Updated
Word of Zarqawi’s death is spreading throughout the blogosphere. Here’s some reaction.
Mary Katharine at Hugh Hewitt has some quotes from Michael Berg, Nick Berg’s father (reminder: Zarqawi beheaded Nick Berg on video) as he was interviewed on CNN. Hold on to your hats, folks, because you’ll be shocked with what he says:
“I’m sorry when any human being dies…and I feel bad for that. His death will reignite yet another wave of revenge. It’s an endless cycle as long as people use violence to fight violence…When Nick was killed I felt that I had nothing left to lose…I was not a risk-taking person, but I’ve done things that have endangered me. I have beenshot at…Every time we kill an Iraqi…we are creating a large number of people who are going to want vengeance. When are we ever gonna learn that that doesn’t work?
…More and more of these everyday Iraqi people…lose it and join what people call the insurgency and what I call a people You can’t really believe that that’s a democracy there when the people running the elections are holding guns…
I’m not saying Saddam Hussein’s a good man, but he’s no worse than George Bush. Under Saddam Hussein, no al-Qaeda in Iraq; under George Bush, al-Qaeda. Under Saddam Hussein, relative stability; under George Bush, instability. Under Saddam Hussein, 30,000 deaths a year; under George Bush, about 50,000 deaths. I don’t understand. Why is this better to have George Bush be the King of Iraq rather than Saddam Hussein?”
Ed Morrissey reacts to Michael Berg’s comments:
It’s almost beyond belief, but Michael Berg pioneered the Cindy Sheehan strategy. And apparently he can’t add. If Saddam was responsible for 30,000 deaths a year (probably higher) and if George Bush was responsible for 50,000 (usually 30,000 is the figure used, and a great deal of that includes enemy casualties), wouldn’t 50K be better than the 90K Saddam would have killed off since his takedown in April 2003? And is a regime that kills 30,000 of its citizens arbitrarily each year really stable in the first place?
Michelle Malkin has the video of the announcement.
Mark in Mexico is blogging about the reaction on the left. These are some coffee spewing comments:
“I suppose in the coming months that we will find out if he was behind all of the troubles or just a piece of the big puzzle.”
(Chris in Paris? You gotta be kiddin’ me.) And, then, of course, the all-wise, all-knowing and all-seeing commenters:
* Fox news has already declared it, big suprise huh. They aren’t even waiting on evidence or conformation. Sound familiar (2000 election)(Sato Mining Disaster) When will the media, especially fox news learn to WAIT on a story when it’s 99percent true and not just guess that it’s right.
* HERE IS HOW BUSH/THE PENTAGON HYPED ZARQAWI IN ORDER TO TO TIE AL QAEDA TO IRAQ AND ALL BACK TO 9/11: It was pure Psyop’s. Propaganda. Bullshit.
* More dramatized events to protect bush’s power. That’s what I see.
* I personally hold Fox News et al (and even Idol itself) for the dumbing down of Americans.
* So, the Bushies claim they’ve killed al-Zarqawi, just like they claimed they killed bin Laden.
* I’m losing track…is this the fifth or sixth time that we killed al-Zarqawi?…there certainly is a lot of him around…
* Yeah, right. I’m pretty sure al Zarqawi is alive and well, as is bin Laden. This is all about poll numbers and maintaining Air Force bases, people.
Update: International media outlets are also weighing in:
The BBC plays down Zarqawi’s role in Iraq and plays up what it calls the “societal breakdown”:
So what effect will his death now have on the violence in Iraq? In the short term the likely answer is very little.
Even before his death his influence and popularity in Iraq had been waning.
He had fallen foul of many tribal leaders in Iraq’s Sunni triangle and his targeting of civilians had caused considerable revulsion.
It is also important to remember that most of the violence in Iraq is entirely home-grown.
Though the Americans themselves had over the years helped build up the reputation of Zarqawi, that focus probably ended up exaggerating his role.
Most of the violence in Iraq involves a complex mix of local Sunni nationalists and Islamists, former Baathists and Shia militia groups – not to mention a large dose of outright criminality.
That mix of sectarian and political violence is unlikely to disappear unless and until there is either some final political accommodation between Iraq’s various communities or arguably until one side comes out on top.
And although there is now a government in Baghdad, such has been scale of the societal breakdown in Iraq that morale is very low, with little faith in either the central government or its security forces.
