I have to admit it’s a bittersweet moment to finally see this guy dead. I know everyone in Jordan should be cheering but I’m saying to myself so what? And I think in the days to come a lot of people will say the same thing.
As a terrorist who attacked our country and caused massive damage to our neighbours to the east I personally feel that a US air strike was not the way I wanted him to go. I really wanted to see the guy captured and brought to Amman and executed. If anything, it would’ve brought about a greater sense of justice. And I think that’s what I feel is missing from this guy’s death today…a sense of justice.
Apparently it was a joint US-Jordanian operation that involved Jordanian intelligence but it will obviously be seen as a sole US victory over the terrorists. Some major news outlets haven’t even bothered mentioning it.
Either way, as has been said, cutting off the head of this beast does not make it any less lethal. Iraq is still occupied and the flood gates for terrorists such as Zarqawi to enter have been open for quite some time. AlQueda in Iraq will most likely not subside. In my opinion, the killing of Zarqawi and the fact that Jordanians were involved in the operation will only strengthen the belief that Jordan must be attacked. There is likely the possibility for retribution, which makes us a prime target now more than ever.
All that being said…I hope he has a pleasant time in hell.
Not to intentionally spiritualize, but God seemed to want the justice to be given from His hand alone rather than the hand of man and government. What a terrifying place to be for this evil one.
kinzi, not to overkill the spirituality of the moment but I’m not sure if God was informed of the operation before hand…I think the British were, Kuwaitis possibly if they used their airspace.
all kidding aside, I’m not one to say what God wants or doesn’t want and “justice” in this case was in fact carried out by man and government (and army). if dark clouds amassed on the iraqi horizon and bolts of lightening shattered down on zarqawi…well thn maybe we could call it divine will.
😉
If it is any consolation, he was reportedly wounded during a helicopter strike and taken into custody before dying of his wounds. It doesn’t sound like he died particularly easy.
Al Hamdulellah (Thank God), finally this man is dead.
He has directly and indirectly caused the deaths of so many innocent people in Iraq and admitted being involved in the killing of the innocent people in Joradn last November.
This is the best news I’ve heard coming out of Iraq since the entire war started. This is better than the news of capturing Saddam. I’m very happy for our brothers in Iraq, I really hope this gives every Iraqi more hope that these criminals who are ruining their country can be fought and are being fought and are being eliminated.
Really this is Iraq’s day, all my best wishes for the people there.
I do agree with your point of view Nas, but I am really so super happily thrilled that this guy is finally dead … I never thought that I would ever be happy is someone died but I truly am for this one .. he deserved the ugliest death and I hope and pray that he rots in hell!
I never thought I’d be happy for another person’s death either, but he had it coming. He attacked my beloved Amman, he specifically targeted unarmed civilians, and he sullied the name of an entire religion with his ideology. I don’t know if he’s in hell, but if he is, it’s a hell of his own making. I hope he repented of his crimes.
Congratulations, No more zargawi but I really wish I can see his body not to verify or to make sure it’s him but to piss on his bloody face.
I guess a bomb took him out after all. CENTCOM has video.
One nice report: 17 al-Queda locations in Iraq have been assaulted today. Now that U.S. forces have no further intelligence requirement for these guys they are attacking them. Previously they needed to know where Zarqawi was, so they left large parts of his network undisturbed. Now they are folding it all up.
Reports suggest al-Queda in Iraq is on the ropes already. They were reported to be down to less than 200 people a few weeks ago according to documents seized from an al-Queda location. After today, and after the intelligence that will come from these further raids, this particular section of the insurgency may be doomed. Of course, there are still plenty of others.
There is a Texas expression that adriotly captures the essence of this event
“He needed killing.”
BTW, the American press in making a clear point of the Jordanian role in this.
Hey Nas,
There is a Salafi from Chicago mourning the loss of this terrorist.
http://allaboutgq.blogspot.com/2006/06/sheikh-az-zarqawi-shaheed-inshaallah.html
This absolutely disguists me, as he also rejoiced over the destruction of the al-Askariyah shrine.
Wow, D, this guy lives in the U.S.? Oh the beauty of freedom of speech. Let’s hope the FBI is keeping an eye on him.
Yes, he lives in Naperville. I’ve been keeping an eye on this anti-Shia, anti-American, anti-Western e-jihadi since I started seeing him post on Islamicaweb.
