Terror leader al-Zarqawi dead

**Kinjo** · June 08, 2006, 03:13 AM

Terror leader al-Zarqawi dead, Iraqi officials say!

This is good news for some, others it won't be that big of a deal. Personally I am glad this man is dead. So how do you guys think this will effective the insurgency in Iraq? will it slow down, or will someone that has twice the ambition to terrorize take his place. I guess we wait for anoucement/conformation from the U.S government on how he was killed mostly likly an airstrike, but details are nice.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...awi/index.html

**bigfootedfred** · June 08, 2006, 03:18 AM

al-Zarqawi apparently died near the city of Baquba,
a volatile area northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, a mixed Shiite-Sunni jurisdiction.

There have been many roadside bombings and shootings throughout the province and within the week,
severed heads were found in fruit boxes there.

He was known as a petty thug in his youth.
Now, he is a martyr.

I doubt many will mourn him.

**Tom Paine** · June 08, 2006, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by Bigfootedfred

He was known as a petty thug in hs youth.
Now, he is a martyr.

I doubt many will mourn him.

His insurgency and militia and allies will, and that was quite a few people, all told...

**bigfootedfred** · June 08, 2006, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by the Grim Squeaker

His insurgency and militia and allies will, and that was quite a few people, all told...

To be honest i think he was little more than a tool, who could throw his weight around at people under him.
He was named by the US as the most wanted man in iraq or some rubbish,
and that gave the more important leaders an oppertunity to use his name.
That he is now gone wont effect their cause, if anything it will strengthen it.

**Siblesz** · June 08, 2006, 03:29 AM

Zarqawi's "threat" to Iraq was a scam produced by the U.S. government to give the insurgency a focus. Let's see if it pays off.

**NimChief** · June 08, 2006, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by Reiksmarshal

Terror leader al-Zarqawi dead, Iraqi officials say!

This is good news for some, others it won't be that big of a deal. Personally I am glad this man is dead. So how do you guys think this will effective the insurgency in Iraq? will it slow down, or will someone that has twice the ambition to terrorize take his place. I guess we wait for anoucement/conformation from the U.S government on how he was killed mostly likly an airstrike, but details are nice.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...awi/index.html

Will not effect it at all.

Zarqawi was just a mythical leader produced by the US to give the military an enemy and a target, exactly the same as Bin Laden.

Expect the insurgency to continue to roll on as it has since day 1.

**NorCal Guy** · June 08, 2006, 03:40 AM

The insurgency wont end because of this but he was the public figure of the insurgency. His death can only help the american efforts. The fact that iraqis turned him in is also a good sign.

**~~ckerr094~~** · June 08, 2006, 04:17 AM

Let's hope that everything calms down in Baghdad now after this.

**Rhah** · June 08, 2006, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by ckerr094

Let's hope that everything calms down in Baghdad now after this.

Very unlikely. Expect an increase in attacks over the next couple of weeks, as the insurgents try and avenge their fallen "leader" (who, as Siblesz and NimChief pointed out, was largely given that status by the US so he could become the "boogeyman" in Iraq).
I'm sure this will give Bush a nice little boost in his poll numbers.. all he needs now is for OBL to get captured, or turn up dead (more likely) and maybe the Republicans wont get hammered in the next election.
wouldnt that be "convenient"?

methinks a move to the political mudpit might be in order. i didnt see a topic about Zarqawi's death in there yet.

*ding ding*

"oh moderator......."

**Custor** · June 08, 2006, 04:57 AM

He's been 'dead' about four times so far.

**Valus** · June 08, 2006, 04:59 AM

Moved to the pit, thanks Rhah.-Valus

**Mangalore** · June 08, 2006, 05:01 AM

Reuters link:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/news..._0_UK-IRAQ.xml

No doubts about that it is good that this guy has been taken out but I fear the US and the Iraqi government as well as the media are a bit overestimating his importance in the insurgency. While he commited hideous bombings that incited secterian strife among Kurds and Shiites his actual impact on the Sunnite cells is imho comparatively small. Not quite half a year ago it was reported that the Sunnite insurgents harbouring him had thrown him out of town because his attacks had mistakenly killed Sunnites, this however did not hamper their will and capability to continue their attacks on US troops or Shiite/Kurdish civilians, policemen or soldiers.

Still overall a good news I guess and maybe a small light at the end of the tunnel.