Der Spiegel‘s English site is much more upbeat about the Zarqawi’s death and declares “The Butcher of Baghdad is Dead”:
A US military official confirmed on Thursday that Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been killed in a bombing raid in Bakuba, north of Baghdad. Zarqawi was considered the mastermind behind numerous kidnappings, executions and terrorist attacks for al-Qaida.
Ireland Online focuses on the US troops and their reactions in its piece Al-Zarqawi death: Moment of satisfaction for US troops:
South of Baghdad, soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat team have in recent weeks pursued phantom sightings of al-Zarqawi, who was thought to have travelled through the farms and desert they patrol.
But when the radio crackled before dawn today letting the Army know that al-Zarqawi had been killed, there was no celebration.
“It’s about time. He’s eluded us long enough,” said a deadpan Army Sergeant 1st Class Robert Moss, 30, as he stood in front of a wall of computer monitors with coloured maps tracking troop movements.
Staff Sergeant Philip Miller said most troops awake at the time shared a quiet moment to reflect on the accomplishment.
“Everyone’s been looking for him for so long,” said Miller, 26. “Taking him out of the loop is justification for all those guys who gave their lives for this.”
UK Guardian calls Zarqawi “an iconic figure who acted as the axis of insurgent operations against the Iraqi government and US-led forces”:
News of his death was announced at around 8.30am by Nuri al-Maliki, and was greeted by applause from his audience.
“Today, Zarqawi was eliminated,” Mr Maliki said. “Those who disrupt the course of life, like Zarqawi, will have a tragic end,” the Iraqi prime minister said. He warned that “whenever there is a new al-Zarqawi, we will kill him”.
Mr Maliki said the Jordanian-born militant and seven aides were killed in a house in the volatile province of Diyala.
The air strike came after US forces acted on intelligence reports provided to Iraqi security forces by local residents. Mr Maliki dismissed earlier reports of a Jordanian role.
The US military later released a photograph apparently showing a bearded Zarqawi with his eyes closed and blood on his face, and said visual identification had been confirmed by scars and tattoos as well as finger-printing.
Update II: John Hawkins provides us a lot of reaction from the Kossacks. Bush Derangement Syndrome is pandemic over there. Check out this one:
meirux: The US already had Zarqawi in custody. He was one of the high-value prisoners kept from Red Cross scrutiny for national security reasons (those reasons being his value for psychological ops like the recently released “bonus” footage that the army showed of Zarqawi not knowing how to properly load or fire his own gun, despite all those years in terrorist training camp). Because there’s a lot of political heat on Bush at the moment, they killed him and are now making a triumphant noise about it. This has now crossed the line into blatant treason.
Update III: The Jordanian man whose wedding was bombed by Zarqawi reacts to the news of Zarqawi’s death:
A Jordanian whose wedding turned into a bloodbath in a bombing claimed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said on Thursday the killing of the al Qaeda leader in Iraq was “heavenly justice”.
Ashraf al-Akhras, 32, said he and his wife Nadia al-Alami, 24, still get flashbacks from the suicide bombing last November 9, when a bomb tore through the luxury hotel in the Jordanian capital Amman where they were holding their wedding reception.
More than 30 people perished, mostly relatives of the couple, and 27 others died in two simultaneous attacks on hotels nearby. Iraq’s al Qaeda claimed responsibility.
“I received the news like anyone who has suffered from the calamities of terrorism,” Akhras told Reuters in Kuwait, his home for the past two months. “I felt God has brought His heavenly justice on earth today.”
The dead included his father and both his wife’s parents.
Update IV: Check out Allahpundit‘s Airstrike Remix, posted at both Hot Air and You Tube.
Stupid bush and his stupid zarqawi! He will NEVER win in 08 at this rate!
Re: Michael Berg
Shocked indeed. This poor guy if off his rocker. It’s sad.
“Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be.” May no one on this blog experience the kind of grief that this man has experienced. Which reminds me of a Patrick O’Brian line: “Lord, may I not outlive my wits.”
As far as the “lefties” go, there is no lack of idiocy in any quadrant of the political compass; this proves nothing.
Unless, of course, you are willing to accept that Wizbang blggers’ and fans’ views are honestly and accurately represented by the Westboro Baptist Church and Ann Coulter.
