Al-Zarqawi slaughtered

[America1]

Time will only tell what the outcome of this will be. Al Qaeda suffered a major blow so did part of the Insurgency that was backing Zarqawi. There is still a long hard road ahead but Iraq and the World are better off with this Rat Dead.

I've never bought into the mythology arond Zarqawi as the Big Bad Guy. Now, even if he's a fraction of what they say he was, the wolrd is better off without him. But we've heard this song and dance before, so I'll pass on the chest beating. TYhe problems in Iraq go well beyond one man.

"I've never bought into the mythology arond Zarqawi as the Big Bad Guy" - Tell that to Nick Berg.

[Shady]

"I've never bought into the mythology arond Zarqawi as the Big Bad Guy" - Tell that to Nick Berg

LOL!!! Damn that's good!!! Refusing to accept Zarqawi's large terrorist presence in Iraq is column A of the kook-left response. Refusing to accept his very existence or that he's actually dead is column B. Remember these, because they'll be the same responses used on the day Osama Bin Laden is killed.

[Black Dog]

My bad. I forgot you are never wrong.

Sure I am. Just not about this.

"I've never bought into the mythology arond Zarqawi as the Big Bad Guy" - Tell that to Nick Berg.

It doesn't take a evil mastermind with high-level connections to an international terror network to saw a guy's head off.

LOL!!! Damn that's good!!! Refusing to accept Zarqawi's large terrorist presence in Iraq is column A of the kook-left response. Refusing to accept his very existence or that he's actually dead is column B. Remember these, because they'll be the same responses used on the day Osama Bin Laden is killed.

Uh: "Large terrorist prescence"? How large are we talking here? It's generally agreed that only 4 to 10 per cent of the insurgency is made up of foreigners like Zarqawi. Even if those foreigners are 100 per cent "Al Qaeda in Messopatamia", that's still a fraction of the whole. Zarqawi was head of a small and not particularily popular faction that nonetheless was responsible for some of the most bloody attacks. Recently, however, the indication was Zarqawi and his group were in some turmoil. There have been reports of battles between Zarqawi's men and other Sunni militias. It's been reported too that Zarqawi had been replaced or demoted within the heirarchy of his own organization. I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the information as to his whereabouts was communicated to the U.S. by other insurgent groups or even members of his own organization. In any case, it's foolish to expect his death to mark the insurgencies last throes, nor does it vindicate the decision to go to war in the first place.

[killjoy]

Bang on. Its like removing one large weed from the garden. Plenty more to remove and plenty more will grow back.

I agree, but honestly I think between the press and the coalition the only ones who think this is big news is the press. I don't believe your or Liams' points are lost on the coalition. It's the press that is perpetually in love with the 'newest thing'.

.

[crazymf]

Agreed about the media thing.

Let's face it. The USA public needs a propaganda score every now and then to offset all the dead heros and to remind people that there's still work being done over there.

I will hazard a guess that criminals like Zarkowi(never mind the spelling, you get the point) are getting blown up and dug out of ratholes every day over there. This operation was but one of probably many more that we never hear about. We won't know if killing this a**hole had any impact until later on.

[newbie]

. Bravo to the United States Military..

Don't forget that all the U.S.'s major kills, captures have come from Iraqi citizens ratting. Bravo to them.

[Wilber]

Who knows what it means in the great scheme of things but the guy was a homicidal scumbag. Even his own mob was getting sick of him. Good riddance

[BHS]

Uh: "Large terrorist prescence"? How large are we talking here? It's generally agreed that only 4 to 10 per cent of the insurgency is made up of foreigners like Zarqawi. Even if those foreigners are 100 per cent "Al Qaeda in Messopatamia", that's still a fraction of the whole. Zarqawi was head of a small and not particularily popular faction that nonetheless was responsible for some of the most bloody attacks. Recently, however, the indication was Zarqawi and his group were in some turmoil. There have been reports of battles between Zarqawi's men and other Sunni militias. It's been reported too that Zarqawi had been replaced or demoted within the heirarchy of his own organization. I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the information as to his whereabouts was communicated to the U.S. by other insurgent groups or even members of his own organization. In any case, it's foolish to expect his death to mark the insurgencies last throes, nor does it vindicate the decision to go to war in the first place.

Are you aware of where your "4 to 10 percent" figure comes from, or are you just regurgitating what you read in the conspiracy pages?

There is 1, that's one, report that comes up with that figure, by a single think tank in Washington called The Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Guardian in England picked up the story of the report last year, and it spread like a virus across the anti-war pages from there.

The conclusions of this report are not generally agreed upon, accept among people who want to believe the opposite of what the American government and mililtary have to say about any particular issue.

This has the same odor as all of the crap you write about "consensus" with other issues. You guys cherry pick reports that agree with your biases and then claim that everyone buys into those conclusions because so many people have repeated them. Obfuscate. Exaggerate. Repeat.

