FOX News reports that Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed in Iraq in an air raid last night. Al-Zarqawi is the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. More information as it comes in.
UPDATE: From Reuters:
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced on Thursday that al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been killed, state television reported.
In Washington, ABC News reported that a U.S. air attack on a Baghdad house has killed Zarqawi. "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been killed in Baghdad during a bombing raid," ABC said.
In a press conference that's going on right now, they are giving out details, and I shoulda gone to bed several hours ago. What you do to get the scoop.
But is has been confirmed, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed in Iraq. General Casey's giving details about the operation, an air-strike against an isolated safehouse. He also said there will be a full operational brief at 1500 BST.
UPDATE: As you would expect, Milbloggers are taking the news solemnly. For example, Froggy at Black Five:
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is currently backstroking in The Lake of Fire. Good riddance, bitch! Few details at this point, I just caught it on a Fox News Alert at 0030 PST 8 June 2006. Wake up with a smile America, Zarqawi ate a 500lb bomb in Baquba yesterday and this is confirmed.
0049 General Casey is now confirming that Zarqawi is dead and identified by fingerprints and facial recognition. Ding Dong the witch is dead. HOOYAH!!!
Details trickle in, another report from Reuters has more details about what happened:
The al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a joint attack by U.S. helicopters and Iraqi forces, ABC news reported on Thursday.
It said U.S. helicopters hit a house near Baquba, 40 miles north of Baghdad, at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
"Zarqawi was apparently injured at first... The Americans found him. They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries," ABC said.
It said seven people were hit in the helicopter attack, including two women, but it was not clear how many were killed or wounded.
Again, more will come to light during the press conference at 1500 BST, which is 0700 EST.
ADDED: From the Pajamas Media link below, Iraq The Model:
CONGRATULATIONS TO IRAQ, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHOLE WORLD ON THIS VICTORY.
I know it's already starting, but it'll be fun (in a Schadenfreude kinda way), to see the anti-war forces spin this (Yes, Sarge, the "where's Osama" has already started).
UPDATE: If I'm not sleepin', might as well update, huh? Turns out al Jazeera isn't convinced this is going to do anything. From the Counterterrorism Blog:
Reacting to the killing of Abu Mus'ab al Zarqawi in Iraq, pro-Jihadi commentators on al Jazeera rushed to assert that the "death of Zarqawi won't weaken al Qaida but will actually unify the organization." Abdelbari Atwan, the editor of al Quds al Arabi accused Jordanian and US intelligence of penetrating the inner circles of Zarqawi and were successful in getting to him." He added that the killing of Zarqawi was coordinated with the appointment of the ministers of defense and interior in Baghdad.
Projecting further terror, Atwan said the "Jihadists will increase their operations in Iraq. For the more the organization is repressed the more it will produce Jihadists." He stated that in any event, Zarqawi was isolated inside the organization and restrained to military operations." Other commentators also stated that the near future will show that al Qaida is a movement not a group of supporters to one man.
But Iraqi leaders, including the speaker of the Kurdish Parliament, responded on al Jazeera that "the Iraqi people has memorized the names of all those who were involved in Terror against civilians, and will continue the struggle"
More commentary on the ramifications of this high-dollar target snuffing it from the Counterterrorism Blog forthcoming.
ADDED: Let's clarify a couple of things. First, Al Zarqawi was the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq. This could rightly be said to be the equivalent of Osama bin Laden. No, it is not Osama bin Laden, but it is an extremely important military victory for Iraq and the Coalition, in that order.
Also, this is not a left/right issue. This is a pro-victory/run-and-hide issue. Bullets do not discriminate on basis of race, gender, handicap, or anything else.
ADDED: Text from White House Communications and video of the air-strike at The Blorg.
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Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Comments (20)
Rest in pieces, bastard.</p... (Below threshold)1. Posted by James Cloninger | June 8, 2006 4:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Rest in pieces, bastard.
1. Posted by James Cloninger | June 8, 2006 4:07 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:07
2. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 4:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Very, very good news. In one way Zarqawi was worse than bin Laden, as he seemed to enjoy attention and knew how to get it.
One down...
2. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 4:07 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:07
3. Posted by Jihad Jimmy, Minister of War Crimes and Chief Defender of the Faith | June 8, 2006 4:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Huzzah!
3. Posted by Jihad Jimmy, Minister of War Crimes and Chief Defender of the Faith | June 8, 2006 4:25 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:25
4. Posted by The Old Sarge | June 8, 2006 4:30 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Someone said it will be interesting to see how the Dems spin this. I can tell you. "So you got Al-Zarqawi. Why have you not nailed Osama yet?" or-- "Why did it take you 3 years to get him?"
4. Posted by The Old Sarge | June 8, 2006 4:30 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:30
5. Posted by Sexton Lovecraft | June 8, 2006 4:52 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
An eye for an eye until the whole world goes blind.
5. Posted by Sexton Lovecraft | June 8, 2006 4:52 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:52
6. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 4:57 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Dunno about the Democrats, but here's some liberal spin for ya:
ABOUT FUCKING TIME.
Hey, wait a minute... was he given due process?! We're a civilization of laws, goddammit!
(I hope that's not what you people actually expect from liberals not named Ted Rall. Lord knows you'll do your damndest to find some obscure halfwit blogger looking for a downside to this story. Be sure to make a Ward Churchill strawman out of him/her!)
6. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 4:57 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 04:57
7. Posted by Lorie Byrd | June 8, 2006 5:05 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Great post, TalkSmack! I fell asleep about an hour before the news broke and was awakened by my daughter around 4:30 when she got up in the middle of the night. I had fallen asleep with the t.v. on, tuned to Fox News, so I heard the news as soon as I woke up. What wonderful news to wake up to!
7. Posted by Lorie Byrd | June 8, 2006 5:05 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 05:05
8. Posted by Amused (AKA Martin A. Knight) | June 8, 2006 5:13 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Nice ...
But let's not make the mistake of thinking this news is not being greeted with groans and shrieks of dismay in significant sections of the Left i.e. DailyKos, New York Times, Howard Dean's office, etc.
Either way, though ... nice.
8. Posted by Amused (AKA Martin A. Knight) | June 8, 2006 5:13 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 05:13
9. Posted by Baggi | June 8, 2006 5:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Can you imagine if this had happened on Monday, day before many primary elections? You'd be hearing all sorts of wag the dog type stories, how brilliant the stupidest president ever to live is, etc, etc, etc.
I'm sure someone will mention the timing of this, i'm not sure in what context, but the conspiracy theorists have taken control of the nuthouse and they'll figure someway to turn this into a good conspiracy.
Either way, Praise God we got this guy.
9. Posted by Baggi | June 8, 2006 5:50 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 05:50
10. Posted by McGehee | June 8, 2006 6:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I hear heads exploding. Heh.
Zarqawi's last headline was, he was supposedly calling for a religious war by Sunnis against Shi'ites. I'd be very interested to know whether Shi'ite informants helped the troops zero in on him. Double heh.
10. Posted by McGehee | June 8, 2006 6:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 06:36
11. Posted by Faith+1 | June 8, 2006 6:38 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I could care less what the left thinks. Then again I've been that way for quite awhile. I guess I could offer my condolences to the left as they watch their hopes for a US defeat slowly fade.
As for killing Zarqawi not having an effect...heh, ok, who's next and what do you wanna bet it won't take 3 years to nail him?
And Sexton, at the rate we are killing terrorists it's about 1,000 eyes to one....that just leaves your enemy blind while you can see quite well. One could also argue we traded an eye for head...of a serpent.
11. Posted by Faith+1 | June 8, 2006 6:38 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 06:38
12. Posted by SSG Army | June 8, 2006 6:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The initial news is great. Will there still be Al Qaida in Iraq? Yes. Will this slow things down in the short term? Probably not. Will it have some negative impact on terrorist operations in the future? Absolutely! I am also glad that the US Army handed him over while he was still alive. I hope the Iraqis helped him die a little quicker to avoid a trial!
12. Posted by SSG Army | June 8, 2006 6:50 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 06:50
13. Posted by Kim | June 8, 2006 7:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Fantastic post, Talksmack. I tossed and turned all night last night. I got up earlier than normal this morning and was thrilled to see your post.
Great job!
13. Posted by Kim | June 8, 2006 7:25 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 07:25
14. Posted by bobdog | June 8, 2006 7:30 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Flags are flying at half-staff at Reuters, AP, and the New York Times.
I hope Zarqawi remembered his asbestos beach towel for his little trip to the Lake of Fire.
14. Posted by bobdog | June 8, 2006 7:30 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 07:30
15. Posted by Yogimus | June 8, 2006 7:51 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
High fives, reload the guns, and let's get back to killing.
15. Posted by Yogimus | June 8, 2006 7:51 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 07:51
16. Posted by Big Mo | June 8, 2006 8:39 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ding, dong, the witch is dead.
Seriously, though, three cheers for our boys.
And I really don't give a damn what the Kossites think about it, because they surrendered a long time ago.
16. Posted by Big Mo | June 8, 2006 8:39 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 08:39
17. Posted by BemusedlyAddingNegativityToAnyGoodNews | June 8, 2006 9:39 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
bemused:
"ABOUT FUCKING TIME.
..
Lord knows you'll do your damndest to find some obscure halfwit blogger looking for a downside to this story. Be sure to make a Ward Churchill strawman out of him/her!"
No need for strawmen. You're doing a fine job of representing the Looney Left by yourself.
17. Posted by BemusedlyAddingNegativityToAnyGoodNews | June 8, 2006 9:39 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 09:39
18. Posted by kbiel | June 8, 2006 11:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
What a stupid bumper sticker quote. Perhaps you would feel the same way about someone who broke into your mother's house, raped her and then slowly tortured her to death. Surely you would tell the judge, "Be lenient in your sentencing, I don't believe in 'an eye for an eye'."
My only regret is that he didn't live long enough for some real "eye for an eye" treatment. Along with Zarqawi we should have given the Iraqis a rusty, dull knife and assembly instructions in five languages. Hell, we could have given them an instructional video starring Zarqawi himself.
18. Posted by kbiel | June 8, 2006 11:14 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 11:14
19. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 1:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I wasn't adding negativity to good news. I was responding to the obligatory "Let's see how the Dems spin this" comment by preemptively saying that real liberals should be glad that one of the most illiberal motherfuckers in Iraq is now hamburger.
Loony left? You're a moron. You think the only "leftists" who aren't loonies are Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller.
19. Posted by Bemused | June 8, 2006 1:00 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 13:00
20. Posted by mesablue | June 8, 2006 3:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Todays special:
Room Temperature Zarqawi.
20. Posted by mesablue | June 8, 2006 3:16 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 8, 2006 15:16