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Rumsfeld: Ironic That Zarqawi Dies on Eve of Iraq Government Successes
Defense News ^
| Kathleen T. Rhem
Posted on 06/08/2006 9:35:08 PM PDT by SandRat
Rumsfeld: Ironic That Zarqawi Dies on Eve of Iraq Government Successes |
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By Kathleen T. Rhem American Forces Press Service
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behave in a way that assures the people of that country that they are, in fact, going to be fair to all elements of the society -- the Kurds, the Shiia, the Sunnis and others, Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld also said he was particularly impressed that Maliki proposed a reconciliation process and that he announced he would make it a top priority to deal with militia forces within Iraq to try to end violence there.
(Maliki has) demonstrated hes the kind of person who can make decisions; he can make tough decisions, Rumsfeld said. Hes willing to stick to his guns, and I think his early months as a relatively new political leader in Iraq, one has to give him very high marks.
The secretary added that hes optimistic about the political process in Iraq because of the decisions Maliki is making.
Rumsfeld also praised Army Gen. George Casey Jr. and the coalition forces who carried out the mission that killed Zarqawi yesterday.
General Casey and his team just deserve a lot of credit, he said. They have been tracking that individual for a good long time -- come very close on a number of occasions. |
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ABOARD E-4B AIRCRAFT EN ROUTE TO WASHINGTON, June 8, 2006 — Its ironic that terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed yesterday just as the Iraqi government he tried to derail scored some significant successes, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today.
Rumsfeld announced the Jordanian terrorist masterminds death during a session of a NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels earlier today. He expanded on the subject on the flight home.
This has to be a shock to the al Qaeda system, not just in Iraq but elsewhere. The benefit is enormous for the Iraqi people, Rumsfeld told reporters traveling with him.
Heres a man who has killed literally thousands of people -- innocent men, women and children. He has incited sectarian violence. He was a center of the financing network and of the operational network, and the link between the Iraqi operation and elements outside of Iraq.
This blow, coupled with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today announcing he had named people to the key Cabinet positions of defense and interior, is a stunning shock to the insurgency in Iraq, Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld noted that Maliki had come under criticism for the delay in naming Cabinet ministers to these crucial posts. Ministers of defense and interior are vital because these two posts oversee the military and police forces, respectively.
But Rumsfeld today praised the Iraqi leader for the careful way he made his decisions. He said Maliki made the right decision in naming Cabinet officers who were not part of the spoils system of politics but who would perform their duties fairly.
The success of the government is dependent upon those people being competent and those people being willing to |
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TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aecdef; dies; eve; government; iraq; ironic; rumsfeld; successes; zarqawi
1
posted on
06/08/2006 9:35:14 PM PDT
by
SandRat
To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...
The Irony of the Z-man's assuming room temperature today.
2
posted on
06/08/2006 9:36:06 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
To: SandRat
I disagree with Secretary Rumsfeld. It's not ironic, it's poetic.
3
posted on
06/08/2006 9:36:51 PM PDT
by
T. Buzzard Trueblood
("No one cried when Clinton spied." -Crosslake)
To: T. Buzzard Trueblood
Zarqawi died of surveillance.
Surveillance has killed too many.
There must be no more surveillance.
4
posted on
06/08/2006 9:38:56 PM PDT
by
IncPen
(The Liberal's Reward is Self-Disgust)
To: IncPen
is that you Reid-Biden-Murtha???
5
posted on
06/08/2006 9:41:44 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
To: SandRat
Thanks for the Great Post Sand Rat!!
Also for the side reminder too that:
-----AMERICA owes our hard Working & Diligent Military the WORLD for all the work they do everyday that doesn't get Noticed..it ALL ADDS UP to this point when their efforst come together and BAAM!!: another murderer down!!
also it's a reminder that:
----WE also have those dedicated to AMERICA like Rummy!!
Thank GOD & Bless this Administration !!