[Black Dog]

Are you aware of where your "4 to 10 percent" figure comes from, or are you just regurgitating what you read in the conspiracy pages?

There is 1, that's one, report that comes up with that figure, by a single think tank in Washington called The Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Guardian in England picked up the story of the report last year, and it spread like a virus across the anti-war pages from there.

The conclusions of this report are not generally agreed upon, accept among people who want to believe the opposite of what the American government and mililtary have to say about any particular issue.

This has the same odor as all of the crap you write about "consensus" with other issues. You guys cherry pick reports that agree with your biases and then claim that everyone buys into those conclusions because so many people have repeated them. Obfuscate. Exaggerate. Repeat.

Okay, wise guy: you have something to counter it, then post it. It's not hard.

[Shady]

Are you aware of where your "4 to 10 percent" figure comes from, or are you just regurgitating what you read in the conspiracy pages?

Exactly. That figure comes from the same type of people that insist 100,000+ Iraqi civilians have been killed. And nevermind that 90% of civilian deaths over the last 3 years have been a result of insurgent/terrorist activities.

Even if you accept the "4 to 10 percent" premise, it still doesn't discount the fact the Zarqawi was responsible for the most elaborate and significant terrorist bombings, and the one fanning the flames of any possible civil war.

* The Targeting bombings of Iraqi Police and Security Stations

* U.N. headquarters in Baghdad (and murdering envoy Sérgio Vieira de Melo).

* Killing the leading Shiite Ayatollah Hakim outside his place of worship in Najaf.

* The Bombing of the Golden Dome Mosque.

And this barely scrapes the surface of what Zarqawi and his group are responsible for.

[Black Dog]

Exactly. That figure comes from the same type of people that insist 100,000+ Iraqi civilians have been killed. And nevermind that 90% of civilian deaths over the last 3 years have been a result of insurgent/terrorist activities.

Don't forget that 100 per cent of civilian deaths were thw result of the U.S invasion. See, it's easy to make blanket statements, but what is your point?

Even if you accept the "4 to 10 percent" premise, it still doesn't discount the fact the Zarqawi was responsible for the most elaborate and significant terrorist bombings, and the one fanning the flames of any possible civil war.

Again, what's your point? First, I can't help noticing you dispute the figure, yet offer no alternative. Second, no one has disputed the significance of the attacks Zarqawi claimed responsibility for (though, it does seem odd that one group could be responsible for so much). In any case, it remains unlikely that his death will have any major impact on the insurgency.

[Shady]

Don't forget that 100 per cent of civilian deaths were thw result of the U.S invasion

Ok. Well, 100 percent of the U.S. invasion was a result of Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with U.N. resolutions and the cease-fire he agreed to back in 1991.

Again, what's your point? First, I can't help noticing you dispute the figure, yet offer no alternative

I think it's impossible and illogical to associate any number in regards to a percentage of the insurgents/terrorists.

Second, no one has disputed the significance of the attacks

Well, you did.

I've never bought into the mythology arond Zarqawi as the Big Bad Guy

Well, you may not believe in the "mythology" of Zarqawi, however, he's was at the very least, somewhat big, and somewhat bad. Just take a look at his accomplishments. So, according to you, he's not big, or bad, but he's also responsible for SIGNIFICANT terrorist attacks. That's an interesting take.

[Black Dog]

I think it's impossible and illogical to associate any number in regards to a percentage of the insurgents/terrorists.

Cop out.

Well, you may not believe in the "mythology" of Zarqawi, however, he's was at the very least, somewhat big, and somewhat bad. Just take a look at his accomplishments. So, according to you, he's not big, or bad, but he's also responsible for SIGNIFICANT terrorist attacks. That's an interesting take

Um, he can be responsible for acts of significant (as in big) magnitude. But whether those attacks are significant (as in important) in the grand scheme of things is another story. Let me put in terms you can understand. Zarqawi killed a lot of people. But his death won't stop people from getting killed and it won't necessarily make Iraq any more stable.

[Charles Anthony]

It is unfortunate that the American military could not capture Zarqawi (or even Saddam Hussein's sons).

If Zarqawi's death was worth $25million, he must have contained a wealth of valuable inteliigence that is now silenced.

[newbie]

It is unfortunate that the American military could not capture Zarqawi (or even Saddam Hussein's sons).

That's not the American way. They go in guns ablazin' and ask questions later.

[newbie]

Don't forget that 100 per cent of civilian deaths were thw result of the U.S invasion

Ok. Well, 100 percent of the U.S. invasion was a result of Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with U.N. resolutions and the cease-fire he agreed to back in 1991.

Please read your history. From the un security counsel: In the leadup to the meeting, it became apparent that a majority of UNSC members would oppose any resolution leading to war. As a result, no such resolution was put to the Council.. In layman terms, Bush invaded a country illegally.