Unless, of course, you are willing to accept that Wizbang blggers’ and fans’ views are honestly and accurately represented by the Westboro Baptist Church and Ann Coulter.
Sorry, asti… Phelps is more closely associated with… wait for it… Al Gore! (and yes, Ann Coulter represents me just fine).
Don’t know about you, astigafa, but since I’m Roman Catholic, I could care f*ckall what the Baptists have to say about anything.
But Ann? Hey, the more she makes you people squeal like little girls the better. A pity the entire GOP doesn’t have her balls.
Zarqawi is to Islam as Coulter is to US conservatives.
I remember when William F Buckley was the mouthpiece for right wing conservatives. Those were the days…
Can’t say that I’m shocked about Berg’s father. He was solid screeching left making excuses for Nick after he was killed. But that’s his way to grieve and I can’t criticize. But the lefty blogs – allright! Now there’s some great stuff for SNL and the talk shows!
Asti,
WTF? You’re trying to plug a square peg into a round hole. Quit smokin that stuff, man. It’ll kill you.
It is entirely possible to sympathize with the gentleman’s loss and yet still find his actions reprehensible. Just because bad stuff has happened to you doesn’t give you carte blanch for the rest of your life.
Personally, I consider each of you unique and special, like a snowflake.
cmd is correct. The moral equivalence espoused by the left is beyond belief — that they could find sympathy with sharia abiding headchoppers and hijackers of civilization. It took Ann Coulter two seconds to reduce their argument to the absurd which is exactly what was needed. As such, I don’t see how pundits on the right could all of sudden become so sensitive. It’s time for the right to take the gloves off.
Thanks Yogimus 😀
Asti, WTF? You’re trying to plug a square peg into a round hole. Quit smokin that stuff, man. It’ll kill you.
Doctor didn’t say when.
Don’t know about you, astigafa, but since I’m Roman Catholic, I could care f*ckall what the Baptists have to say about anything.
Shows how well you’re informed. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church show up at the funerals of soldiers who have died in Iraq and yell, “Another dead fag!” and suchlike.
And you say these people do in fact represent you?
The only man that represents me is me, and I expect no less from each of you.
Of course the downside of all this is that I have to deal with everyone I meet as an individual, but it’s a risk I am willing to take.
Well, everyone except those filthy A-rabs.
Yeah, because every day I hear about yet another victim of Coulter being kidnapped and then having their head slowly removed on video.
epador, you are an asshat in the first degree.
“And you say these people do in fact represent you?”
From his real background, that bastard Phelps and his Westboro crew are lefties. His actual financial support went to Gore and other Democrats for the last couple of elections.
Zarqawi is to Islam as Coulter is to US conservatives
-in this, he is right. SO FAR AS REFERRING TO A FIGUREHEAD, and not as anything else. I would rank Cindy Sheehan in that list as well.
For example, if you think “dumb assed conservative”, ann comes to mind.
If you think “filthy antiwar deathpimp”, saint cindy fits the bill.
Now if I think dead muthafucka, The big Z is right there.
Who on the right, or on this blog, has every claimed Phelps and company as allies?
Nobody, astifaga. Just lefties tossing sand in the gears.
Sorry, astigafa, not astifaga.
It is something to witness the left mourn Zarqai’s oss.
asti, are you a retard or what? I don’t give a damn what any Baptists say. About anything. So Phelps doesn’t “represent” me.
And as it’s been pointed out, he’s a registered Democrat. He’s one of yours. Look it up. Then FOAD.
Oh, and BTW – check out here to see how happy the left is about Zarqawi’s death
This morning Lauer made a comment about the “timing” of the elimination of Zarqawi.
They’re just unbelievable.
Y’all forgive astigafa for lashing out, mmmkay?
He’s in mourning for his hero, Zarqawi.
Give him some space, and I’m sure he’ll be back to his nasty little anti-American self real soon.
Anyone think it’s a coincidence that the original Mohammed died on this day, June 8, in Medina in 632? (OK, it is a coincidence, but it’s a freaky coincidence.)
Yeah them are some odds, what about 365 to 1 i’d say, it would be a great jeopardy question..
500-lb bombs as things of beauty? Absolutely! 🙂
Can You imagine the concussion of a 500lb bomb exploding right on top of Your house?
At least We dont have to suffer through a trial with this guy..unlike Saddam.