Posted on 06/27/2005 7:49:04 AM PDT by dead
WASHINGTON - The US military is close to locating al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, General John Abizaid, the commander of US forces in the region, said.
"I think we have a good idea of where to find him," Abizaid told CNN.
"We know what we're doing in our efforts how to get him," he said.
"But I want to also stress that it's not about one man. It's about his network. His network exists inside Iraq. It's connected to al-Qaeda. It's got facilitation nodes in Syria," Abizaid told the US cable news channel.
"It brings foreign fighters in from Saudi Arabia and from North Africa. It is connected to what is happening in Afghanistan and what is happening in Pakistan. It is a global battle that we face," he said.
"The Zarqawi part of the network needs to be taken down. He needs to be captured or killed. But we should understand: It's a long war ahead of us. It's a difficult enemy that we'll have to fight over time throughout the region," the general said.
Jordanian-born Zarqawi, who has a 25-million-dollar US bounty on his head, is blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Iraq and is the country's most-wanted man.
Zarqawi warned militants against contacts with the "enemies of God" and dismissed as lies revelations that US officials had been in contact with insurgents in Iraq.
"We are warning anyone who meets the Jewish, the Crusaders and their agents," according to an Internet statement attributed to Zarqawi's al-Qaeda organisation in the Land of Two Rivers.
Abizaid spoke after US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld earlier confirmed a British newspaper report that US officials had contacted insurgents in a bid to stem the violence plaguing Iraq.
"Sure, my goodness, yeah. The first thing you want to do is split people off and get some people to be supportive. The same thing's going on in Afghanistan," Rumsfeld said.
AFP
Yeah I think that we've got most all of his "top lieutenants". Maybe we'll start getting a few "close captains" or an occassional "major major" now and then from here on out.
It's not about one man.... Until they catch him. Then, it's about one man.
It is either pure bluster or this guy is a complete idiot.
Yeah, I would tend to agree. I just hate it when anyone provides fodder for our rabid left-wing news media "insurgency".
Did Zarq take "credit" for the recent downed helicopter?
Exactly.
They know where he is and are watching the area. After this announcement they are hoping Zarqawi leaves, then BOOM.
C
I don't think Z's "associates" think like that. Money can't buy the glory of martyrdom against the infidels.
If this were true we better get him and end it fast. The politics of the war are changing and we still need to deal with nuclear proliferation by North Korea and the threat of nuclear attack by Iran.
What day of the week is this?
Allah-schmallah. $25 million buys alot of virgins in the here and now.
Abizaid probably referring to the fact that US and Iraqi intelligence have learned a great deal about his hideouts, his pattern of movements, and the fact that they can count on more and more cooperation from Iraqi citizens who sickened by the ruthless murder of thousands of their fellow countrymen by Al Qaeda.
Don't be so hard on you're self.
Now kill him!
My bet is they don't really know where he is but by announcing that they do he will be flushed into the open long enough for a Predator to lock onto him.
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