"Today Is A Good Day"

Al-Zarqawi Killed in Air Raid

From the AP:

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and kidnappings, has been killed in an air strike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday, adding that his identity was confirmed by fingerprints and a look at his face. It was a major victory in the U.S.-led war in Iraq and the broader war on terror.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said al-Zarqawi was killed along with seven aides 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, al-Maliki said.

Loud applause broke out among the reporters and soldiers as al-Maliki, flanked by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, told a news conference that "al-Zarqawi was eliminated."

CNN:

Terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the most wanted man in Iraq, was killed in a coalition airstrike near Baquba, jubilant U.S. and Iraqi authorities announced Thursday.

The 3-year-old insurgency has "lost its leader," Gen. George Casey, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, told reporters.

Details are still emerging of the operation against the self-proclaimed leader of al Qaeda in Iraq who pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden. (Watch how al-Zarqawi's body was identified -- 2:28)

But the killing of al-Zarqawi, who had a $25 million bounty on his head, is a major coup for the embattled coalition forces.

"Today is a good day," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad told a news conference soon after cheers and applause broke out when Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced: "Zarqawi has been killed."

Well, we aren't exactly awaiting official confirmation.  Tony Blair opines:

Tony Blair has hailed the killing of the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq as "a very important moment for Iraq".

In a short statement released this morning Mr Blair said the US air raid that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would deal a severe blow to al-Qaida.

"A blow against al-Qaida in Iraq is a blow against al-Qaida everywhere," he said.

Throw in the *POSSIBLE* breakthrough with Iran on its nuclear program, and we might actually be reviving that old spirit of optimism around here.  In fact, I like this 9 hour old Bloomberg story with the BBC follow:

Bloomberg:

Oil fell for a third day in New York after a report showed U.S. oil and gasoline stockpiles increased and as Iran considered incentives to end its nuclear research.

BBC:

Oil prices have dropped sharply to below $70 a barrel on news of the death of the militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq.

Two key oil prices, for July delivery of US light sweet crude and UK Brent, fell to $69.54 and $68.35 respectively.

Prices had already been on the slide because of healthy oil stocks in the US and an easing of tensions with Iran.

Well, capturing Saddam had less impact than expected.  But today is a good day.

UPDATE:  The Captain has lots, and will no doubt have more.

MORE:  The tinfoil crowd should explain that this announcement is a transparent attempt to overshadow something else, but what?  The "Waiting for Fitzgerald" indictment of Rove?  The opening of the Yearly Kos?  C'mon, what is the story behind the story?

Comments

[JM Hanes]

...and the pilot, no doubt, came out of North Carolina...

[JM Hanes]

Anybody else notice http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1224102,00.html>Sky News reporting that:

According to reports, al Zarqawi - who had a $25m bounty on his head - was alive when handed over to Iraqi troops.

[PeterUK]

Spare a though for the Special Forces who lit the target.

[windansea]

ever notice how the donks always seem to suffer from premature ejaculation?

mmmm baby...I'm gonna really give you some culture of corruption

honey....feel my throbbing Rove indictment

yes yes....Iraqi quagmire me

oooooooh...more civil war harder harder

babe...I'm gonna take over your hot steaming congress

pfffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttt

it must be why they are so shrill...they can't get no satisfaction :)

[lurker]

NRO has a good writeup on Somalia. It explains how Somalia caved in to a Taliban-like government. One of the reasons was our 1994 pullout.

Dr. Sanity has an update that John Kerry implies that some democrats are upping pressure against Bush to pull our troops out because we did our job.

UGH!!

[lurker]

Now that you mentioned Congress...

Strata-sphere has a good writeup about Specter. Little did I know that Specter was a counsel to the Warren commission AND pushed for the single bullet theory. Those that had already visited the grassy knoll knows that the single bullet theory is invalid. It just does not make sense.

Gang, I agree with Strata-sphere that Specter's career needs to come to a close.

[PeterUK]

"Dr. Sanity has an update that John Kerry implies that some democrats are upping pressure against Bush to pull our troops out because we did our job."

John Kerry,now there is a premature evacuator.

[clarice]

verner, do you think that the guy who just won the $25 million dollar give us the prick contest will give himself away by taking his entire tribe to Disneyland?
(I spent the morning blogging the Haditha massacre--picking it apart I think Time's McGirk is the latest Mary Mapes and the Hammurabi Organization an Iraqi version of the VIPers.)

[PeterUK]

"$25 million dollars" not enough to join the Demcrat party.

