Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi Killed In Iraq - Page 2

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• 1 - Matthew T. Sussman

  Jun 08, 2006 at 7:38 am

  I had him in my dead pool, so I'm ... happy?

• 2 - Paul Jordan, Sr.

  Jun 08, 2006 at 7:48 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 8:10 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 8:48 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 8:56 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 8:56 am

  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:
  

  It would be too early to say whether he was really killed by the Americans in an air strike as claimed by them or he was killed by the Iraqi resistance fighters, who had reportedly developed differences with him, and his body thrown away to be subsequently recovered by the American and Iraqi forces. The definitive truth relating to his death would never be known.
  Presuming that he died, as claimed, in a US air strike, this would have been possible only on the basis of pin-point intelligence, which could have come either from technical gadgets (TECHINT) or human sources (HUMINT). Even if the successful operation was completely based on TECHINT, the Americans and the Iraqi Government would make it appear as if human sources also played a role in order to create suspicions among the terrorists about a possible mole in their midst.
  
  5. Even if this operation was based purely on TECHINT, it is a major tactical success for the US-led coalition. If HUMINT had also played a role, the significance of the success would be greater.
  

  
  
  Subsequently,
  

  Zarqawi was not a leader of iconic proportions. He did not command in the Islamic world the kind of respect which bin Laden seems to command. His anti-Shia massacres had made even many Sunnis uncomfortable. Any violent reactions to his death would, therefore, remain limited. He was the man who was motivating the foreign jihadis operating in Iraq and co-ordinating their operations. He had no visible successor, with equal authority and high profile. That does not mean that his death, if true, could mark the beginning of the end of the Al Qaeda in Iraq.
  
  10. We would probably see in Iraq a denouement similar to what we have been seeing in Saudi Arabia, where every time a leader, considered important, is killed by the security forces, another person takes up the leadership and keeps the jihad going. The more the leaders killed by the Saudi security forces, the more the new leaders who have come up and rallied the cadres around and motivated them to keep the jihad going.
  
  11. Two other questions arise. Would the death of Zarqawi mark the end of the anti-Shia virulence? Would the Iraqi resistance-fighters come to the forefront and impose discipline and control over the foreign terrorists? Not immediately.
  
  12. Bin Laden and Zawahiri must be worried about their own security. If Zarqawi's death is admitted by Al Qaeda, whatever be the circumstances under which he died, this will be a shot in the arm for the US and the Iraqi security forces and intelligence. It is not victory, but it is one important step forward. They are no longer groping in the dark. There is a flicker of light to cheer them.

• 7 - Eric Berlin

  Jun 08, 2006 at 9:51 am

  Nice job on getting on top of this story, Aaman. Will be interesting to see what impact this development has.

• 8 - JustOneMan

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:06 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:08 am

  So if you're not for 'the American people and their allies', you cant be for peace and democracy?

• 10 - Ruvy in Jerusalem

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:24 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:25 am

  Ruvy, how are the Israeli papers and intelligence reporting this news?

• 12 - Clavos

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:43 am

  Aaman, who (or what) promulgated the intelligence assessment you quote in #6?

• 13 - Aaman

  Jun 08, 2006 at 10:56 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 11:51 am

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 11:54 am

  And tommyd you really are a classic example of someone made stupid by ideomania.

• 16 - Silas Kain

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:00 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:09 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:14 pm

  That's right. Brand me a liberal. Demonize me. Make me look anti-American. Ron, Christ called. He wants His cross back.

• 19 - Ron

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:21 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:22 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:27 pm

  Yes, Sal, but who does Number 2 work for?

• 22 - tommyd

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:49 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:53 pm

  900,000 million? How many zeros is that? Are there really THAT many muslims in the world???

• 24 - Ron

  Jun 08, 2006 at 12:55 pm

  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

  Jun 08, 2006 at 1:29 pm

  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.

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