   Al Zarqawi Killed (For Reals, This Time)
  http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/iraq.al.zarqawi/index.htmlI won't quote the article, because it'll be all over the news anyway.  I don't expect this to change much, when armies glorify death it excites recruits, but doens't do much for efforts to build an experienced force.  Japan suffered this same problem, particularily with pilots; I expect the same from Al-Qaeda over time.  The experienced people will die off slowly and surely, until the civilized world is left mopping up a few incompetent members of Al-Qaeda.Regardless of your thoughts on the war, I can't imagine anybody thinking this guy was a legitimate resistance fighter of any sort.   
Quote:Original post by JRavey Japan suffered this same problem, particularily with pilots; I expect the same from Al-Qaeda over time.  The experienced people will die off slowly and surely, until the civilized world is left mopping up a few incompetent members of Al-Qaeda.Your logic is faulty. The increased amount of insurgent activity in Iraq can't all be due to Al-Qaida. There have to be other experienced groups that are angry at the U.S. for invading a sovereign nation without the UN's backing.This problem isn't going away that easily; the loose concept of "terrorism" is not a nation and it should not be fought the same way. Even once you chip away at the US' hobby horse organizations, there are still hundreds more out there.   ;  If you've been following experienced journalists in Iraq (like Michael Yon), you can see from the last year that Al-Qaeda has gone from a strategic, coherent force in the region, to one with absolute dwindling power.  The communications that have been intercepted from him to Bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda members have been almost desperate in nature.  It's a victory that shows that terror cells in the region are losing power, and that Iraq and US forces are gaining a lot of ground when it comes to fighting terrorists.I agree that Zarqawi has not been a real threat as of late (his last video tape was pathetic), but it is a symbolic victory, and one that will hopefully improve morale for the US and Iraq troops, who get no love from the media.  It's similar to catching Saddam a few years ago, he wasn't doing much hiding in a hole, but it creates a feeling of victory and sends a message to followers.   ;Quote:Original post by RavuyaThere have to be other experienced groups that are angry at the U.S. for invading a sovereign nation without the UN's backing.The legalistic arguments are just pretext - Saddamist terrorists, Jihadist terrorists and Western lefties are angry with the US for their own unrelated reasons. With the Baath affiliated tribes it's obviously the catastrophic end of their domination over the other Iraqi.   ;  Here's an interesting article, dated the 7th of June 2006 (yesterday): Zarqawi Scheduled for Martyrdom arguing Al Qaeda is fed up with Z-man's idiocy and will set him up the bomb.   ;Quote:Your logic is faulty. The increased amount of insurgent activity in Iraq can't all be due to Al-Qaida. There have to be other experienced groups that are angry at the U.S. for invading a sovereign nation without the UN's backing.Your reading is faulty.I didn't say the destruction of experienced people over time would stop terrorism, I said it would help bring down Al-Qaeda.  My comments were in regards to the war against Al-Qaeda, not in reference to all insurgents in Iraq, that was quite clear.   ;  In light of Zarqawi's death, oil prices have fallen because of it.  That's just... well... it is what it is.   ;Quote:Original post by DiodorHere's an interesting article, dated the 7th of June 2006 (yesterday): Zarqawi Scheduled for Martyrdom arguing Al Qaeda is fed up with Z-man's idiocy and will set him up the bomb.That's a nice piece of information, especially since it was dated the day before.    ;  I'm definitely buying everyone a drink tonight   ;  Yup, good result all round if the reports are correct and we got several of his top guys at the same time as well as a heap of intelligence.The rumours I've heard pin the Jordanians in the frame for giving the tip off, apparently they've been tracking him for a while.Will certainly be raising a glass to all who made this possible tonight.   