[ncountylee]

Surprised that Reuters doesn't just pronounce him a saint.

[bnelson44]

He mostly killed Shiites

[Gator101]

Zarqawi's a little split himself.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The only ones who are confused are the writers at Reuters and the Yahoo clowns.

[Hildy]

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.

The whole article was about putting this in print. Can they be more obvious?

[Mr. Mojo]

.....splits on Thursday between Arabs who see the Iraqi insurgency as resistance to occupation....

Don't these Arabs ask themselves why, if this is indeed a resistance against the "forces of occupation," Al-Zarqawi and similar groups have been targeting/slaughtering innocent Arabs?

[Shermy]

Didn't bother to ask any Iraqis.

[sageb1]

That's what I did for a few hours today - peruse Islamic websites. More were happy about his demise, but there were plenty who called him a martyr. No one, not one freaking Muslim on the 10 or so forums I read, thanked the U.S. Not Shia, not Sunni.

[PsyOp]

In that first picture of him when he was still alive, al-Zarqawi looks really depressed, like he knows what is coming.

[Zarqawi reclining on a couch talking to his Imam/therapist] : "Imam, I just can't shake this feeling of doom. I keep having this dream that I am in heaven making love to 72 virgins--but then, still in the dream, I wake to find that I am hugging a large metal object with fins at one end and a glowing red eye at the other. What does this mean?"

Imam: "Zarqawi, my son, this is nothing to be worried about, the Koran says: Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light; and (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are Shaitans who take them out of the light into the darkness; they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide. "

Zarqawi: "Uh, OK. But the Americans have night vision. And I think that red thingy on the metal tube might be something like that."

Imam: "Not to worry, you are a great battle leader. The Koran says: Urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand. "

Zarqawi: "about that... I seem to keep losing my number two guys, and we got a pretty heavy turnover on the numbers 3 and 4, too. And recruiting has been down all over the place. I keep cutting people's heads off to show them how serious I am but it doesn't seem to be helping."

Imam: "Have faith! Mohammed assures us, Yea! If you remain patient and are on your guard, and they come upon you in a headlong, your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angles. "

Zarqawi: "Still waiting on the Angels."

Imam: "The Prophet tell us: I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them... "

Zarqawi: "Done that. A lot."

Imam: “Hmmm... give me a second... Aha! here we go. Allah says: And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is hell; he shall abide in it, and Allah will send His wrath on him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement. "

Zarqawi: "Uh... that means someone who believes in our cause, right?"

Imam: "It means anyone who accepts the word of the Prophet, the messenger of Allah. Why do you ask?"

Zarqawi: "Well... I, we, might have killed a few believers... at least they said they were... and you know how it is with car bombs and markets. But I'm pretty sure they were all collaborators. You know how women and children can be."

Imam: "Be at ease. The koran says: And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause, and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying. "

Zarqawi: "Limits? You never said anything about limits. Just what are we talking about here? I need a number. Not that I'm keeping a count or anything, but I'd like to know. And does that only refer to the heads I whacked myself, or does it include those killed on my orders?"

[Imam's cell phone rings]: "Sheik Abdul Rahman speaking... Really?... Right now?... Yes. Immediately. Thank you."

Zarqawi: "Who was that?"

Imam: "My secretary. It turns out out I'm late for an urgent meeting. I must go. Say five prayers and call me in the morning. No. Don't get up, I'll let myself out."

[Zarqawi calling after the Imam who is sprinting for the door]: "Don't go! I have more questions... I'm still worried about that big red eye in my dream..."

BLAM!

[bert]

The word for this piece is tripe.

[kcar]

If I heard it right, AP News on the radio was playing a reaction from the beheaders' father who was angry and saddened at this murder of revenge. Amazed, I thought are they drumming up sympathy? Then they swiftly concluded by reporting that violence has not ended in Iraq, and that four (or forty) people were killed today (with no mention of who or how).

AP News always leaves me enraged. They way they say things and thier damned tone of voice.

[karnage]

There was no Zarqawi. He was a creation of Karl Rove. His "death" means that everything will get worse, because it's all Bushitler's fault and he is a meat puppet.

[mmercier]

The bastard killed more Muslims than US troops in Iraq, and they are confused as to him being a hero or a killer.

His people blew a bunch of locals to bits today, five car bombings by the time I stopped paying attention.

These $hitbirds had better hope Saddam is not acquitted.

[Neoliberalnot]

Dead; major ally of the Rat party and DUmmies. I saw on the alphabet networks that Ted Kennedy is in mourning and deeply depressed. Barney is so down he is hiding under Teddie's desk doing who knows what.

[LibLieSlayer]

Rooters/yahoo writers must be kind and sympathetic to the evil terrorists, because when they die they will be joining zaqueeree and his pals in HELL!

LLS

[Grampa Dave]

A quick pictorial summary of Z Pig's last day on earth and his trip to hell.

Monster betrayed by closest allies (Zarqawi location tipped off by captured deputies) {Why the libs don't want WOT prisoners questioned!}

"Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey...!"

Hi. My name is Abu Boohoo Zarqawi and I'm dead now.

Happy Iraqis celebrate the death of Z Pig:

Which al Qaeda Son of a pig is next? We will find your "Safe House" and send you to hell to be with the Z pig!

When the Z Pig entered hell, he found out that his 72 virgins were clones of Helen Thomas. They are having their way with him now.

No Problem! Here comes your Bomb!

Z Pig! Enjoy your eternity in hell with your special 72 virgins!

[Buck W.]

For many Muslims, they're synonymous.

[AZLiberty]

Hero or ruthless killer?

Being Islamist means you don't have to choose.

[xzins]

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.

[JimSEA]

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.

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.