Green Energy
Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the XVIII Airborne Corps says they have:
Al Qaeda in Iraq and its presumed leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, have conceded strategic defeat and are on their way out of the country, a top U.S. military official contended yesterday.
The group's failure to disrupt national elections and a constitutional referendum last year "was a tactical admission by Zarqawi that their strategy had failed," said Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the XVIII Airborne Corps.
"They no longer view Iraq as fertile ground to establish a caliphate and as a place to conduct international terrorism," he said in an address at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Gen. Vines' statement came as news broke that coalition and Iraqi forces had killed an associate of Osama bin Laden's during an early morning raid near Abu Ghraib about two weeks ago.
Rafid Ibrahim Fattah aka Abu Umar al Kurdi served as a liaison between terrorist networks and was linked to Taliban members in Afghanistan, Pakistani-based extremists and other senior al Qaeda leaders, the military said yesterday.
In the past six months, al Kurdi had worked as a terrorist cell leader in Baqouba. Prior to that, he had traveled extensively Pakistan, Iran and Iraq and formed a relationship with al Qaeda senior leaders in 1999 while in Afghanistan.
He also had ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, formed while he was in Iran and Pakistan, and joined the jihad in Afghanistan in 1989, the military said. He was killed March 27.
Gen. Vines said the foreign terrorists had made a strategic mistake when they tried to intimidate and deny Iraqis a way to vote.
"I believe Zarqawi discredited himself with the Iraqi people because of his willingness to slaughter Iraqi people," he said.
Let's hope this is true. But, let us also ask ourselves if there, perhaps, could be another reason Al Qaeda may not want to be in Iraq right about now.
Hmm. Can you think of one reason?
I bet you can.
- Zarqawi Raid Yields Al Qaeda Treasure Chest
There have been 452 raids, and 109 kills since Zarqawi's home was hit by the United States: BAGHDAD, Iraq - American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since last week's killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents...
- Zarqawi: Terror Tool Of Tehran
From Michael Ledeen in National Review: I first noticed (Zarqawi) some years ago, reading the German and Italian press. Several terrorist cells in those countries had been rounded up, and court documents showed that in both countries the network had...
- Is He Finally Dead??
UPDATE: He is not merely dead. He is most sincerely dead. Even Al Qaeda is admitting it. IF SO, this is the best news for Iraqis and for all of us. Iraq PM says Zarqawi killed: TV Reuters, Jun 8, 2006 Al-Qaeda's Iraq chief al-Zarqawi killed Associated...
- Jihadis Leave Iraq - Return To Europe To "wage Holy War"
From Atlas Shrugs: The return of Europe's jihadists from Iraq is giving the Continent's intelligence services nightmares. Last October, Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr warned that intercepted correspondence between Abu Musab Zarqawi, the leader...
- Us Officials Begin Talks With Iraqi Insurgents
Attemtpting to take advantage of a rift between homegrown insurgents and foreign Al Qaeda members, the United States has entered into negotiations with Iraqi insurgents: Citing a Western diplomat, an Iraqi political leader and an Iraqi insurgent leader,...
Green Energy
Has Al Qaeda Conceded Defeat In Iraq?
Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the XVIII Airborne Corps says they have:
Al Qaeda in Iraq and its presumed leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, have conceded strategic defeat and are on their way out of the country, a top U.S. military official contended yesterday.
The group's failure to disrupt national elections and a constitutional referendum last year "was a tactical admission by Zarqawi that their strategy had failed," said Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the XVIII Airborne Corps.
"They no longer view Iraq as fertile ground to establish a caliphate and as a place to conduct international terrorism," he said in an address at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Gen. Vines' statement came as news broke that coalition and Iraqi forces had killed an associate of Osama bin Laden's during an early morning raid near Abu Ghraib about two weeks ago.
Rafid Ibrahim Fattah aka Abu Umar al Kurdi served as a liaison between terrorist networks and was linked to Taliban members in Afghanistan, Pakistani-based extremists and other senior al Qaeda leaders, the military said yesterday.
In the past six months, al Kurdi had worked as a terrorist cell leader in Baqouba. Prior to that, he had traveled extensively Pakistan, Iran and Iraq and formed a relationship with al Qaeda senior leaders in 1999 while in Afghanistan.
He also had ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, formed while he was in Iran and Pakistan, and joined the jihad in Afghanistan in 1989, the military said. He was killed March 27.
Gen. Vines said the foreign terrorists had made a strategic mistake when they tried to intimidate and deny Iraqis a way to vote.
"I believe Zarqawi discredited himself with the Iraqi people because of his willingness to slaughter Iraqi people," he said.
Let's hope this is true. But, let us also ask ourselves if there, perhaps, could be another reason Al Qaeda may not want to be in Iraq right about now.
Hmm. Can you think of one reason?
I bet you can.
- Zarqawi Raid Yields Al Qaeda Treasure Chest
There have been 452 raids, and 109 kills since Zarqawi's home was hit by the United States: BAGHDAD, Iraq - American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since last week's killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents...
- Zarqawi: Terror Tool Of Tehran
From Michael Ledeen in National Review: I first noticed (Zarqawi) some years ago, reading the German and Italian press. Several terrorist cells in those countries had been rounded up, and court documents showed that in both countries the network had...
- Is He Finally Dead??
UPDATE: He is not merely dead. He is most sincerely dead. Even Al Qaeda is admitting it. IF SO, this is the best news for Iraqis and for all of us. Iraq PM says Zarqawi killed: TV Reuters, Jun 8, 2006 Al-Qaeda's Iraq chief al-Zarqawi killed Associated...
- Jihadis Leave Iraq - Return To Europe To "wage Holy War"
From Atlas Shrugs: The return of Europe's jihadists from Iraq is giving the Continent's intelligence services nightmares. Last October, Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr warned that intercepted correspondence between Abu Musab Zarqawi, the leader...
- Us Officials Begin Talks With Iraqi Insurgents
Attemtpting to take advantage of a rift between homegrown insurgents and foreign Al Qaeda members, the United States has entered into negotiations with Iraqi insurgents: Citing a Western diplomat, an Iraqi political leader and an Iraqi insurgent leader,...