Posted on 06/08/2006 4:14:08 PM PDT by ncountylee
CAIRO (Reuters) - The death of Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq showed deep splits on Thursday between Arabs who see the Iraqi insurgency as resistance to occupation and those who say al Qaeda gives Arabs and Muslims a bad name.
But few ordinary Arabs or analysts expected that the killing of the Jordanian-born militant would have much effect in reducing the level of violence in Iraq.
Some Arab citizens hailed Zarqawi as a hero for his role in the insurgency but others welcomed his death as a form of justice for the civilians killed in bombings by his group, which calls itself al Qaeda in Iraq.
Another view was that the United States, anxious to find a scapegoat for its troubles in Iraq, deliberately demonized him and exaggerated his significance as a militant leader.
Zarqawi was killed on Wednesday night in a U.S. air raid in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad.
"He died for the sake of God. After giving so much and having such incredible courage, Abu Musab the lion left us after humiliating the Americans. Pray for his soul," Khaled al-Saleh wrote on the Web site Montada.
"Thank God this wayward infidel is dead," wrote a chatter identified as Azizi on another Web site. "All true believers have been relieved of his evil."
Abdullah, a 29-year-old Saudi secretary, put the third point of view: "I consider Zarqawi as nothing more than propaganda for the Americans. He's just a name, a rumor so that they have somebody to blame everything on."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
For many Muslims, they're synonymous.
Being Islamist means you don't have to choose.
It is inevitable that they downplay the death of Zarqawi.
Actually, they haven't noticed that the official US policy is to downplay it. So they play into the administration's hands.
It's the other point of view, that this was the victory of all victories that would hurt the administration. Because when it proved NOT to be the end of the terrorist activity in Iraq, then the US would appear to have seriously underestimated or exaggerated.
The critically important point of all this is that Zarqawi would be universally loved by all Muslims if only he had attempted to confine his killing to Americans, Israelis, other non-Muslims and those "apostate" Muslims who actively support America's policies. Unfortunately, even when it is spelled out, many Americans and most Europeans do not understand.
Abdullah, a 29-year-old Saudi secretary, put the third point of view: "I consider Zarqawi as nothing more than propaganda for the Americans. He's just a name, a rumor so that they have somebody to blame everything on."
S/he obviously hasn't been decapitated by the Z-man.
Only Reuters would have the word hero in the headline with Al-Z.
So are the liberal Democrats. Though it's probably running about 70-30 in favor of the hero.
Anyone know if the DUmmies have started in on, "That pic is NOT Zarqawi!"
Murtha, Harry Reid, Pelosi, Boxer, Bill Clinton and Howard Dean can give their eulogies!
I lost my appetite and will join the many that go to bed hungry tonight. This is why they go to bed hungry.
Reuters owned by the Saudis....
Reuters interviewed two New York cab drivers and one said "Down with Boosh!"... thus their headline.
He's an "EX-PARROT WHO'S PINING FOR THE FIORDS"!!!
He left with little tendrils of smoke rising from his corpse. Who is humiliated now?
That's okay, there are enough pieces to go around.
"I lost my appetite and will join the many that go to bed hungry tonight. This is why they go to bed hungry."
My wife said that I should sell that horrible picture as a new non drug birth control method.
Now we can add weight reduction to the medical claims.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- fading away like a bad fart.
Rebel Without a Chance:
Abu al Zarqawi's Unimpressive Track Record
Nicholas M. Guariglia - 6/22/2006
http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=1908&cid=2&sid=38
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.