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Ear to the Ground

Al-Qaida Leader in Iraq Killed, Officials Say

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Posted on May 1, 2007
al-Masri
AP Photo / Hadi Mizban

Iraq national security adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie introduces a video showing Abu Ayyub al-Masri, left on screen, during a news conference in Baghdad in October, 2006, not long after Masri took over as head of al-Qaida in Iraq. 

The Iraqi Interior Ministry says the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was killed in an internal fight among Sunni insurgents. However, the U.S. and at least one Iraqi official have expressed only cautious optimism, as a body has not yet been recovered.

The news, if confirmed, would be a mixed blessing for the Bush administration, which praised the death of former al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as a turning point in the war, only to see violent attacks in the country grow more vicious and frequent.

Update: al-Masri’s umbrella organization has denied reports of his death.

BBC:

Abu Ayyub al-Masri, believed to be an Egyptian, has led the group since June 2006 when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike.

One official said he was “100% sure” that Masri had been killed, but another urged caution as the body had not been recovered.

Officials said Masri was killed in an “internal battle” between militants.

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By vet240, May 1, 2007 at 12:57 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

One of our most noted Statesman, Henry Kissinger once said, “You can kill a man, you can’t kill and idea.

This hatred against the West in general and America inparticular has no head or body. It can’t be killed with weapons of any kind.

The only way to assuage this “enemy” is to address the issues they have with our Culture. Can this be done? I don’t know. It depends on whether the They want to comprimise along with us if we start listening to the developing and under-developed Nations. Why should we? They are a much larger and faster populating group than the West is.

Eventually they will no longer need us. Specially if we continue to throw what little money we have left at that Black Hole we call Iraq.

It could be called poetic justice I suppose. America and Russia, two of the most prolific weapons producers in the world, brought to our knees by the very weapons we’ve sewn around the world.

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By Tom Doff, May 1, 2007 at 12:52 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Another valid comparison between Iraq and Vietnam, is that if you keep track of the cumulative total of all opponents of the US reported captured and killed, you will end up with a large multiple exceeding the total of all such folks who ever lived.

It was true of the North Vietnamese, the ‘Communists’, in ‘Nam, and it’s true of the Insurgents, the ‘Terrorists’, in Iraq.

And isn’t it amazing that there are no ‘Non-Communists’, or ‘Non-Terrorists’, ever reported killed?

Who do you suppose is responsible for all those ‘Non-’ deaths?

Could ‘god’ have lost his mind and go on an innocent-killing frenzy whenever the good old US of A invades someone?

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By Toby, May 1, 2007 at 10:30 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Tribes claim leader of al Qaeda in Iraq killed
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/

[Which is a real trick because the man in question has been sitting in an Egyptian prison for several years now.]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5153364.stm

“A prominent Cairo lawyer says the Egyptian man identified by the US as the new al-Qaeda leader in Iraq has been in jail in Egypt for seven years.”

“The lawyer, Mamdouh Ismail, who has represented Egyptian Islamists for many years, says he met the man days ago in a jail on the edge of Cairo.”

“He says the apparent contradictions in information may be part of a disinformation campaign by both sides.”

“Sharif Haza told me that he has been in jail for many years now and that he has no relationship whatsoever with al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden.” Mahmoud Ismail, Egyptian lawyer

“The question of the identity of the successor to Zarqawi took another twist a few days ago when Osama Bin Laden said in an audio message that a man by the name of Abu Hamza al-Muhajir was the new leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.”

[Another good trick, since Osama is probably dead.] http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osama_dead.html

“Mr. Ismail says no-one has heard of al-Muhajir.
He adds that the names being released by the Americans and Bin Laden, are probably part of disinformation campaigns from both sides, whose sole purpose is to confound each other.”

And to that end, I would say they have been very successful.

Confounded troublemakers anyway ...

Speaking of al-Qaeda and Osama and confounded troublemakers, for more very interesting reading, check out: http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fakealqaeda.html

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By QuyTran, May 1, 2007 at 9:57 am #

Is that true ? I don’t think so. Just a dirty propaganda and who cares ?

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By THOMAS BILLIS, May 1, 2007 at 9:56 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Oh great we got the no2 in Alqaida again.This must be the 500th time we have killed or captured the no2 man.Alqaida having caught onto this trend now only nominates the man sleeping with the camel as the no2 man.If this getting the No 2 man was not such a joke on its face it is the coverage that the news media gives these fictitous no2s.We keep getting the No 2 guy and the rate of our guys getting killed over there keeps going up.Maybe we should try for the no 3 guy.

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By Verne Arnold, May 1, 2007 at 8:39 am #

Oh really? So what?  Abu Ayyub al-Masri dead...does it really matter?  I don’t think so!

As in Viet Nam, we never got it...individuals don’t matter...it’s the hearts and minds of the people that make the difference.  Win the battle lose the war!
It just goes on and on and on, ad infinitum!

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