Zarqawi 'survived initial strike'

[Pennsterdam]

Oh god. So he mumbled before he died huh....
---
Zarqawi 'survived initial strike'
---
Militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was still alive when Iraqi police got to the scene of the air strikes that targeted him, the US military says.
But the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq died of his wounds shortly afterwards, Major General William Caldwell said.

US planes dropped two 500lb (230kg) bombs on Zarqawi's safe house near the city of Baquba on Wednesday.

After US troops arrived, Zarqawi tried to move off the stretcher where he had been placed, Gen Caldwell said.


"Everybody re-secured him back onto the stretcher, but he died almost immediately thereafter from the wounds he had received from this air strike," he said.

US military officials had earlier said Zarqawi had not survived the strike, which they said came after tip-offs from his organisation.

On Friday vehicles were banned for hours from the streets of the capital and nearby Baquba, amid fears of bomb reprisals for the death.

Thousands of worshippers go to mosques for Friday prayers and have often been targeted by bombers linked to Zarqawi.

In fresh comments on the death, President George W Bush said it was a "major blow" to al-Qaeda, but it was not going to end the war.

"It's certainly not going to end the violence, but it's going to help a lot," Mr Bush said.

Momentum

News of Zarqawi's death has given a massive boost to the Iraqi government and the Bush administration, correspondents say.

The Iraqi prime minister has promised to build on the momentum gained from the death to deliver security.

Nouri Maliki said he wanted to launch a drive to "secure" Baghdad and confront "ethnic cleansing" around the city, in an article in the UK's Times newspaper.

Giving the first details of the discovery of Zarqawi alive, Gen Caldwell told reporters the militant leader had "mumbled something indistinguishable and... very short" before he died.

When US troops got there, they had made an identification of Zarqawi by distinguishing marks on his body and "some kind of visual, facial recognition", he said.

"We do not know" why he had survived the initial strike, he said.

There was nothing in the report to indicate Zarqawi had been shot, Gen Caldwell said.

He said some "analysis of his body" had been done and DNA results were expected in coming days.

Zarqawi was one of six people killed in the raid, including two other men and three women, he added - contrasting with earlier statements that a child had died.

The US military says the operation against Zarqawi has given them a "treasure trove" of new information.

The militant leader was known for his particularly gruesome tactics, including videotaped beheadings of hostages and synchronised bomb attacks on civilians.

Fresh attacks

Unrest has continued in Iraq with several attacks targeting workers and installations used by the oil industry:


A senior official from Iraq's state oil company is kidnapped near his home in Baghdad
Three oil engineers are reportedly shot dead on the road from Baiji to the oil production centre of Kirkuk
Gunmen in Kirkuk attack an oil pipeline, reportedly killing one civilian and injuring three soldiers
On the streets of Baghdad, most people welcomed the news of Zarqawi's death.

"We consider this a great delight to the people because right must prevail," said one man. "Thanks are due to God for ending our ordeal."

But a statement on an Islamist website, purportedly from al-Qaeda, said: "The death of our leaders ... only makes us more determined to continue the jihad."

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has dismissed as "utter nonsense" fears that Zarqawi's death will lead directly to more violence.

"These things tend to get planned well in advance," he said.

Pennsterdam Reviewed by Pennsterdam on 06-09-2006. Zarqawi 'survived initial strike' Oh god. So he mumbled before he died huh.... --- Zarqawi 'survived initial strike' --- Militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was still alive when Iraqi police got to the scene of the air strikes that targeted him, the US military says. But the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq died of his wounds shortly afterwards, Major General William Caldwell said. US planes dropped two 500lb (230kg) bombs on Zarqawi's safe house near the city of Baquba on Wednesday. After US troops arrived, Zarqawi Rating: 5

[Aaron385]

I love it.. they keep making terrorist videos showing their faces and airing them to show us their "strength".. then we make videos of 500lb bombs blowing up a house and videos of dead terrorists and air them to show our strenght.

Maybe one day the terrorists will learn to pick on somebody who wont fight back.. like canada.

[Pennsterdam]

I don't believe there were "terrorists" on those planes that struck the WTC, nor do I think there was a plane that hit the pentagon on 9/11. Real terrorists have been exploited such as Bin Laden and made into the Devil incarnate.

Remember when the Nazis pushed propaganda against the communists, Jews, and liberals? We are just experiencing a big rehash of history.

This "War On Terror" is just the backdrop for a dictatorship and a one world government, sponsored by the Elite. If this wasn't true, they would not have passed the Patriot Act. Surrendering your rights in the name of security is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and history shows that it works! But history also shows us that man learns nothing from history!

Beware.....

[Bong30]

I don't believe there were "terrorists" on those planes that struck the WTC, nor do I think there was a plane that hit the pentagon on 9/11. Real terrorists have been exploited such as Bin Laden and made into the Devil incarnate.

Remember when the Nazis pushed propaganda against the communists, Jews, and liberals? We are just experiencing a big rehash of history.

This "War On Terror" is just the backdrop for a dictatorship and a one world government, sponsored by the Elite. If this wasn't true, they would not have passed the Patriot Act. Surrendering your rights in the name of security is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and history shows that it works! But history also shows us that man learns nothing from history!

Beware.....

This is GS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Pennsterdam]

I've read many posts by Great Spirit. He is very knowlegable and knows his stuff about this. He posts funny pictures sometimes. But I am not him. I wonder why he got banned.

[Bong30]

you are gs

[Pennsterdam]

And I'm your Irish Uncle. I dont know what you are talking about. I am not him. I have read many of his posts before I became a member.