Terrorist capture a win for Iraqis

CHALK up a win for the good guys in Iraq. Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, al-Qa'ida in Iraq's No 2 man was captured this weekend, hiding out in a residential neighbourhood of Baghdad. Besides taking out of circulation a terrorist leader probably responsible for hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths and targeted assassinations, Saeedi's arrest is important for a variety of other reasons. It shows that al-Qa'ida's top management in Iraq is under constant threat of death or capture, making it that much more difficult to both recruit and carry out attacks. That the terrorist was captured by Iraqi forces working with coalition troops signals that the local army and police are becoming ever more confident and competent as the clock ticks down to an eventual and inevitable handover of the country to the new Government. Saeedi's capture is also symbolic as he was involved in some of the most heinous crimes committed in Iraq since the ouster of Saddam Hussein and was the mastermind of February's bombing of the Samarra shrine – an act that led to more than 200 deaths from sectarian fighting. And unlike Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qa'ida in Iraq's former chief, Saeedi was captured alive. Iraqi officials say that soon after his apprehension Saeedi started giving up other members of his organisation, leading to the capture or death of 11 other top terrorist insurgents in the country. Among the information gleaned from Saeedi is the fact that al-Qa'ida is co-operating with supporters of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, further putting paid to the notion that secular Baathists and hardline Islamists cannot work together.

1 posted on 09/05/2006 9:39:15 AM PDT by knighthawk

To: MizSterious; Nix 2; green lantern; BeOSUser; Brad's Gramma; dreadme; Turk2; keri; ...

Ping

2 posted on 09/05/2006 9:39:34 AM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)

I'll believe killing or capturing the top terrorist leaders is great news once all these dumb roadside bombings stop in Iraq.

How has Zarqawi's death reduced the violence?

3 posted on 09/05/2006 9:41:07 AM PDT by GianniV

The violence won't stop as long as the pro-Iranian militias exit. As long as they exist the Sunnis won't really turn on the insurgency until they no longer feel they protect them from the Shia militias.

4 posted on 09/05/2006 9:43:08 AM PDT by jmc1969

Agreed. There's another news article right now that there is a big push on, in Sadr City. Here's to much success and no U.S. casualties, on that one.

5 posted on 09/05/2006 9:53:09 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)

And of course the media whoredom who asserted there were no WMDs or al qaeda in Iraq will now be burning up the airways to set their purposeful false assertions straight, right? When couric/rather/russertpigs fly

6 posted on 09/05/2006 10:02:39 AM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)

Thanks for the ping.

7 posted on 09/05/2006 12:13:58 PM PDT by GOPJ (Note to MSM - when dems say "jump", you don't have to ask "how high".)

Hope you are doing okay!

8 posted on 09/05/2006 1:25:40 PM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)

You cannot prove a negative.

9 posted on 09/05/2006 2:17:35 PM PDT by contemplator (Capitalism gets no Rock Concerts)

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