This Is A Great Day!

[jinelson]

I got a tip from a new member Marine and checked the news channels, CNN, MSNB and FOX. Its official we have killed Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and his number 2 man. He has been positively IDed and its being reported by the top general in Iraq and the Iraqi government jointly to the world now. This can only be a positive sign for the future of our brothers and sisters and all our forces as well as the Iraqi people. I wish I had more but buts its just breaking now but by early tomorrow Im sure this will be the story of the day. OORAH!!!

Semper Fi

Jim

[CAR]

Just turned on the news after seeing your post. SWEET!!

Good job to the boys and girls overseas. One more down! Who's next?

[Mohala]

And another one bites the dust!..

[thedrifter]

Iraqi prime minister says Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in air raid north of Baghdad

By: Associated Press -

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a U.S. air raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said Thursday.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said al-Zarqawi was killed along with seven aides Wednesday evening in a house 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala.

"Today, al-Zarqawi was eliminated," al-Maliki told a news conference, drawing loud applause from reporters as he was flanked by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Al-Maliki said the air strike was the result of intelligence reports provided to Iraqi security forces by residents in the area, and U.S. forces acted on the information.

"Those who disrupt the course of life, like al-Zarqawi, will have a tragic end," he said.

Khalilzad added "the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a huge success for Iraq and the international war on terror."

The Jordanian-born militant, who is believed to have personally beheaded at least two American hostages, became Iraq's most wanted militant, as notorious as Osama bin Laden, to whom he swore allegiance in 2004. The United States put a $25 million bounty on his head, the same as bin Laden.

In the past year, he moved his campaign beyond Iraq's borders, claiming to have carried out a Nov. 9, 2005, triple suicide bombing against hotels in Amman, Jordan, that killed 60 people, as well as other attacks in Jordan and even a rocket attack from Lebanon into northern Israel.

U.S. forces and their allies came close to capturing al-Zarqawi several times since his campaign began in mid-2003.

His closest brush may have come in late 2004. Deputy Interior Ministry Maj. Gen. Hussein Kamal said Iraqi security forces caught al-Zarqawi near the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah but then released him because they didn't realize who he was.

In May 2005, Web statements by his group said al-Zarqawi had been wounded in fighting with Americans and was being treated in a hospital abroad -- raising speculation over a successor among his lieutenants. But days later, a statement said al-Zarqawi was fine and had returned to Iraq. There was never any independent confirmation of the reports of his wounding.

U.S. forces believe they just missed capturing al-Zarqawi in a Feb. 20, 2005 raid in which troops closed in on his vehicle west of Baghdad near the Euphrates River. His driver and another associate were captured and al-Zarqawi's computer was seized along with pistols and ammunition.

U.S. troops twice launched massive invasions of Fallujah, the stronghold used by al-Qaida in Iraq fighters and other insurgents west of Baghdad. An April 2004 offensive left the city still in insurgent hands, but the October 2004 assault wrested it from them. However, al-Zarqawi -- if he was in the city -- escaped.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

June 08, 2006

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed
in air raid north of Baghdad

By Patrick Quinn
Associated Press

who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.

Al-Zarqawi and seven aides were killed Wednesday evening in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.

“Al-Zarqawi was eliminated,” al-Maliki said.

At the White House, President Bush hailed the killing, saying it is “a severe blow to al-Qaida and it is a significant victory in the war on terror.”

But he cautioned: “We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people.”

Al-Qaida in Iraq confirmed al-Zarqawi’s death and vowed to continue its “holy war,” according to a statement posted on a Web site.

“We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,” said the statement, signed by “Abu Abdel-Rahman al-Iraqi,” identified as the deputy “emir” or leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.


“The death of our leaders is life for us. It will only increase our persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme.”

Video from the scene of the attack showed children scrambling over a flattened jumble of cinderblocks, concrete reinforcing bars, blankets, blue plastic bowls and other debris. A pickup truck was scorched and crushed.

Two young members of the crowd showed the camera a child’s sandal, a backpack with a teddy bear on it and a stuffed animal. The site sat across a dirt road from a grove of palm trees.

Ellie

[rktect3j]

Get some.

[thedrifter]

He is Burning in Hell Right Now...

Ellie

[Osotogary]

How is it that one side of me says, "Hoorah for the good guys. Dammm straight. It's about time. Good riddance.", and another part of me says,
"Somebody is going to have to prove this bit of news to me. With all the mis-information that has been coming out of that area, how can I be sure this is not another delaying tactic (for whatever reason)?"
I guess that I have turned into somewhat of a "Doubting Thomas" lately. I hope that is news is factual..I really do. May he rot in Hades for all eternity.

