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.
Well, if hangin' in the "safe-house" can be considered "fighting."