Posted on 06/08/2006 7:09:47 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
As President Bush and Iraqi leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement that coalition forces had killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, some in the anti-war community used the development to call for troop withdrawals while others downplayed its significance.
U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who was beaten by President Bush in the 2004 presidential race and had recently renewed his call for speedy troop withdrawals from Iraq, on Thursday praised the service members involved in Zarqawi's killing.
Coalition forces "did an incredible job hunting him down and destroying him, and all of America is proud of their skill and commitment," Kerry said.
He called Zarqawi's killing "another sign that it's time for Iraqis to stand up for Iraq ... and run their own country." He said American troops "have done their job in Iraq, and they've done it valiantly. It's time to work with the new Iraqi government to bring our combat troops home by the end of this year."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also issued a statement praising the U.S. military and intelligence community. Calling Zarqawi a "cold-blooded killer who got what he deserved," Reid said his death and the naming of Iraqi national security and defense ministers made Thursday "a day to recognize these important achievements."
U.S. Rep. John Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who on May 18 said "we have done everything we can do militarily in Iraq," said Thursday in a statement that the death of Zarqawi would "have a significant impact in reducing the amount of violence in Iraq."
But Murtha renewed his call for troop withdrawal, saying that because of the development, "we should be able to substantially reduce our presence in Iraq and redeploy our military outside of Iraq."
But not everyone in the anti-war movement agreed that Zarqawi's death would have a great impact.
"If you look at recent violence, most of the violence now is happening between different religious folks, not necessarily so-called terrorists that are now creating the violence, so I think it's tough to say this is something that's going to turn the tide in Iraq," said Paul Martin, an activist with Peace Action.
The American people, Martin said, are "ready for us to move on and to give this to the Iraqis to deal with and to focus our financial energies on rebuilding the country so they're able to take care of themselves."
Michael McPhearson, a spokesman for Veterans for Peace, said that "if you really think about the makeup of the insurgency, I think you have to realize that there [are] very different people making it up."
"With al-Zarqawi gone, you still have the same dynamics that created the groundswell of anger and agitation by the people there in Iraq," McPhearson said. "Just because al-Zarqawi's gone doesn't change the facts on the ground that people are upset and want us to leave."
McPhearson added that Zarqawi's death might mean "there won't be so many attacks on civilians and Shia by insurgents, but certainly there will be retaliation against American forces with new vigor because their leader's been killed."
Bloggers on the Democratic Underground website criticized Americans who believe the Bush administration's assertion that Zarqawi's death marks a turning point in the Iraq war.
"There will be a bunch of sheeple in America tomorrow morning, who when they wake up from their blissful sleep after watching a bunch of reality shows, they will hear about the Bogeyman Terrorist Zarqawi being dead, and they will suddenly think the world is safer and everything is okay," one blogger wrote.
Others questioned whether Zarqawi even existed in the first place. "Do we even know if this guy ever existed?" one asked, adding: "And even if he is who they say he is, so what?"
NEVER trust a Democrat with National Security!! They can't think past today!! They are VERY short-sighted and VERY small Thinkers....very sad....a once great party is the party of losers now.
.
NEVER FORGET
Upon his return from Vietnam JOHN KERRY called we Americans who were fighting for the Freedom of others there...
...rapists & terrorists,
instead of the actual ones we were fighting.
MEL GIBSON returned from filming our real Vietnam War story titled"
.."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..
http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com
...deeply inspired to
finally film his long planned ultimate story of LOVE and sacrifice titled...
.."The -PASSION- of the Christ"
http://www.ThePassionOfTheChrist.com
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts
Now, if JOHN KERRY wasn't on the side of American Troops way back when,
...what makes you think he's suddenly on their side now..?
Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965, Landing Zone Falcon
(Real Deal Vietnam Pictures)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set2.htm
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set3.htm
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
NEVER FORGET
Prior to 9/11 we did concentrate, briefly, on only the top brass of terrorist organizations and only after each attack. This policy brought us 9/11...and we don't need to return to it.
Only you can prevent manbearpig attacks!
I agree with everything you say. I've read a lot about both but especially Murtha and his stint in Vietnam was in an intel capacity even though he said he was in combat almost daily, that's BS.
The Swifties took care of Kerry in '04 and I hope Murtha's own despicable behavior and Irey will take care of him now.
Neither one will ever sign a 180 because if they do, it will show them for the frauds that they are.
"But Murtha renewed his call for troop withdrawal, saying that because of the development, "we should be able to substantially reduce our presence in Iraq and redeploy our military outside of Iraq.""
In 1942 Murtha called for a troop withdrawal from Hawaii shortly after the Dolittle raid on Japan, "we should be able to substantially reduce our presence in the Pacific and redeploy our military back to the continental United States."
When I was checking the Topic Titles and saw this one, for a moment I thought it said Kerry, Murtha, Zarchawi killed and I thought WOW, now that would be a REAL KILL.......!
LOVE IT!!!
third stooge ...........
There are so many of them, how do we truly know which one is the third one? Any democrat politician or hollywood idiot could fit in that slot. :)
Democrats are racists. They think that an Iraqi life is worth less than an American life. Government surveys show that since the U.S. took down Saddam and his sons, the life expectancy in Iraq is going up after dwelling very low for years.
The action of the U.S. military is saving many thousands of Iraqis every year while requiring the sacrifice of brave Americans but the ratio is about one American dead for 1,000 Iraqis who live another year. Who is a false witness in this situation? I think it's clear.
Looks very nice.
You're just saying that to be nice.
I see right through you!
"ait a minute? "Coalition forces" ?? B-b-b-but weren't they saying two years ago that the U.S. was "going it alone" ???"
Good catch. Yes the Kerry statement about our allies not amounting to much comes to mind; when it suited Kerry.
And now after (what looks like) our people alone took out the trash, it's the "coalition".
Right, and why are they quoting Du like this, other than to show how moronic they are: Others (Bloggers) questioned whether Zarqawi even existed in the first place. "Do we even know if this guy ever existed?"
I thought the "Don't worry. He isn't dead" (don't worry????) comment on DU was the bottom of the barrell, but it turns out "Do we even know if this guy ever existed" is even lower.
"We leave only after there is sufficient calm across the land..."
I think that will be possible starting in about a year to one and a half years. Then pull them out over 8 mos, so if there are flare-ups thay can be handled. The majority should be out by July 08. And isn't that good timing?
I've said it before and I will say it again. I hate (hock... spit) Democrats. I don't think it's a sin, I think it's an obligation.
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