One of the US pre-war myths, used to support the illegal invasion of Iraq was that Jordanian-born Zarqawi, was the link between Al-Qaeda and Saddam regime. As we all know, this turned out to be another Bush lie.
Zarqawi only joined Al-Qaeda one year and half after the war on Iraq. Zarqawi did NOT give allegiance to Osama Bin Laden, when the former was in Afghanistan, or even when he fled to Iraq following the US-onslaught on Hirat, where his camp was. Zarqawi operated independently from Bin Laden, under the name Tawhid wal Jihad. Zarqawi changed the name of his group to Al-Qaeda in Mesopotimia, when he pledged allegiance to Osama in October 2004.
It was clear there was friction within his group, which was increasingly Iraq-ized. The Mujehdin Shoura Council was announced around six months ago, headed by Abdul-Rashid Al-Baghdadi, while Zarqawi became in charge of the military operations solely, leaving the “politics” to al-Baghdadi.
Al-Jazeera announced in the afternoon that Al-Qaeda confirmed Zarqawi’s killing in an internet statement. King Abdullah II of Jordan’s security services also arrested Al-Jazeera correspondent in Amman, together with Zarqawi’s brother-in-law, during a live interview with the latter. It was bizarre seeing Yasser Abu Hilala, Al-Jazeera correspondent, being surrounded by plainclothes security, who blacked out his camera, and then you could only hear his voice shouting the brother in law was arrested.. moments later you hear him again saying, they were also being taken.
Zarqawi’s elimination constitutes a strong blow to the militant network in Iraq. But by no means, this will be the end of it. Al-Qaeda’s sympathizers in Iraq who fought along side Zarqawi may have been largely foreign (non-Iraqi Arabs and Muslims), but observers who follow the group suggest there was a strong Iraq-ization process, whereby recruitment efforts on the local level was given an exponential boost, especially as this matrix of chaos in Iraq descending to a brutal sectarian conflict. Sunni tribes sure made benefit of Zarqawi, as an ally against the Shittes.
While I certainly welcome the news, it’s been announced before and turned out to be untrue. Let’s hope it’s true, and that the Iraq-ization of jihadi groups will at least create less senseless murder of civilians and the possibility, eventually, of some kind of truce.
Was anyone struck a few days ago by the kidnapping of some 50 people in broad daylight in Baghdad by people in police uniforms and vehicles? I haven’t heard much about it since then. Hope it’s not some new version of these “interior ministry shia death squads” I keep hearing about.
Good news, now let’s see if it will actually reduce violence in Iraq. It seems to me that sectarian violence has taken on a life of its own and I don’t know how important one person is in the command structure of Al Qaeda or of the Iraq insurgency.
I noted the kidnapping of the 56 people. At the time I wondered what the motive was because reports said the people kidnapped were a mixture of Shi’a and Sunni, Iraqis and foreigners – thought perhaps it was an apolitical, financial kidnapping. But there was a tiny report yesterday that a number of the people involved had been released…so I wonder whether all the Sunnis were released and they held onto the Shia…
I’m definitely glad to hear that Zarqawi is on his way. Happy coincidence for the Bush administration that this comes on the same day that the Iraqi Prime Minister finally appoints a Defense and Interior Minister.
Woe! Woe on the Ummah on this day that a great martyr has fallen by the cowardly means of the evil Zionists! Who will now save Palestine from the evil child-eating Zionist cannibals?
But rejoice! The Martyr Zarquawi is surely now in heaven, enjoying the attentions of 72 Houris!
*snigger*
Concur with all of youse guys. That Zarqawi’s dead is welcome news, though I doubt whether the insurgency will abate. Can’t remember where I read it (probably at Informed Comment) that Zarqawi has been somewhat sidelined by other individuals in his Tawid wal Jihad?
But I do sincerely hope that the indiscriminate bombing of civilians will stop.
DOH! My short-term memory is not that good anymore, I just found out that where I read his sidelining was in the original posting!!! Double Doh!!
It is some funny to read “that Zarqawi is a Martyr” He is no such thing. He is a murderer, lier and has deceived those that follow him. He will be in hell, not heaven and will have 72 tormentors. People of the middle east wake up! Satan has deceived you! Jesus loves you and is waiting for you to repent, follow him and enjoy paradise with the holy father.
All you need to do is confess with your mouth, that Jesus is king of kings, dies for the forgiving of your sins and was raised again by the father, then repent of your sins and follow Jesus and you will see heaven.
If you do not you will surely have your place in the lake of fire.
Jesus loves you.
Zarqawi is surely in hell where he and others who murder for false religions belong . It is so silly to hear all this crazy babble about your heaven and how it is ok to kill non believers to get there. When you find yourself in Hell looking for virgins ; then it will all seem so clear how wrong you are now. Its all fairy tales to trap babies into blowing them selves up for you who dont have the balls to fight . Islam is a lie.
“My Lands Are Where My People Lie Buried” – Crazy Horse ; Ogallala Souix Nation
Last April I posted the following comment on h-mideast-politics. I think that I was on to something and urge Iraqis to review the split between binLaden and Zarqawi for clues as to where the Jihad is going:
It seems to me most interesting that binLaden should reappear in the narrow
confines of our attention in order to remind us that he is after us– RIGHT
AT HOME– and not after our soldiers in Iraq. Suddenly
after him, Zarqawi comes forward and tells us that we are defeated and that
he is pressing on to annihilate the Shi’ia regime heading Iraq. Most
noteworthy is that never before did Zarqawi deem it important to
exhibit himself in carne instead of maintaining his spirit status and to do
so upon the heels of a binLaden address to us. Let us recall that binLaden
made it abundantly clear that his goals never changed:
America; similarly, Zarqawi reiterated his target: the Shi’ia regime heading
as a unity government.
I feel great optimism in what looks like a fundamental Jihad split over
targets– the essence of both operations. This bespeaks the urgency of
getting Iraq to form a unity government that will not allow the
Kurds to break free (if they do that the Sunnis will break out of the
coalition; already Sadr’s militia are moving into Kirkuk on behalf of the
Arab nation) so that we can start pulling out our troops and allow an
integrated Sunni-Shi’ia-Kurd army to go after Zarqawi while sealing the
borders with American help. Nevertheless, Rice and Rumsfeld were sent to do
a political photo-op for Bush in Baghdad, another reckless maneuver by a
totally political administration. Does it not occur to them that the
more Baghdad seems to be ours, the weaker the union amongst our friends and
the stronger the rage of our enemies? We must BEGIN to withdraw so ALL
sides will know we are serious. To quote my old hero, Kissinger: peace is
at hand!
Daniel E. Teodoru
[…] Al-Jazeera broadcasted Friday night a new video by Dr. Ayman el-Zawahiri, the deputy head of Al-Qa3da, where he acknowledged Zarqawi’s death, and hailed him as a “martyr.” The Doha-based Satellite channel had aired a video by Zawahiri, only a day before, where he denounced the “massacre” by US troops against Afghani civilians last month, suggesting that the tape was filmed sometime after the traffic accident that involved US army troops that killed Afghanis, sparking rioting on May 29. […]