Jordanian terrorist leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed by U.S. Special Forces in an air attack on a house in Baghdad Wednesday night. He was considered the leader of the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, and allied with Al-Qaeda linked organizations. The Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki confirmed the news in a news conference along with U.S. military commander General Casey.
This will likely serve to strengthen the newly formed government of Mr. Maliki and weaken the insurgency. Unfortunately, they are quite strong and able to assemble undetected in large numbers and carry out powerful attacks with ease. There has been a significant escalation of anti-Shia and anti-U.S. violence since the destruction of the Samarra mosque holy to the Shias in February. Al-Zarqawi's group, the Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, which he affiliated with the Al-Qaeda, and was in turn endorsed by Osama bin Laden, who termed him the 'prince of Al-Qaeda in Iraq', had claimed responsibility for a number of violent acts, and he himself had a $25 million reward on his head. He was alleged to be the mastermind behind the Amman blasts in November 2005.
He had succeeded in giving the Iraq conflict a sectarian hue, by finding and directing numerous Sunni suicide bombers to carry out violent missions against the majority Shia community. The original nationalist guise of the insurgency has been lost in favor of sectarian motivations and in-fighting. This division will be his foul legacy to the Iraqi people, and could inevitably lead to a partition of the country along sectarian lines. The Shias and Kurds are perceived by the insurgents as pro-U.S. and hence open for attack. The aggressive use of force by the predominantly Shia forces and alleged human rights abuses have only aggravated the situation.
The central command of the Al Qaeda, specifically Ayman Al-Zawahiri, is believed to have disapproved of the methods being used such as indiscriminate killings of Shias and toned down Al-Zarqawi's political role in the insurgency. In a stinging letter, he questioned the tactics, asking,
Questions will circulate among mujahedeen circles and their opinion makers about the correctness of this conflict with the Shia at this time. Is it something that is unavoidable? Or, is it something that can be put off until the force of the mujahed movement in Iraq gets stronger? And if some of the operations were necessary for self-defense, were all of the operations necessary? Or, were there some operations that weren't called for? And is the opening of another front now in addition to the front against the Americans and the government a wise decision?
In January 2006, a new united Islamic Front was created in Iraq called the Mujahadeen Shura Council, the Iraqi equivalent of the larger International Islamic Front, of which Al-Qaeda is a charter member. The MSC comprises al-Zarqawi's branch of Al-Qaeda called the Organization in the Land of the Two Rivers, the Jaish al-Taifa al-Mansoura, the al-Ahwal Brigades, the Islamic Jihad Brigades, the al-Ghuraba Brigades, and the Saraya Ansar al-Tawhid. They distinguish themselves from the IIF by declaring their aims confined to the borders of Iraq, and not bin Laden's dream of a pan-Islamic Caliphate. They are, however, adherents to the Salafi ideology.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Matthew T. Sussman
I had him in my dead pool, so I'm ... happy?
2 - Paul Jordan, Sr.
I fear this will merely be fodder with which to fuel the fires of Bush et al in pounding their chests and plunging deeper in to unwarranted violence. Do not get me wrong, the “Zarqawi” that has been introduced to me through the media surely deserves to be purged from this earth, and good riddance, but I can’t help but think how convenient for Bushco and the Republiscam Extremes. Are we seeing the first in a long succesion of staged victories running up to November, much like Daddy and friends did in the 90’s?
3 - Victor Plenty
The main drawback to the death of al-Zarqawi is the likelihood some people will see him as a "martyr" because he was killed by U.S. forces. For that reason, I'd have preferred to see him captured, put on trial, and spending the rest of his natural life behind bars.
Of course, that's not to say I'll particularly mourn the loss of a man who helped plan and coordinate the intentional and premeditated killings of so many innocent people.
Even if this operation is part of some propaganda scheme by the Bush administration, that's a small price to pay for the removal of such a malignant and dangerous criminal as al-Zarqawi from the human population.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Just a thought from a cynic: maybe some of the boys loyal to bin Laden leaked the info to US forces - who then did in Al Zarqawi? That is how the Shabak works here wqhen they want to get rid of a Jew they themselves don't really want to kill...
Use, abuse lead, mislead, wheels within wheels...