He used to post on that forum until he got banned for his bashing of Shi’as. His screen name on that forum was “Mr_GQ”. Do a search if you are curious.
And there are many Muslims like him that think like him in the Chicago area, apparently.
Wow. I know I’ve been watched before (Ukrainian immigrant), and my boyfriend is being watched (born in Jordan, student in U.S.), but is anyone aware of this guy? Send a link to his blog to the authorities. He is protected under freedom of speech, but keep your friends close and your enemies closer….
(Natalia does not believe in privacy, for anyone)
I’m sure it has been reported to the proper authorities.
http://allaboutgq.blogspot.com/2006/02/shia-mosqueshrine-blown-up.html
There’s another entry of his supporting the shrine attack in Iraq.
Danial, what can i say, the world is not depleted of fools.
then again Bush, like zarqawi, has made decisions which have lead to the death of thousands of innocent civilians and if he were…uhem…not here tomorrow..im sure many would mourn his loss.
thats the world we live in
Nas, I agree with your assessment of the Bush situation. There is, however, one caveat I would like to address. Bush is a dangerous idiot whose policies have caused thousands of deaths (not just in Muslim nation either, this man is also undermining safe and legal abortions in poor countries, to name a few of his transgressions), but I do not believe he rejoices at the deaths of civilians. I don’t believe he elicits pleasure from the deaths of “the infidels.” And Bush operates within a system that is at least mildly democratic.
The truth is, many people are responsible for the administation’s foreign policy blunders: faith-voters, spineless press, the lies of Rumsfeld, etc. Those of us who were fooled, like I was, share responsibility with Bush.
But when Zarqawi picks up a knife and cuts a man’s head off, he pariticpates in a direct action whose outcome he knows from the beginning. And he rejoices in it. So good riddance, and may we all learn from this.
Bush is not Zarqawi. You may dislike Bush’s policies but the insinuation that Bush and Zarqawi are comparable is sick. You could also say that FDR made decisions which led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians during the Second World War; that does not make FDR the equivalent of Zarqawi. Motives are important. Personally culpability is also important. Neither Bush nor FDR personally planned the murder of civilians. Not that I’m attempting to say Bush is a modern day FDR. He certainly isn’t.
Natalia, the differences between them are really not that big. zarqawi doesnt wear a suit and is more hands on when it comes to his crimes. but stripping away the apparal, the poetry and labels…the core is essentially wrotten regardless of the packaging.
Isle, who the heck is talking about FDR? and secondly, what are zarqawis motives and what are bush’s motives? two sides of the same coin.
(also to assume that bush’s intentions in iraq were good at this point would be dumb and to assume he had no intention of killing innocent lives is equally sick)
Wow, D, this guy lives in the U.S.? Oh the beauty of freedom of speech. Letâ??s hope the FBI is keeping an eye on him.
That’s one of the beauties of freedom of speech. People will publicly state their bad ideas, so the rest of us will know who to look out for.
Bush is not Zarqawi. You may dislike Bushâ??s policies but the insinuation that Bush and Zarqawi are comparable is sick.
I agree. I’ve never voted for Bush, and I feel he’s the worst President ever, but his policies are due to ignorance and miusguidedness. Bush is not a bad guy personally. I’m sure he’d be great to hang around with & have a beer. But he is eminently unqualified to be the President of the United States.
Still glad Z’s dead. Should I bet on blue when I’m in Vegas? 😉
No Nas, they are not the same person. They have both caused suffering and grief, but they are not the same person.
Natalia, I never said they were the same person…i said they were two sides of the same coin. there is something inherently flawed and rotten at the core of both their approaches. and furthermore they are/were both under the assumption that they are doing “right” or “good”. These terms are all subjective and are heavily dependent on where they stand and where their followers who helped make them leaders stand as well. I am not looking to discet their every action or philosophy but rather their approach.
I am inclined to ask myself here what are the differences between them that are so big that we cannot place them in the same arena of each other let alone two faces on the same coin?
Nas, tell me something. How can I be able to defend fellow Muslims by telling others that we don’t support terrorism when idiots on this forum also mourn the death of this animal?
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89638
No wonder why Muslims are more misunderstood when some of the morons in that forum praise him constantly. And I wonder how come that forum hasn’t been shut down since it’s based in the UK? I remember ClearGuidance was shut down since it was a bastion of extremist youth praising and supporting acts of terror.