**Lugdunum batavorum** · June 08, 2006, 05:06 AM

He was a real monster, beheading people without remorse. I'm truly glad that he's dead.

**Tiwaz** · June 08, 2006, 05:07 AM

This guy was one man leading one cell out of many. He was hardly leading figure of resistance on the whole. As such his death most likely does nothing to pacify the area.

Some of the followers of Zarqawi most likely will arrange big strikes soon and hail him as martyr and example to all in their recruitment.

**Torment** · June 08, 2006, 05:13 AM

Whether or not his death will be of any real significance remains to be seen, but this certainly will give a boost to morale for the troops there and most likely the homefront too. And, with approval of the war in decline everywhere at the moment, that is exactly what the situation requires.

**Bwaho** · June 08, 2006, 05:21 AM

This is a good joke...

Even if you kill Bin Laden it wont stop people from blowing themselves and others up.

**Legio XX Valeria Victrix** · June 08, 2006, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Bwaho

This is a good joke...

Even if you kill Bin Laden it wont stop people from blowing themselves and others up.

That's not a joke at all. You think if OBL is found dead, suddenly Al Qaeda is just going to say "We quit, you killed our bossman"? Talk about naive....

The death of Zarqawi is mostly important in its symbolic value. He was probably not the be-all and end-all of the insurgency that the US government and media made him out to be, but he has gained notoriety for his violent acts and the morale of the US people and troops will go up, even if only briefly, as a result. That is a good thing, but the qusetion is, will morale sink back to where it is now (or even lower) when the insurgency fails to peter out after the death of its alleged "bogeyman". Because, the insurgency is in no way over because Zarqawi is dead...

**danzig** · June 08, 2006, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Legio XX Valeria Victrix

That's not a joke at all. You think if OBL is found dead, suddenly Al Qaeda is just going to say "We quit, you killed our bossman"? Talk about naive....

The death of Zarqawi is mostly important in its symbolic value. He was probably not the be-all and end-all of the insurgency that the US government and media made him out to be, but he has gained notoriety for his violent acts and the morale of the US people and troops will go up, even if only briefly, as a result. That is a good thing, but the qusetion is, will morale sink back to where it is now (or even lower) when the insurgency fails to peter out after the death of its alleged "bogeyman". Because, the insurgency is in no way over because Zarqawi is dead...

Why does everyone keep dismissing Zarqawi? Alot of people are forgetting to seperate the insurgency into their groups, the religious Shia vs Sunni types, those who want the US out of Iraq and the non Iraqis who have targeted Iraqis and other noncombants. Zarqawi belongs to/lead the 3rd group, the one you can lay blame for alot of deaths of Iraqis rather then US soldiers. He isnt an alleged bogeyman he IS a bogeyman, he personally beheaded Nick Berg for example and has the blood of alot of Iraqis on his hands in his attempt to spark a civil war. This wont impact at all the insurgency that targets the US nor the ones who are aligned religiously and fighting one another but it WILL impact the 3rd group and one of the bigger causes of Iraqi deaths.

We can sit here and go oh well someone else will replace him and indeed someone will...then you kill that guy if you keep killing them eventually you'll reach the point where no one wants to be in that position because really with guys like this what IS the alternative? Guys like him dont feed off the support of local population (look at the response of general Iraqis over this they are happy about it because THEY were the target of these guys not the US), you cant talk with them and come to a truce so really killing is all you can do.

And can't they celebrate something over there WITHOUT shooting weapons into the air?

Dunno but the lady with the gun is scary, you have no freedom, wear this crap so no one sees you and shuddup and dont speak unless told to but oh here is a gun!

**Tiwaz** · June 08, 2006, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by Torment

Whether or not his death will be of any real significance remains to be seen, but this certainly will give a boost to morale for the troops there and most likely the homefront too. And, with approval of the war in decline everywhere at the moment, that is exactly what the situation requires.

Small boost perhaps but after few unusually bloody strike that boost will be gone. And we have to remember that morale of USA is less important than morale of iraqis. (as it is their opinion in the end which determines how this thing turns out) And they apparently are losing faith in this whole mess.

**Garbarsardar** · June 08, 2006, 05:30 AM

IIRC Zarkawi was a fat guy who could not fire his weapon properly, so the Pentagon tape shows...The US must be really desperate to kill the only credible villain it has managed to elevate in the public eye that soon...