[Extraneus]

Clarice, I assume you're up on this stuff, but here it is just in case.

[lurker]

Euphoric Reality claims that those Marines are in shackles.

I haven't been paying much attention to Haditha because I'm waiting for the final investigating report to be completed.

[Patton]

http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/the-times-defends-zarqawis-gun-handling

I almost forgot how the New York Times warned us a month ago what a bad idea it was to make a mockery of Zarqawi.

I should have realized HOW COMPLETELY WRONG they were at the time.

[verner]

Clarice,

Forget Disney World.

Along with that 25 million, bet they included a plastic surgeon and a one way ticket to Vegas.

Hey, why wait til martyrdom to get 72 virgins? With that kind of money, you could buy twice that many! (Though, they likely wouldn't really be virgins--but they could pretend!) LOL.

Remember how the 911 bombers liked to spend their spare time?

[Patton]

Mary Mapes could do herslef alot of good by stop talking and start typing.

Just go out and find that typewriter that duplicates Microsoft Word defaults and re-creat the Killian memos on a typewriter.

This would put that issue to rest.

The big question...WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE IT YET MARY???

[JM Hanes]

An email from a Kurdish Iraqi in Erbil to http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001153.html>Michael Tottem:

Yes, Zarqawi was killed and sent to the dustbin of history...

Congratulations to all the Iraqi people...

Congratulations to the families of Zarqawi victims, civilians, children, Iraqi army and police...

Congratulations to the families of the fallen brave American GIs and multinational forces helping transfer Iraq from dictatorship to democracy...

Congratulations to all the gallant Peshmerga forces who are actively participating in hunting down Al-Qaeda and Zarqawi's mercenaries...

Congratulations to all freedom and peace lovers all over the world...

To hell Mr. Zarqawi ...

May Bin Laden be next...Amen...

[Florence Schmieg]

Correction regarding Mr. Berg!! He is actually from Pennsylvania but has done a tricky maneuver to run for congress in Democratic Delaware. The joke is on him however. My strange little state always reelects whomever the incumbent is, barring senility that is unquestionable or a major sex scandal. Therefore, Mike Castle (R) will be reelected once again.

[paul]

There is a certain pattern that is forming in the media,

"Yes this is good news, but...".

In the grand scheme of things, imagine explaining any joyous event in this manner.

"Yes it is good you successfullly gave birth, but it doesn't mean he'll have a good life."

"Yes it is good you child graduated high school with honors, but don't get your hopes up."

"Yes it is good you got married, but most end in divorce."

The news is great for one simple reason, this is the leader of the insurgents, which have killed our soldiers. Diminishing it, which is clearly what the MSM is doing is stupid.

I can't figure out if this style of message is directed to those who still favor the war to discourage them, to the people who oppose Bush(and the war) to provide talking points, or in search of the undecided.

[Jane]

I can't figure out if this style of message is directed to those who still favor the war to discourage them, to the people who oppose Bush(and the war) to provide talking points, or in search of the undecided.

It's number two. Early this morning the moonbats were silent. They were waiting patiently for their marching orders. Dr. Sanity has a round-up. http://drsanity.blogspot.com/

[Sue]

::grin::

People are having way too much fun with Zarqawi's death...

...song Zarqawi was listening to when the bomb fell on him?

Mama Told Me Not To Come...Three Dog Night...

Want some whiskey in your water?
Sugar in your tea?
What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?
This is the craziest party that could ever be
Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't wanna see

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"

Open up the window, let some air into this room
I think I'm almost chokin' from the smell of stale perfume
And that cigarette you're smokin' 'bout scare me half to death
Open up the window, let me catch my breath

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"

Some radio is blastin', someone's knockin' at the door
I'm lookin' at my girlfriend - she just passed out on the floor
I've seen so many things I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is - I don't wanna see no more

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me)
She said "That ain't the way to have fun, no" (no, no)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"

Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, no, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son" (Mama told me)

Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me, mama told me
Mama told me not to come (Mama told me not to come)
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun, son"
"That ain't the way to have fun" (oh no, no)..

[clarice]

Extraneous, I hadn't seen that. THANKS!

[maryrose]

I actually saw the Three Dog Night in concert but I'm dating myself.

[PeterUK]

"Quiet i think I can hear a plane

[paul]

Best intro music today?

Limbaugh played the Gap Band-"You Dropped the Bomb on Me".

[PeterUK]

"What the Fuq was that?"