5 - tommyd
Like Zarqawi even existed in Iraq in the first place. His "death" won't mean anything anyway, the violence will continue until the Americans leave Iraq. Another "corner turned" in Iraq for the American Imperial forces, desperate for any kind of justification for their illegal invasion of Iraq.
And what timing of Zarqawi's "death". Just when the corrupt and evil Bush regime was under intense pressure to distract the world from the murders of innocent Iraqis in Haditha.
Oh, yea, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you too.
6 - Aaman
Getting inconvenient people out of the way is good politics, generally speaking.
I am just reading an intelligence assessment of Zarqawi's death, and the following makes relevant reading:
Subsequently,
7 - Eric Berlin
Nice job on getting on top of this story, Aaman. Will be interesting to see what impact this development has.
8 - JustOneMan
Ruvy...does it matter...a dead scum bag is a dead scum bag...
I hope is last minutes of life felt like the sky was burning and falling on him....death to the enemies of peace, democracy and the American peopel and their allies...
9 - Aaman
So if you're not for 'the American people and their allies', you cant be for peace and democracy?
10 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
JOM
I never said, "it doesn't matter." If the bum is dead, good! He's no friend of mine either. But, I'm just a bit of a cynic that's all. This is the Middle East, after all.
11 - Aaman
Ruvy, how are the Israeli papers and intelligence reporting this news?
12 - Clavos
Aaman, who (or what) promulgated the intelligence assessment you quote in #6?
13 - Aaman
THat's by B Raman, former intelligence chief and Cabinet Secretary in the Indian government, now a policy/security maven - The assessment is now up on his group's website (I get an early email feed)
14 - Lumpy
Great news if only because he was such an evil murdering bastard. And I heard it first here on BC.
Probablu won't stop the terror in Iraq, but it's encouraging.
15 - Lumpy
And tommyd you really are a classic example of someone made stupid by ideomania.
16 - Silas Kain
Fabulous! Kudos to the Bush Administration! See that you Liberal Commie Scumbags! The Conservatives prevailed -- Christianity has won yet another battle by annihilating one of Islam's most violent, dangerous men. Freedom and peace shall reign in the Middle East with this man's demise.
Oh, buy the way, we're winning against the fags who want to destroy the fabric of American family life by getting married, too! Conservative values shall bring terrorism and fags to their knees. It's a glorious week to be a Bushite.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
17 - Ron
Is it in the liberal handbook to hate America and love terrorists. You guys have more sympahty for them do you do for Americans not only in Iraq but in other countries that are killed by these people. Just remember, Canada which are wimps like the rest of you liberals were going to be attacked. Ask yourselves why? Answer: Terrorists just want to kill everybody.
18 - Silas Kain
That's right. Brand me a liberal. Demonize me. Make me look anti-American. Ron, Christ called. He wants His cross back.
19 - Ron
Hey Silas, I don't have to make you look anti-American, you smell of it. If you hate this country so much, go to Canada.
20 - sal m
it's great that this guy was sent to meet allah.
now it's time to move on to the number 2 guy, whom they call "number 2."
21 - Victor Plenty
Yes, Sal, but who does Number 2 work for?
22 - tommyd
Lumpy and Ron, upstanding members of the 101st Keyboarders Fighting Brigade. Striking down "evil liberals" who think wars based on lies are morally repugnant. "Evil Liberals"=anyone who thinks all the slaughtering going on in Iraq is worthless and counterproductive.
Good job guys. With your reasoning and logic, we have about 900,000 million more Muslims to kill before we even get to those "evil" homegrown "liberals". Then, we shall have our Utopian Paradise!
Hey guys, is it too late for me to switch sides and get on your winning team?
23 - Andy Marsh
900,000 million? How many zeros is that? Are there really THAT many muslims in the world???
24 - Ron
Hey Tommyd, I find it interesting that you use a broad brush to state all Muslims are evil. Maybe if liberals would stop bending over and stand up to these people, maybe we wouldn't have to worry about these terrorists.
25 - tommyd
I meant, 900 million Muslims. Ya know, 1 billion minus the 100,000 killed in Iraq equals 900 million. So sue me.
Ron, you know what's funny about your kind of Reich Wing Nut, is that you claim the Muslims 8000 miles away must killed for America's "security" but meanwhile the Muslim community down the street in Anywhere, America are the "good ones". Not saying you personally believe this, but that's the message one gets from spending anytime on a Reich Wing blog.