The Jordanian terror leader who put the psycho in psychotic, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi apparently, is dead at the hands of U.S. forces. I'm not sure this statement is what you'd call ... accurate:
The 3-year-old insurgency has "lost its leader," Gen. George Casey, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, told reporters.
...since the combination insurgency/terror campaign/civil war is such a multi-headed hydra at this point in our little Mess-o-potamian dustbowl, but this is a good day for U.S. forces nonetheless. Maybe we could just go with "good omen..."
Probably good for P.R. purposes that this story comes out just in time to blow away CNN's scoop on 30 photos that apparently support the worst conclusions on Haditha. The administration definitely needs to change the Iraq conversation to one of momentum and progress (where now it's defined by three words: Fallujah, Abu-Ghraib and Haditha.) So for Dubya, finally a bit of good news, and for once, his P.R. interests actually dovetail with the interests of the troops.
BTW, the Arab media are covering the story, and not necessarily with a good look for us.
Best response to the death notice, from a BBC reader:
If he was hoping for his reward in heaven then I think he will be in for a shock.
But back to the bottom line: will this make any difference? For that, we go to the BBC:
If it significantly weakens the al-Qaeda structure in Iraq, it could open the way for easier contacts between the government and other insurgents, who are more Iraqi nationalists than Islamists seeking to set up an Islamic state not only in Iraq but across the region.
It might also lead to a lessening of tension between Sunnis and Shias, whom Zarqawi targeted.
The new government, the first constitutional one, will have to seize this opportunity if it is not to suffer the fate of its predecessor administrations, which came to office with hope and left with disappointment.
However, the death of one man does not necessarily bring a breakthrough. ...
... One recalls the euphoria after the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003.
US President George W Bush declared then: "A hopeful day has arrived. All Iraqis can now come together and reject violence and build a new Iraq."
His close ally UK Prime Minister Tony Blair echoed his words: "Let his capture bring about unity, reconciliation and peace between all the people of Iraq."
It did not happen, as we have seen.
And even after Zarqawi's death, neither the al-Qaeda elements nor the nationalists will give up. Indeed, Zarqawi's removal might well bring about an explosion of revenge by his followers.
And getting the nationalists into talks and into politics is going to be a long-drawn out affair since they have their price to exact in the form of demands for an early US withdrawal.
The current Iraqi government and its security forces are not strong enough to stand alone.
It's not all grim, however:
If there is one sign of hope, though, it is that Zarqawi was calling for conflict between the Sunnis, of whom he was one, and the Shias, whom he despised.
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%>
Tell a friend
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sendmail.Subject = "Check out this website"
'send a specific page or send a site url
dim url
'url = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
url = "http://www.aspbasics.net"
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sendmail.Body = "Site recommendation from a friend!" & _
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%>
"[T]he practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.' Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, August, 1788