Other wise...we'd be STUCK in " Appeasement-Ville" again with the likes of :
---MAD "Not-So-Bright"!!!...or
---SANDY BURGLER-BERGER!!...or....
---SCHRILLARY would have FORCED her way into a position
( probly thru blackmail on all SHE has on everyone!!) in KERRY'S administration in some key role that would have DISTROYED all Pres. Bush & our Military has worked for already!!
---or any OTHER " CLINTONESTAs " Libbies, End-the-War-Now would be incharge and AMERICA would be screwed!!
Great Post!
Darth Airborne : " Women Crave me...Fish Fear me!!!"
6
posted on
06/08/2006 9:42:32 PM PDT
by
AirBorn
To: SandRat; finnman69
To: SandRat
This has been a big set back for the naysayers of a free Iraq but you wouldn't know it from the MSM. They can't hold out forever because both TV and print are slowly going down the tube.
8
posted on
06/08/2006 9:45:47 PM PDT
by
jazusamo
(DIANA IREY for Congress, PA 12th District: Retire murtha.)
To: T. Buzzard Trueblood; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Velveeta; Cap Huff; Dog; Coop; AdmSmith; ...
The most pathetic liberal bull about Zarqawi I heard today that he was the line that he was some idiot thug that hit the jackpot with Bush's attack on Iraq.
The fact is that Zarqawi found the only possible course for victory for him and presued it agreesively despite of all the attacks on him from everywhere including al-Qaeda central for attacking Shia. The only way Zarqawi could destabilize Iraq and force the US out was to cause a civil war. A nationalistic uprising wouldn't work for al-Qaeda, because the Shia and Sunnis would have no need for foreigners. Zarqawi played every crack in the ethnic and religious faultlines of Iraq.
Zarqawi also knew in late 2003 in his letter to Bin Laden that the second democracy comes to Iraq it would be over for al-Qaeda and they would have to in his words pack their bags or die fighting.
Zarqawi did make mistakes, but by in large he was the most agressive and intelligent enemy we have faced in the War on Terror. For all the bluster about Bin Laden the man is a coward who took himself out of the fight against the West shortly after 911 and went so deep in Pakistan he is probably living in the 12 level of hell.
9
posted on
06/08/2006 9:53:49 PM PDT
by
jmc1969
To: SandRat
Nothing ironic about it. He was losing, big time and AQ, uh...fired him.
Not exactly a golden parachute in AQ.
10
posted on
06/08/2006 10:01:35 PM PDT
by
Wiseghy
("You want to break this army? Then break your word to it.")
To: Wiseghy
al-Qaeda didn't fire him. al-Qaeda central has zero control of al-Qaeda in Iraq. al-Qaeda in Iraq is over 90% Iraqi and the foreign fighters in the network Zarqawi used as leaders or sent out to blow themselves up.
There is no top down leadership for al-Qaeda worldwide. Bin Laden today had no more control of Zarqawi from his hole in the middle of nowhere then Karl Rove. Dispite the stories out tonight on DU.
There has been a dozen different storys out yesterday about this intel source or another led to his death, but I suspect the reality was it was alot of things working together helped to find him.
I actually thought Zarqawi would leave Iraq over the past many months rather then die fighting, but unlike Bin Laden he was actually willing to go out fighting.
11
posted on
06/08/2006 10:15:18 PM PDT
by
jmc1969
To: SandRat
;o)
12
posted on
06/08/2006 10:20:04 PM PDT
by
shield
(A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand; but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc. 10:2)
To: jmc1969
Well, if hangin' in the "safe-house" can be considered "fighting."
13
posted on
06/08/2006 11:33:10 PM PDT
by
JennysCool
(Roll out the Canarble Wagon!)
To: jmc1969
Couldn't agree more with what you said. To many downplay zman's accomplishments. He was ruthless and calculating. He knew exactly what strings to pull. And the dopes you refere to, where amoung those strings.
14
posted on
06/09/2006 4:36:18 AM PDT
by
Marine_Uncle
(Honor must be earned)
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