[August1991]

Palestine's Hamas on Zarqawi's death:

GAZA (Reuters) - The ruling Palestinian faction Hamas on Thursday deplored the killing by U.S. warplanes of the al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, describing him as a casualty of a crusade against Arabs and Muslims.

Hamas, branded as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union and shunned by the West since winning office in the Palestinian government in March, had distanced itself in the past from violence abroad blamed on al Qaeda.

But in a statement faxed to Reuters after Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. air strike north of Baghdad on Wednesday, Hamas said it mourned the Jordanian-born insurgent as a "martyr of the (Muslim Arab) nation".

"With hearts full of faith, Hamas commends brother-fighter Abu Musab ... who was martyred at the hands of the savage crusade campaign which targets the Arab homeland, starting in Iraq," the statement said.

Reuters

Then again, maybe not:

GAZA (Reuters) - The ruling Palestinian faction Hamas on Friday denied issuing a statement mourning the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, but hailed him as a symbol of resistance to occupation.

Reuters received a statement on Thursday saying that Hamas mourned Zarqawi, killed in a strike north of Baghdad by U.S. warplanes on Wednesday.

Sami Abu-Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said on Friday that "Hamas did not issue any statement in this regard."

He also said that Hamas "reiterates its supportive position to all liberation movements and foremost the Iraqi liberation movement, for which Zarqawi was one of the symbols in the face of the American occupation."

Reuters

[BubberMiley]

That's not the American way. They go in guns ablazin' and ask questions later.

Actually they don't "go in." They blow every living thing up from a safe distance, then go in--five-year-old girls be damned.

[Leafless]

[That's not the American way. They go in guns ablazin' and ask questions later.]

[Actually they don't "go in." They blow every living thing up from a safe distance, then go in--five-year-old girls be damned.]

You keep forgetting Saddam Hussein was directly responsible for the fate of his own people and possibly all others who became victims in this war by 'NOT SURRENDERING' when he was given the oppurtunity to do so.

[Johnny Utah]

. Bravo to the United States Military..

Don't forget that all the U.S.'s major kills, captures have come from Iraqi citizens ratting. Bravo to them.

Very true! Iraqis deserve alot of credit for risking their lives to rat out Terrorist thugs like Zarqawi..

[Darth Buddha]

If the motive was revenge, then slaughter applies.

There were plenty of pragmatic and political purposes in taking out Zarqawi. He WAS a TRUE enemy combatant, we OWED it to the Iraqi people (Shia AND Sunni) to remove such an indiscriminate killer, and his removal netted intelligence that may further aid in removing foreign fighters from the equation.

Slaughter? Nope. He was elminated out of necessity.

[lost&outofcontrol]

One question which remains unanswered is why did the official story change so much?

[Charles Anthony]

Through his black ski-mask, Zarqawi is identified as having beheaded Nick Berg. The following websearch:

WHAT WAS NICK BERG DOING IN IRAQ?

in any search engine will likely demonstrate that there are A LOT of questions that remain about Zarqawi.

The people who believe that there are weapons of mass destruction still to be found in Iraq will likely dismiss everything as conspiracy theory, but that is their right.

[Shady]

Once he set up shop in Iraq, he re-named his group al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, but there's no evidence that there were any operational ties between the groups. If anything, Zarqawi appears to have simply co-opted the successful and well known Al Qaeda "brand".

Three things you can always count on. Death, taxes, and Black Dog being wrong.

Bin Laden to Issue Tribute to Al-Zarqawi

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Osama bin Laden will issue a videotaped message paying tribute to slain al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a message posted on an Islamic militant Web site said Wednesday.

The message did not say when the video would be posted or whether bin Laden himself would appear in the video or just speak in a voice-over. The al-Qaida leader has issued three audiotapes this year but has not appeared in a video since one issued on Oct. 29, 2004.

A similar "advertisement" was issued for an al-Zarqawi tribute put out last week by bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri. That advertisement appeared on the Web a day before the video was posted on Friday.

*** The videos appear to be part of an attempt by al-Qaida's central leadership to tout their connection to al-Zarqawi, who emerged as a hero among Islamic extremists with his dramatic attacks against Shiites and Westerners in Iraq.

AP

[Riverwind]

Once he set up shop in Iraq, he re-named his group al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, but there's no evidence that there were any operational ties between the groups. If anything, Zarqawi appears to have simply co-opted the successful and well known Al Qaeda "brand".

Three things you can always count on. Death, taxes, and Black Dog being wrong.

You need a course in remedial logic. A tribute by Al Qaeda after the fact does not prove that there was any relationship before hand. Bin Laden is just an opportunist taking advantage of a good marketing opportunity and is probably glad that Zarqawi is dead.