News US Search for Al-Zarqawi After Mosul Raid

[Astronuc]

Al-Zarqawi May Be Among Dead in Iraq Fight
By ROBERT H. REID, AP

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces sealed off a house in the northern city of Mosul where eight suspected al-Qaida members died in a gunfight — some by their own hand to avoid capture. A U.S. official said Sunday that efforts were under way to determine if terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was among the dead.

Insurgents, meanwhile, killed an American soldier and a Marine in separate attacks over the weekend, while a British soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in the south.

In Washington, a U.S. official said the identities of the terror suspects killed in the Saturday raid was unknown. Asked if they could include al-Zarqawi, the official replied: "There are efforts under way to determine if he was killed."

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

On Saturday, police Brig. Gen. Said Ahmed al-Jubouri said the raid was launched after a tip that top al-Qaida operatives, possibly including al-Zarqawi, were in the house in the northeastern part of the city.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051120/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq (link good for about 1 week)

 

[kat]

hmmm... If so...who will take his place.

 

[wasteofo2]

hmmm... If so...who will take his place.

Maybe we'll see a Moqtada al Sadr comeback?

 

[Astronuc]

Al Sadr is very different than Al Zarqawi. Al Sadr is not a terrorist and he is certainly not affiliated with al Qaida - he is looking out for his community. He does oppose the US occupation, but in the beginning of the occupation, the US had a chance to work with al Sadr, and refused to do so.

Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, also transliterated as Moqtada Alsadr) (born c. 1974) is the son of the famous Iraqi Shia cleric Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr. As of early 2004, he was the de facto ruler of the Sadr City section of Baghdad and commanded the loyalty of the Mahdi Army, an insurgent force making a bid for power in Iraq. Clashes with U.S. forces in April were followed by a truce in June, and mixed signals from al-Sadr after his promises to disband his militia and become involved in the political process. The Coalition Provisional Authority had on several occasions threatened to arrest al-Sadr, and in early April 2004 issued an arrest warrant, alleging his involvement in a homicide. U.S. military commanders expressing an intention to "capture or kill" him. Al-Sadr had agreed to disband his army and join the political process, and he was given assurances that he would not face arrest and be allowed to stand in the 2005 elections. However, tensions rose again in August, and U.S. and Iraqi forces decided to move against al-Sadr and neutralize him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqtada_al-Sadr

 

[Evo]

The news is now saying it's doubtful that they got Zargawi.

 

[Skyhunter]

hmmm... If so...who will take his place.

This is why we cannot win this through force. As long as there are others willing to fill the vacancies. As long as we continue our Imperialistic foreign policy there will always be others willing to fight.

You cannot win their hearts and minds by killing their families.

 

[Gokul43201]

Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, also transliterated as Moqtada Alsadr) (born c. 1974)

Wow, that's pretty young for someone with his kind of power and following ! I'd thought he was at least in his 40s. Guess not.

Umm...sorry for the digression. Back to Zarqawi.