Zarqawi Killed in Air Raid
Iraq’s Al Qaeda Leader Dead; Iraqis Celebrate
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda’s leader in Iraq who led a bloody insurgency of suicide bombings and kidnappings, was killed in an airstrike north of Baghdad.
“Today, al-Zarqawi has been eliminated,” Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said in Arabic amid cheers at news conference this morning, with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, at his side.
Good news.
At least the Iraqis seem to think so. Tim Worstall reports in Nightcap Syndication - Zarqawi’s Death: A Report from Baghdad
The scene around Baghdad today is quite familiar. Iraqis are huddled around televisions , listening to radios and, of course, firing celebratory volleys of automatic gunfire into the air. This morning there is a little something extra in the air, hope.Mid-morning local time the news broke, Abu Musab al Zarqawi has been killed. The celebrations on the street and the cheers at the press conference announcing this news may seem odd to some in the comfortable confines of the west. While a BBC reporter today referred to al Zarqawi as a “controversial leader of the resistance” the reaction among most Iraqis lacks such nuance, they are glad for one simple reason, al Zarqawi is dead.
Read the whole thing. There is no ambiguity about it.
Kuna: Iraqis celebrate Zarqawi’’s death
Iraqi citizens took to the streets celebrating Abu Musaab Zarqawi’s death on Thursday. Joy filled Baghdad’s hot streets, as gun shots sounded through the air, and cars packed with overjoyed Iraqi’s roamed the streets. Iraqis were sharing sweets with people outside their homes. Civil organizations paraded as they condemned violence chanting “death to Zarqawi and Saddamites.” Thursday’s celebrations could be compared to the jubilation in Baghdad’s streets the day Saddam Hussein was captured.
More good news was announced at the same time:
Iraq OKs key security ministers
Iraq’s parliament today approved three new key ministers, including a Sunni Arab to head the defense ministry, ending a stalemate among Iraq’s religious and ethnic groups over the crucial posts.The three, including ministers for national security and interior, were sworn in after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced the death of al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The new defense minister is Iraqi Army Gen. Abdul-Qader Mohammed Jassim al-Mifarji and Shiites Jawad al-Bolani for interior and Sherwan al-Waili for national security.
Allah rounds up the links as only Allah can. Hot Air » New Zarqawi thread
I’m off to round-up reaction from the usual suspects. Confederate Yankee says the good folks at Democrats.com are celebrating — because now we can pull out and have it look kinda sorta like a victory. Send me any links you find of people questioning the timing, the stupider the better. Ten points if they tie it to Haditha, a thousand points if they tie it to the start of Yearly Kos.
Heh. Of course, this was staged to drown out the stench of Brian Bilbray’s near-defeat, right?
More from: Counterterrorism Blog: ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI KILLED IN U.S. BOMBING ATTACK (updated with pictures)
Bill Roggio has reported here on the operations of U.S. Task Force 145, a Special Ops unit that was chasing AZ constantly and was probably involved in this raid.
Post-Zarqawi Lull in Casualties
al-Zarqawi raid provided ‘huge treasure’
US military releases photos of Zarqawi successor in Iraq
Questions about al-Zarqawi death
No. 2 Al Qaeda in Iraq Killed