[PeterUK]

"I get no kick from sham pain"

[windansea]

an example of a circular firing squad at the DUmp

Zarqawi thread:

So it's bad news then?

It's good news. However in the big picture, it's really nothing.

No. It's NOT news

For not news it sure is generating a lot of threads on here

:)

[Bob]

It's da plane Boss, it's da plane....

Where's Tattoo when you need him?

the lost episode of Fantasy Island!

[clarice]

hris Hitchens comes thru again. http://www.slate.com/id/2143305/

[windansea]

The Next Hurrah has banned me because I hate freedom, or made them look bad, or something

why do lefties hate freedom of speech?

thenextHurrahbansfreespeech

[clarice]

I read that Zarqawi's "spirital adviser" was killed in the attack.Spiritual adviser to a psychotic butcher..now there's a job.

[Specter]

Just to be clear....I am not the Specter referred to above....LOL

[Specter]

Send Arlen a note and ask him to change his name - he is making me look bad.

[lurker]

Oh, sorry about that, Specter! I should've referred to Arlen Specter!

Windansea, I see that DemfromCT responded to you...a weird response:

"windandsea, whoever it is, seems incapable of thinking beyond his next beer. As noted in the original post, what happens next? What heppens when the violence continues?

windandsea truly hates freedom, for these are not important considerations to him. He'd rather pretend that killing Zarqawi has somehow solved the Iraqi problem."

[Sue]

Wind,

LOL. You certainly stirred them up over there. Why, they are more touchy than Scary Larry's bunch. ::grin:: And that is saying something.

[windansea]

yep...I think they got mad cuz I pointed out that all Zarqawi's death meant to them was how it would affect Bush's poll numbers...also pointed out how the ELECTED Iraqi leaders were jubilant and just appointed a kurd and a sunni to powerful positions

how that makes me a freedom hater is beyond my intellect :)

[Sue]

Wind,

You knew you were doomed over there when they objected to your name. ::grin::

[Gary Maxwell]

Al Jizz is headlining "Zarq Death Wont Stop AQ"

To which I think it is perfectly fine to reply, perhaps not but I am sure you will agree it will stop Zarq (and his 7 associates, not to mention the others rolled up in 17 locations.

[Gary Maxwell]

Intellect and lefty site? wind you know better than to use those two in the same sentence. It all about how you feel about something.

[Dwilkers]

Hilarious thread guys. PUK, Windandsea great posts. =D

[lurker]

Hotair has a blog of the YearlyKOS workshop. Looks like it's going to be a boring workshop.

[lurker]

AKAKA Bill killed.

[clarice]

I do think it fair to say that I find the claim that the Jordanians picked out his location from the desert gun toting video not credible, unless there are portions of the terrain more notable than what we say in an outtake of the video we didn't see. In the video I saw there were a coupls of bushes and some flat desert terrain. It could have been taken outside Las Vegas for all the detail in the public version of the video.

[Thomas Jefferson]

The war on terror is a ruse.

[Sue]

http://hotair.com/archives/top-picks/2006/06/08/video-the-airstrike-remix/>Remix

Check out Allahpundit's video tribute to Zarqawi...

[Sue]

A ruse for what? Oil? Daddy? Israel?

[cathyf]

The ruse is to distract people from the coming invasion of pink lizard people from outer space. They raise humans for food, and they will take over and put us in pens and eat us all.

cathy :-)

[cathyf]

C'mon, Sue, get with the program. ;-) Do I have to explain everything?

cathy :-)

[clarice]

We keep forgetting, cathy.

[Specter]

'nuther rovian plot....lol

[cathyf]

That's because of the pink lizard's mind control rays make you forget. A nifty time-saving tip for those not "crafty" enough to fashion a tinfoil hat -- a large spaghetti strainer works really well, too.

[Sue]

C'mon, Sue, get with the program. ;-) Do I have to explain everything?

::grin:: So it seems.

[clarice]

cathy, my fav shrink says it has to be a wearever saucepan(chin strap optional).And I think he should know.

[Sue]

Cathy,

http://www.venganza.org/>Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Be careful. You might offend someone. ::grin::

[Soylent Red]

And Bush is in collusion with the pink lizard people because...well, he's Hitler.

[Soylent Red]

Man what I great day I am having today, and this Zarqawi thing is like icing on the cake.

And as all great days do, it is tickling my muse. I am so looking forward to FNL.

[clarice]

YEAH!!!!FNL with Soylent.

[PeterUK]

A nation mourns

[Jane]

You know that pix and all the others reminds me of the first election in Iraq. What a great day this is for that country. And what a great day that was too.

