BREAKING NEWS: Al-Zarqawi dead

[Brent88]

U.S. Special Forces Operation... MSNBC.

Major news!

[theshark8777]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (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.

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."

Khalilzad called al-Zarqawi "the godfather of sectarian killing and terror in Iraq" -- and said the death "marks a great success for Iraq and the global war on terror."

"His organization has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in Iraq and abroad."

The 39-year-old Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi was accused of terrorist links before the Iraq war and soon led the insurgency after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Multiple attempts have been made to capture or kill him and he was held briefly by Iraqi security forces in 2004 but was released because no one knew who he was.

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called al-Zarqawi's death "a very important moment in Iraq. A blow for al Qaeda in Iraq is a blow for al Qaeda everywhere."
Insider tips

Casey said al-Zarqawi and a key lieutenant, spiritual adviser Sheik Abd-Al-Rahman, were at an isolated safe house outside Baquba at 6:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET) on Wednesday.

"Tips and intelligence from Iraqi senior leaders from his network led forces to al-Zarqawi and some of his associates who were conducting a meeting approximately eight kilometers north of Baquba when the airstrike was launched," he said.

Baquba is a volatile area northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, a mixed Shiite-Sunni jurisdiction. There have been many roadside bombings and shootings throughout the province and within the week, severed heads were found in fruit boxes there.

"Iraqi police were first on the scene after the air strike, and elements of Multi-National Division North, arrived shortly thereafter," Casey said. "We have been able to identify al-Zarqawi by fingerprint verification, facial recognition and known scars."

In addition to Zarqawi and the spiritual adviser, seven others died in the attack.

Casey wouldn't provide many details about the action but said that "all of these operations are the result of a long, painstaking process where tips and intelligence are received, processed and checked out."

This particular operation had been in the works for a couple of weeks, leading to the location of the house in a wooded area and the meeting, he said.

Al-Maliki indicated that the strike on al-Zarqawi was the "result of cooperation" with ordinary Iraqis, saying that authorities many times have asked the citizenry to provide information.

"This is a message to all those who take violence as a path."

Khalilzad said the demise of al-Zarqawi won't end the violence in Iraq, but it is "an important step in the right direction."

[D-Dey]

So now it's for real. GOOD! Too bad there are other terrorists in Iraq who can still replace him.

[KissMyGrits]

I've been saying that we would get him!! It was just a matter of time!! Just like it is only a matter of time until we get Osama!!

The military has alot to celebrate!! Woo-hoo!! Go get em boys!! You make us proud!!

[T_ID]

Good riddance, and a 'clean' operation for change.

[Ireneparalegal]

Thank Goodness and Good Riddance.

[Bobby F.]

Originally Posted by T_ID

Good riddance, and a 'clean' operation for change.

Typical lib. Just had to get in a shot.

Way ta go military!! Keep on doing what you're doing! Don't listen to anything those bleeding heart libs have to say. They have their heads so far up their arses that it's starting to cut of circulation!

[gilligan fanatic]

we owe a lot to Jordan for this, a lot of the info received about his location came from them. Al-Zargawi and his sneakers are going to hell.

[Janice]

This is great news! Bin Laden is next.

And T_ID, another typical shot at the U.S. military. I know you're just jealous that our military is so strong and powerful, and your military is....what's the word??....NOT.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by T_ID

Good riddance, and a 'clean' operation for change.

I could be wrong, but it sounds to me that you are a little disappointed by the news? To be honest, who gives a ****? The news of the day is that a major leader in a terrorist orginization has been knocked out. It is a major victory for the allied forces.

[Janice]

I was just lurking over at democraticunderground.com, and there's a thread with almost 300 replies, and nobody's happy about this.

These people are sick.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by Janice

I was just lurking over at democraticunderground.com, and there's a thread with almost 300 replies, and nobody's happy about this.

These people are sick.

I really think deep down some liberals like to hear that some of our soldiers are getting hurt or killed. It is a justification for them that we shouldn't be in Iraq. When they hear a success story such as this, it upsets them because it weakens their argument.

[James"Thunder"Early]

Finally, he's dead. I thought it was another false alarm until they showed him dead.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I really think deep down some liberals like to hear that some of our soldiers are getting hurt or killed. It is a justification for them that we shouldn't be in Iraq. When they hear a success story such as this, it upsets them because it weakens their argument.

There are a ton of threads at DU now, and they are not happy campers. I haven't seen them this pissed since Bush won re-election.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by T_ID

Good riddance, and a 'clean' operation for change.

One reason that there are 'unclean" operations is because the terrorists use Iraqi citizens as human shields.