted hanging offenses.
10:20 am
Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi Is Dead…Again
Are these guys for real, and whose side are they on exactly. Their own, yeah that sums it up: “Where is Osama? Where are the batillions of trained Iraqis? Doesn’t matter, we got this guy, right? We wrote a 25 million check as a reward, and get a ne…
10:29 am
Zarqawi Eliminated
From Reuters:BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced on Thursday that al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been killed in a joint U.S. and Iraqi military raid north of Baghdad. Jordanian-born Zarqawi is blamed by
11:11 am
Let me be the first to start the “black helicoper’, the grassy nole (sp?) the hanging chads, theory, Z-asshole did actually kill self by wearing explosive belt and denonating it when all had assembled! He was such a brave and noble man, true to his cause and a lover of women and children as he was killing them.
He didn’t need no stinkin’ military to bring him to all those *Helen Thoman look-a-like virgins!
Hey, how long did it take for the MSM bring us the sad news that the war isn’t over yet? Didn’t believe that they believed we were in a war. Even heard one report that Zasshole was just a “small time player” in this greater war effort. Now a report, and reported with glee, that revenge is just starting. He couldn’t get his words out fast enough. Oh know, David Gregory damn near gives kudos to him for starting such a movement.
11:31 am
Grand Slam
After years of fruitless searching, close calls, and thousands of civilian casualties piling up, US and Iraqi forces finally tracked down al Zarqawi and killed him in an airstrike using two 500 pound bombs to level the compound where he and other ter…
12:09 pm
The enormity of the situation must not be overlooked; I mean Brit Hume had to show up for work early today.
12:36 pm
[...] Michelle Malkin Hot Air Gateway Pundit Counterterrorism Blog All Things Beautiful Wizbang Bright and Early Florida Masochist Captain’s Quarters Euphoric Reality MVRWC Expose The Left Indepundit Argghhhh! OTB Mudville Gazette Rightwing Nuthouse QandO LGF The Political Pitbull Counterterrorism Blog here, here, and here. Arggghhh Polipundit The Anchoress [...]
1:09 pm
Al-Zarqawi Allegedly dead in Iraq
AP is reporting Zarqawi dead! Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose bloody campaign of beheadings and suicide bombings made him the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, was killed when U.S. warplanes dropped 500-pound bombs on his isolated safe house, officials said …
1:50 pm
[...] RightWing NutHouse: But now that the government is complete, we’ll see about the leadership skills of al Maliki as well as the willingness of the Sunnis to start to participate fully in the national life of the country and marginalize their militias and gunmen who make up the bulk of the insurgency. [...]
2:03 pm
Looks like it was an informant. Speculating on the motives could lead us to either a lessening insurgency (seeking a political solution) or one with an Iraqi at the head of the so-called Al Qaeda network in Iraq. Much is to be determined.
2:31 pm
I don’t know about you, but this growing trend of stating that “by killing these islamist terrorist bastards, the only thing we’re doing is creating martyrs for their cause” is making me sick and tired.
That is the biggest BS ever that is coming from the left fields. Who cares about creating martyrs. Should we just observe these bastards killing us, over there in the Middle East, or over here in the World Trade Center, and do nothing for fear of turning them into martyrs? Well, I’d rather be creating martyrs. IMHO, the more martyrs the better.
That’s the same rationale used during Moussaoui’s sentencing phase here in Alexandria. Now we have to feed the bastard, take care of his health, clean up after him and have people working exclusively in making all that happen, for as long as he lives. What a waste.
3:26 pm
Ironically he was turned in by Iraqis angry that he killed muslims even as they praised his killing of us. As for the person who says: who cares if we create martyrs, a sensible approach to a conflict is to avoid creating more soliders. Obviously we defend ourselves to the max but we ought to do it sensibly and try our best not to create more enemies. As for the same persons’ comment that we now have to feed and house Moussaoui, isnt that the best punshishment of all for that scum, a lifetime of hard labor, instead of giving him his martyrdom? Sensible policies and focused efforts, not reflexive anger and untamed violence, will get us where we need to be.
5:29 pm
Al Qaeda In Iraq Leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Killed
As you most probably know, I’m staying with some family until I move back to my home state of Vermont next week, and am not posting much until I’ve settled in to my own place after my move. But while…
9:24 pm
Overshadowed
Lost in the news of the successful attack eliminating Zarqawi and a number of his top level minions, was that this was part of a much larger operation.
9:44 pm
If this did indeed come from an insider, then this is the beginning of the end of the insurgency. Mark my words…this spells the beginning of the end…. Mark your calendars. I am much more confident than those in the media and even the reluctant administration. Am starting my celebration now…
10:52 pm
Dead Again
Zarqawi TM, the Butcher Terrorist Murderer, is dead again, probably for the last time. After being killed several times before, it’s finally over. Zarqawi has been eliminated. This sober morning George Bush says:
Zarqawi is dead, but the diffi…
3:06 am
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Amateur
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