Al-Zarqawi Is Dead!!!

[HAZE]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/iraq.al.zarqawi/index.html

Thursday, June 8, 2006; Posted: 8:15 a.m. EDT (12:15 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the coalition's most wanted man in Iraq, was killed in an airstrike near Baquba, jubilant U.S. and Iraqi authorities announced Thursday.

Al-Zarqawi's death gives Iraq a chance to "turn the tide" in the fight against the nation's insurgency, President Bush said at the White House.

"The ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders," Bush said. "Zarqawi's death is a severe blow to al Qaeda."

"Special Operations forces, acting on tips and intelligence from Iraqis, confirmed Zarqawi's location and delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq," Bush said.

Earlier, U.S. and Iraqi officials first announced the attack at a news conference in Iraq.

The 3-year-old insurgency has "lost its leader," said U.S. Gen. George Casey, the highest-ranking U.S. commander in Iraq. Casey was joined during the announcement by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. (Watch the celebration following the announcement -- 4:31)

Although details of the attack remain elusive, sources at the Pentagon said that a U.S. military aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs on a safe house with al-Zarqawi inside.

Casey said al-Zarqawi and a key lieutenant, spiritual adviser Sheik Abd-Al-Rahman, were killed at an isolated safe house outside Baquba at 6:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET) on Wednesday. In addition, seven others died in the attack, the military said.

A Web site used by Al Qaeda in Iraq confirmed al-Zarqawi's death and urged its followers to continue the insurgent fight.

Another Web site used by the group issued a statement: "People of Islam, God will not let our enemies celebrate and spread corruption in the ground. Expect the right that was stolen to come back to us and destroy the Crusaders" -- an apparent reference to U.S. troops in Iraq.

CNN could not verify the authenticity of the Web messages.

Al-Zarqawi was the self-proclaimed leader of one of the nation's many insurgent factions -- al Qaeda in Iraq --who pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

He had a $25 million bounty on his head, led foreign and Iraqi fighters in a series of dramatic and high-profile attacks against U.S. and Western targets and was seen as leader of one of the factions in Iraq that fomented sectarian strife between the Sunni and Shiite communities.

His killing is a major coup for the embattled coalition forces.

"Today is a good day," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Khalilzad told a said at the news conference. "Zarqawi has been killed."

Khalilzad called al-Zarqawi "the godfather of sectarian killing and terror in Iraq" -- and said the death "marks a great success for Iraq and the global war on terror." (Watch how al-Zarqawi's body was identified -- 2:28)

"His organization has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in Iraq and abroad."

The 39-year-old Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi was accused of terrorist links before the Iraq war and soon led the insurgency after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. (Watch how al-Zarqawi murdered his way to the most-wanted list -- 2:50)

Multiple attempts have been made to capture or kill him and he was held briefly by Iraqi security forces in 2004 but was released because no one knew who he was.

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called al-Zarqawi's death "a very important moment in Iraq. A blow for al Qaeda in Iraq is a blow for al Qaeda everywhere."

Insider tips

Casey wouldn't provide many details about the action but said that "all of these operations are the result of a long, painstaking process where tips and intelligence are received, processed and checked out."

"Tips and intelligence from Iraqi senior leaders from his network led forces to al-Zarqawi and some of his associates who were conducting a meeting approximately eight kilometers north of Baquba when the airstrike was launched," Casey said.

Baquba is 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.

"Iraqi police were first on the scene after the airstrike, and elements of Multi-National Division North, arrived shortly thereafter," Casey said. "We have been able to identify al-Zarqawi by fingerprint verification, facial recognition and known scars."

This particular operation had been in the works for a couple of weeks, leading to the location of the house in a wooded area and the meeting, he said.

Al-Maliki indicated that the strike on al-Zarqawi was the "result of cooperation" with ordinary Iraqis, saying that authorities many times have asked the citizenry to provide information.

"This is a message to all those who take violence as a path."

Khalilzad said the demise of al-Zarqawi won't end the violence in Iraq, but it is "an important step in the right direction."

[howienewport]

Nice!

I'm going to personally celebrate by checking out some pics of hot nude asian lesbians and "get down" with my bad self.

[ibrandon]

why cant i ever find any of these "websites" these terrorists post on.. i want in.. an e-invasion.. lol

[crowina]

i still can't help but wonder. i'm still seeing this guys pic on the news, don't you think if you drop a 500lb bomb on someone, they would come out with a bit more then a few scratches?

[dgmodel]

this thread is like sooo six days ago...

[calebdead]

i still can't help but wonder. i'm still seeing this guys pic on the news, don't you think if you drop a 500lb bomb on someone, they would come out with a bit more then a few scratches?

what? I don't think the fact that the bomb killed him is what is making news, its the fact that hes been at-large for a few years and he had a 25 million bounty on his head is what is really the point

[SlickSlider]

what? I don't think the fact that the bomb killed him is what is making news, its the fact that hes been at-large for a few years and he had a 25 million bounty on his head is what is really the point

What she is saying is that she expected that he'd have been blown to pieces, or been much bloodier than he was. I think he could have been in the next building and it was destroyed too, but he was further from where the bomb hit. Or in any way further from the point of where the blast originated from.

[HAZE]

I'm sure if it was his hideout, there was some kind of "bunker".

[calebdead]

What she is saying is that she expected that he'd have been blown to pieces, or been much bloodier than he was. I think he could have been in the next building and it was destroyed too, but he was further from where the bomb hit. Or in any way further from the point of where the blast originated from.

ahh ok I completely misunderstood

[SlickSlider]

I'm sure if it was his hideout, there was some kind of "bunker".

That too, if he was expecting it. I don't think he had any idea he was in imminant danger. IMO. Other than showing his face on the street, I don't think he knew that the military would be able to find him.

[SlickSlider]

ahh ok I completely misunderstood

Okay then.

I'm dissappointed in your response. I was half expecting a sarcastic remark or something funny. Oh well, next time.

[lolahotass]

I'm dissappointed in your response. I was half expecting a sarcastic remark or something funny. Oh well, next time.

[lalate]

this thread is like sooo six days ago...

Only with Blimpberg newservices.

[SlickSlider]

Hi Lola.

[lolahotass]

Hi Lola.

Hiiii slick.. how are ya?

[SlickSlider]

Hiiii slick.. how are ya?

I'm good. Working right now, and trying to sell. And you?

[lolahotass]

I'm good. Working right now, and trying to sell. And you?

chillin' at work... laughing at stuff on cp/cj.

some people on this board amaze me

[crowina]

What she is saying is that she expected that he'd have been blown to pieces, or been much bloodier than he was. I think he could have been in the next building and it was destroyed too, but he was further from where the bomb hit. Or in any way further from the point of where the blast originated from.

if the military did know where he was, why would they bomb away from him?... i think they just happen to find him as they bombed something else.

[lolahotass]

if the military did know where he was, why would they bomb away from him?... i think they just happen to find him as they bombed something else.

you are probably right crowina...

[SlickSlider]

if the military did know where he was, why would they bomb away from him?... i think they just happen to find him as they bombed something else.

The knew the right house. He probably just stepped out to use the outhouse and take a crap. Probably got killed with his pants down, sitting on the outside toilet.