if we got Zarqawi tomorrow - it would be a 24 hour story. and as soon as some jihadi blew themselves up at a coffee shop someplace - the MSM would just say "see, the insurgency is as strong as ever". don't get me wrong, I want Zarqawi dead too, but politically there is no comparison.
Just had to ping ya. ;-0
I don't know if I would take it anywhere near that far. Catching Zarqawi would be a very big story
I actually do think enough people who actually pay attention to the situation collectively knows the importance of catching or killing Zarqawi. And, I do think it would be a very big news event. News reporters have been reporting on his near misses, catching or killing Zarqawi aid after aid, and his suicide bombs for two years know. So I actually think the media will be the biggest driver of the story.
But, it will also depend on when he is captured. I think they will make it bigger news and more positive if we get him after the December election for a number of reasons. Mostly because things will be too uncertain before then in Iraq in alot of ways.
Of course I think the US public will finally start figuring out who he is and what he wants over the next year. There is a new book coming out about Zarqawi in November, but most importantly when it comes to the average joe there is a book and movie coming out called "No True Glory" starring Harrison Ford about the Battle of Fallujah.
Of course Bin Laden also told Zarqawi to carry out an attack in Europe bigger then 911, if he pulls that off, Z-man knows he will achieve total worldwide notariaty. But, I don't think he is going to do it until after the December elections if there is no civil war, because such an attack on Europe would endanger worldwide opposition to the US presence in Iraq and could even get Europe involved in the war.