[clarice]

Except that picture is of Palestinians and I expect they are celebrating 9/11 or something. (Click on properties)

[Jane]

Bummer!

[clarice]

Today Iraqis celebrated and the Palestinians mourned.
[quote]"Iraqi citizens took to the streets celebrating Abu Musaab Zarqawi's death on Thursday," reports the Kuwait News Agency:

Joy filled Baghdad's hot streets, as gun shots sounded through the air, and cars packed with overjoyed Iraqi's roamed the streets. Iraqis were sharing sweets with people outside their homes.

Civil organizations paraded as they condemned violence chanting "death to Zarqawi and Saddamites." Thursday's celebrations could be compared to the jubilation in Baghdad's streets the day Saddam Hussein was captured.

Some Palestinians reacted similarly to the attacks of Sept. 11, but their reaction to today's was more subdued, reports the Jerusalem Post:[/quote]http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110008488

[Rick Ballard]

Israel ends Hamas leader's grief over loss of Zarqawi.

[clarice]

It saves having to buy newspapers to find out the Hamas hierarchy. Just watch the missiles.

[Lurker]

Someone was at the YearlyKOS listening to them how to spin Zarqawi's death:

Washing Machine Time

(title's mine!)

[Lurker]

Ugh, David Corn had to be so negative about it.

So the left-wingers are gonna say that Bush turned down several times to kill Zarqawi???

Davir Corn

Geesch, Murtha and his cronies now want deployment. And the dems continue to be so negative about it.

[clarice]

John Kerry is desperately trying to get us to exit Iraq right now and make sure that we again pull defeat out of victory..

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
It is not easy getting pictures of happy Arabs.

[Lurker]

UGH!!

From Charming site (H/T hotair):

"ome Democrats, breaking ranks from their leadership, today said the death of terrorist leader Abu Musab Zarqawi in Iraq was a stunt to divert attention from an unpopular and hopeless war.

“This is just to cover Bush’s [rear] so he doesn’t have to answer” for Iraqi civilians being killed by the U.S. military and his own sagging poll numbers, said Rep. Pete Stark, California Democrat. “Iraq is still a mess — get out.”

[PeterUK]

Who is he working for this time?

[clarice]

Kerry? The international set I suppose(i.e. the Arabs and their Euro weenie friends).

[Lurker]

ROFL! Check NRO. Looks like Byron York is attending the YearlyKOS as well as Matt Labash! Tehehe

[PeterUK]

Michael Ware of Time has been indulging in a little cranioproctology.His boy Zarqawi, could have been a contender but for the slight handicap of being dead.

[PeterUK]

Mark Steyn will be on Hugh Hewitt to discuss this little twerp

[PeterUK]

Zarqawi was killed in the town of Hibhib,known for its alcoholic beverage arak,perhaps he just wanted to get bombed.

The man seems to have been a typical member of the Crips

[verner]

PeterUK, He looks like Larry Johnson's brother--you know, stand ins for Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber. Indeed dumb and dumber should be the name of his blog. What garbage.

I hope that someone is making a cache of these comments to pull out for the November midterms.

[Lurker]

Verner, what a great idea!

The Mark Steyn / Hugh Hewitt transcript is available at radioblogger.com. Neither have sympathy for Clarke!

I see that Ed Morrisey, Hugh Hewitt, Lori Byrd, Jerarlyn Merritt, La Shawn, and one more have been invited to become bloggers for examiner.com.

[maryrose]

Just read the Corn article and two words come to mind;
SOUR GRAPES!
they are incapable of understanding this WOT and as a consequence will remain in the minority permanently.

[Lurker]

Hey, great news! Check Scientific American:

"Here's some good news from Iraq, reported by Scientific American:

In the 1990s the Garden of Eden was destroyed. The fertile wetlands between
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers were diked and drained, turning most of 15,000 square kilometers of marsh to desert. By the year 2000, less than 10 percent of that swampland--nearly twice as big as Florida's
Everglades--remained. But reflooding of some areas since 2003 has produced what some scientists are calling the "miracle of the Mesopotamian marshes"--a return of plants, aquatic life and even rare birds to their ancestral home.

We read through the piece but we couldn't figure out who diked and drained the fertile wetlands, or what might have happened in 2003 that made their restoration possible. Scientific American ought to look into this; we have a hunch we're missing out on some fascinating history."