Sometimes I am ashamed to be a Muslim because of these individuals.
Atlantic Monthly has a good story on the life of Zarqawi.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200607/zarqawi
I would love to hear Nas’ thoughts on the story if he has time to read it.
Nope. Bush is an idiot but he is not a blood-thirsty idiot. Intentions count for something.
Danial,
you tell others that of the 6 billion people on this planet, over 1.5 are Muslim and in a group that large you are bound to have many many idiots. there are forums (and blogs) out there that praise (and call for) the death of every Muslim.
the world is much larger than we give it credit for.
Natalia, you still haven’t given me a difference though. saying one guy is an idiot and one guy is blood thirsty doesn’t pass.
Nas — actually, a public execution would have worked for me, too. However, being on the receiving end of a 500 lb bomb is almost as good.
Here in American, every newscast I’ve seen from Fox to CNN has talked about the cooperation between Jordan and the US, also giving kudo’s to the Iraqi’s. Nobody’s forgetting about that. In Bush’s speech yesterday morning, he specifically pointed out the cooperation of Jordanian intel, and of the Iraqi forces.
From a Texas Christian’s viewpoint — the Lord works in mysterious ways! My feeling is that after death, it’s up to God, and I’ll just trust God to give Zawqawi whatever reward he’s got coming.
I think the mouring over Zarqawi comes from basic misunderstanding, stoked by propaganda.
Zarqawi was not going up against American soldiers, although he said he was; and that’s what some folks believe. The truth is that the guy was killing and maiming Iraqi and Jordanian women and kids by the wagonloads. Compared to the number of innocents he and his buds blew up, the number of actual soldiers was miniscule.
What they were doing is getting some young, dumb kid, or a screwed up adult, usually outside the country .. filling them up with propaganda and drugs … strapping an explosive vest on — and them aiming them at a marketplace full of fellow Muslims…
I think we can all feel good about Zarqawi’s demise.
Frau, yeah you’re right, but when I blogged this post at the time most media were neglecting the Jordanian role. I checked twice just to make sure 😀
As for mourning. I dunno, there’s a complex answer there, it’s not as easy as the BBC publishing articles on people who mourned him or called him a martyr. He no doubt had supporters. The problem is the lines are very blurred and not as clear cut to everyone. To many he was in Iraq fighting an American occupation, which is a cause that the overwhelming majority of Arabs and Muslim support on principle. Now how one goes about doing so is another question. Some will mythologise Zarqawi as a hero and some will see him as a villan who is killing Iraqis, since the obvious majority of his victims were Muslims and Arabs, not Americans. Some will see him as a flat out killer and his actions were so unexplainable that he was even called a CIA agent or even an American myth. Anyways it’s not an easy answer as the media makes it out to be.
I think from a western perspective there is a tendency to wonder what would drive a person to join zarqawi and the answer they come up with is religious motivation. When really “religion” is just the icing on a cake made up of a social environment where people are poor and jobless and enraged and looking for someone to blame. They are easy pickings.
yeah i think we can all feel good about that.
The reason we perceive al-Zarqawi as cold-blooded and not Bush is because the former has actual blood on his hands and there are videos of him shooting away, etc, whereas the latter makes decisions behind a desk, says things diplomatically (sometimes), and, dare I say, shaves. But I’m sure that Iraqis (and others) that are living in worsening conditions, seeing their own people die because of Bush’s decisions will surely see him as cold-blooded as well. The notion of intention is a nice excuse unless you’re actually going through the horror. And to let Bush pass because he is probably a good guy, but that his policies are misguided and ignorant is quite unethical. Remember, this guy is supposed to be the leader of the free world, with the world’s best intelligence, best military, most money, etc. If I’m ignorant and misguided, it won’t make a bit of difference, but if our leaders are, then, potentially, we’re going to have some major problems.
Akram, good point, this is what i was hinting at. it begs the question of what is the difference between the leader who is on the “battle field” and killing with his own two hands, as opposed to the leader who sits behind a desk an ocean a way and sends troops in to the battle field to do the killing for him and his beliefs.
I totally agree with Nas on his comparisons of zarqawi and bush. they both think that the end justifies there means (killing innocent people), and they are both just as “misguided” and “ignorant” as the other.