[redneck13]

I just got the news too. One more down, more to go. Osuma Ben Laden, YOU P*** YOUR DAY'S ARE NUMBERED!! I hope they get all the Virgin's that come from hell. Give it up to our TROOPS, OOH-RAH....WIN

[MillRatUSMC]

After sleeping on it since Jinelson told me last night in the chat room.
One side like Osotogary says I should be shouting and celebrating that a monster finally met his end.
But on the other side, something tells me that he part of several headed monster much like Medusa of Greek mythology.
We cut off one, I sure that another monster will arise to take his place.
He made several errors and one was killing too many Iraqi's, who in the end finally said enough is enough.
He no longer had safe water to swim in, and like a fish that has no safe waters to swim in, he died.
The world maybe better for it, but we must not grow too over confident.
The war goes on...

[Osotogary]

I just viewed the CNN news with confirming video about the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Earlier I had stated that part of me still had doubts about if the story was true or not. Aside from having a look-a-like with fingerprint skingraphs and tattoo placement this story looks pretty darn positive (I don't know wether dental records were checked).
Hat's off to all involved. Good work.

[Osotogary]

MillRatUSMC-
"He made several errors and one was killing too many Iraqi's, who in the end finally said enough is enough."

Right on, Ricardo. The fact that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was Jordanian didn't help him either..in the end.

[Mohala]

Statement by the President on Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

Rose Garden
Washington, D.C.
June 8, 2006

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Last night in Iraq, United States military forces killed the terrorist al Zarqawi. At 6:15 p.m. Baghdad time, special operation forces, acting on tips and intelligence from Iraqis, confirmed Zarqawi's location, and delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq.

Zarqawi was the operational commander of the terrorist movement in Iraq. He led a campaign of car bombings, assassinations and suicide attacks that has taken the lives of many American forces and thousands of innocent Iraqis.

Osama bin Laden called this Jordanian terrorist "the prince of al Qaeda in Iraq." He called on the terrorists around the world to listen to him and obey him. Zarqawi personally beheaded American hostages and other civilians in Iraq. He masterminded the destruction of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. He was responsible for the assassination of an American diplomat in Jordan, and the bombing of a hotel in Amman.

Through his every action, he sought to defeat America and our coalition partners, and turn Iraq into a safe haven from which al Qaeda could wage its war on free nations. To achieve these ends, he worked to divide Iraqis and incite civil war. And only last week he released an audio tape attacking Iraq's elected leaders, and denouncing those advocating the end of sectarianism.

Now Zarqawi has met his end, and this violent man will never murder again.

Iraqis can be justly proud of their new government and its early steps to improve their security. And Americans can be enormously proud of the men and women of our armed forces, who worked tirelessly with their Iraqi counterparts to track down this brutal terrorist and put him out of business.

The operation against Zarqawi was conducted with courage and professionalism by the finest military in the world. Coalition and Iraqi forces persevered through years of near misses and false leads, and they never gave up. Last night their persistence and determination were rewarded. On behalf of all Americans, I congratulate our troops on this remarkable achievement.

Zarqawi is dead, but the difficult and necessary mission in Iraq continues. We can expect the terrorists and insurgents to carry on without him. We can expect the sectarian violence to continue. Yet the ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders.

Zarqawi's death is a severe blow to al Qaeda. It's a victory in the global war on terror, and it is an opportunity for Iraq's new government to turn the tide of this struggle. A few minutes ago I spoke to Prime Minister Maliki. I congratulated him on close collaboration between coalition and Iraqi forces that helped make this day possible. Iraq's freely elected Prime Minister is determined to defeat our common enemies and bring security and the rule of law to all its people.

Earlier this morning he announced the completion of his cabinet appointments, with the naming of a new Minister of Defense, a new Minister of the Interior, and a new Minister of State for National Security. These new ministers are part of a democratic government that represents all Iraqis. They will play a vital role as the Iraqi government addresses its top priorities -- reconciliation and reconstruction and putting an end to the kidnappings and beheadings and suicide bombings that plague the Iraqi people. I assured Prime Minister Maliki that he will have the full support of the United States of America.

On Monday I will meet with my national security team and other key members of my Cabinet at Camp David to discuss the way forward in Iraq. Our top diplomats and military commanders in Iraq will give me an assessment of recent changes in the political and economic and security situation on the ground. On Tuesday, Iraq's new Ambassador to the United States will join us, and we will have a teleconference discussion with the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet. Together we will discuss how to best deploy America's resources in Iraq and achieve our shared goal of an Iraq that can govern itself, defend itself and sustain itself.

We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continued patience of the American people. Yet the developments of the last 24 hours give us renewed confidence in the final outcome of this struggle: the defeat of terrorism threats, and a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren.

May God bless the Iraqi people and may God continue to bless America.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060608.html

[horselady]

What you likely won't hear about from the mainstream media is that
much of the intelligence that led to this successful mission was
obtained from Iraqi "detainees" being "held" by the US military.
(Or as critics in Congress like to say, being "tortured" by the
US military)

[Mohala]

The Pentagon Channel: View Briefing by MG William Caldwell

Multi-National Force- Iraq spokesman MG William Caldwell speaks to reporters in Bagdad about the killing of Jordanian terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

http://pentagonchannel.feedroom.com/iframeset.jsp?ord=626747

If you want to get it from the horses mouth, so to speak.... view the above briefing.