[Lurker]

Check Mac Ranger's post:

Al-Zarqawi's Termination a Termination of Democratic Hopes for 2006

So OBL, Zarahiri, and/or Omar captured or killed would add to the bang of a summer?

[windansea]

list of liberal websites that ban free speech

Larry (TOUGH GUY) Johnson

Jane (SUCKIN A KNOB) Hamsher

The Next (WE HATE FREEDOM) Hurrah

Democratic (POST DELETED) Underground

I need more merit badges....

[Lurker]

how about truthout banning some of you guys?

[Lurker]

Reflooding Restores Wildlife to Iraqi Marshes

[Jane]

If you want to experience the outest of out moonbats try here: http://www.newcafe.org/

Just don't mention my name.

[windansea]

Jordan arrests Zarqawi's brother-in-law and an Al Jazeera journalist live!
By Olivier Guitta

In fact, a few hours ago, while an Al Jazeera journalist was interviewing Abu Kadama, Zarqawi's brother-in-law in Zarqa, Jordan, the broadcast was suddenly interrupted, most probably by Jordan. Because when the journalist came back on the air, he said that Abu Kadama had just been arrested by Jordanian services. Then a second sudden interruption occured, and when the Al Jazeera anchor appeared, he announced that his journalist colleague had also been arrested by Jordan. Keep in mind that Jordan's King Abdullah was one of Zarqawi's main targets. In light of recent foiled Al Qaeda attacks in Jordan, it seems reasonable to think that Abdullah wanted to show his resolve against Zarqawi's sympathizers.

more goodnews

[windansea]

Betrayal inside his al Qaeda in Iraq terror group led to success in a painstaking U.S.-led operation to kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the U.S. military said on Thursday.
The most wanted man in Iraq died in a U.S. airstrike Wednesday evening when two 500-pound bombs slammed into a safe house near Baquba, according to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Bill Caldwell.

"Last night was the first time that we have had definitive, unquestionable information as to exactly where [al-Zarqawi] was located, knowing that we could strike that target without causing collateral damage to other Iraqi civilians and personnel in the area," Caldwell said.

In addition, Iraqi security and coalition forces conducted 17 simultaneous raids in and around Baghdad at the time of the attack, Caldwell said.

"A tremendous amount of information and intelligence was collected" from the raids, he said, "and is presently being exploited and utilized for further use. I mean, it was a treasure trove; no question."

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

[windansea]

washington...washington

warning...slightly off color but funny as H**l

[[Deleted]]

[I have deleted a cryptic collection of what looked like porn links. The next few comments in the thread will now appear to be a bit cryptic themselves, but thanks for the help.]

[arrowhead]

Well done USAF and Special Forces!!!

BTW: who's the a_ _ hole with all the question marks?

[richard mcenroe]

Arrowhead — It's a troll, posting clips from a Yahoo!.co.jp lolita porn group, near as I can make out...

[cathyf]

So you see question marks? I see kanjii characters. I knew better than to click on the links...

So is our little troll poster claiming that Zarqawi was a pedophile?

cathy :-)

[richard mcenroe]

Cathyf — Well, I just ran it thru babelfish.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[richard mcenroe]

So does this mean we can free up more troops to go after Amehdinajad now? Or Kos?

And I was watching the Air Force video. Did you see that little dot flying in circles around the crosshairs? That's some brassballs little bastard in a helicopter, probably directed the laser.

[Syl]

OT

Though there are plenty of p**n sites that use the Lolita character (no I don't go there), the character itself is very popular even in non-p**n venues. I love the cosplay stuff.

[Sue]

A mortally wounded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was still alive and mumbling on a gurney when Iraqi police arrived at the site bombed by U.S. forces there, a top American military spokesman said Friday.

Seems Zarqawi hitched himself up and put himself on a gurney. What is it with these reporters? The Iraqi police were the 1st to arrive yet they found a mortally wounded Zarqawi on a gurney?

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/09/D8I4NUB00.html>Source

[Sue]

Richard,

Really? I wondered what that was. Thanks.

[PeterUK]

Where did they find a gurney in a one goat town like that?

[Sue]

Peter,

You tell me? I would assume the gurney was provided by the 1st responders. The Iraqi policemen. Who found him mumbling on a gurney. ::grin:: Unless of course they dropped one along with the bomb just in case Zarqawi needed one. Who knows? That is typical, shoddy journalism at its best.

[clarice]

Don't miss Scrappleface today..http://www.scrappleface.com/wp-print.php?p=2278

[clarice]

We got Z cheap-=-no reward money must be paid out:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/captured_zarqaw.html