Posted on 11/20/2005 4:38:59 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
US authorities are looking into whether al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a gunfight in Mosul, a US official says.
But a White House spokesman said al-Zarqawi's death was "highly unlikely."
"Efforts are under way to determine whether Zarqawi wasamong those killed," the US official, in Washington said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
White House spokesman Trent Duffy, travelling with US President George W Bush in Asia, said the report was "highly unlikely and not credible."
US forces had sealed off the house in the northern city of Mosul where eight suspected al-Qaeda members died in a gunfight - some by their own hand to avoid capture.
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 US official said the identities of the terror suspects killed was unknown. Asked if they could include al-Zarqawi, the official replied: "There are efforts under way to determine if he was killed."
American soldiers maintained control of the site, imposing extraordinary security measures, a day after a fierce gunbattle that broke out when Iraqi police and US soldiers surrounded a house after reports that al-Qaeda in Iraq members were inside.
Three insurgents detonated explosives and killed themselves to avoid capture, Iraqi officials said. Eleven Americans were wounded, according to the US military.
(Excerpt) Read more at smh.com.au ...
You have the US military doing DNA testing..then you have a White House spokesman claiming the reports are not credible.
Hey Bush Administration get on the same page will you!
I hope he is getting his 72 hags.
> Three insurgents detonated explosives and killed
> themselves to avoid capture, Iraqi officials said.
How common is this when the perps are surrounded?
I suspect it's not, which suggests that at least one
of the targets was highly ranked.
Now, if rank&file members of the Cutthroat Cult are
blowing themselves up to avoid capture, the question
needs to be raised: why?
Don't they know that their legacy media pals have
ensured that detainees only get kid gloves treatment?
/sarc
where would they have gotten Zarqawi's DNA? Do we have any relatives of his available?
We have the whole tribe to choose from after the hotel bombing.
Really. Don't they know they can come to San Francisco and get a hero's welcome?
I've read many reports about this occurring, sometimes with absolute no-names.
Now, they are committing straight out suicide without trying to take innocent women, children and men with them. What does the Koran say about that?
They got it from Monica's blue dress. Seems that Zarkey and Bubba were double-teaming her.
Same page as what? You have one cited government comment, which is "highly unlikely and not credible." Everything else is speculation and/or anonymous sources. The White House wording certainly gives me pause.
Publicly confirming Zarqawi's death gives his organization time to reorganize with a new leader. Better we put out disinformation until we have killed his command chain.
Ahh, the old "white house spokesman speaking on condition of anonymity" line, and from the Australian AP, yet.
I'm not sure either way, of course, but will wait for awhile before I'll give up thinking that the b@st@rd is dead and quietly celebrating.
the key thing to watch for will be over the next few days - if we see a disruptions in the suicide attacks. if the leadership, perhaps all the way to the top, was wiped out - there will be dissaray in the short term planning and execution of new suicide attacks.
It's the panties on the head. I can just hear a raghead screaming as he grabs the detonate button on his belt: "No! No! Dear Allah, don't let them put panties on my head!"
Helen Thomas' tongue?
please try and stay serious here - this is serious stuff, this SOB has killed alot of US soldiers and innocent civilians. I like humor as well as anyone, but not now.
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