BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose bloody campaign of beheadings and suicide bombings made him the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, was killed when U.S. warplanes dropped 500-pound bombs on his isolated safe house, officials said Thursday. His death was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.
The targeted air strike Wednesday evening was the culmination of a two-week-long hunt for al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. Tips from senior militants within the network led U.S. forces to follow al-Zarqawi's spiritual adviser to the safe house, 30 miles outside Baghdad, for a meeting with the terror leader. The adviser, Sheik Abdul Rahman, was among seven aides also killed.
Fingerprints, tattoos and scars helped U.S. troops identify al-Zarqawi's body, White House spokesman Tony Snow said. The U.S. military showed a picture of al-Zarqawi's face after the air strike, with his eyes closed and spots of blood behind him.
"Al-Zarqawi was eliminated," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.
President Bush hailed the killing as "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."
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said al-Zarqawi's death "will not mean the end of all violence in that country."
He added that it was apt that al-Zarqawi who had tried to thwart Iraqi elections and formation of a new government died on the day the new government in Baghdad finalized its cabinet.
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Well we got the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, he is now sitting on ice along with anyone who was with him when we drooped those bombs. I guess this doesn't go over well with John Murtha's view of the military that it is broken and are not capable of doing there jobs. This is major victory in the war on terror and in Iraq. This man is responsible for many brutal killings, he got what he deserved and hopefully others will gewhat'sts coming to them aswell.
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3 comments:
Great day for America and the war effort! I love it. I've smiled all day.
It's a damned shame I tell ya! A couple of 500lb bombs is far too quick for him. Death by fire ants would have been much better!
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