Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq was captured today in the northern city of Mosul according to the Iraqi ministry of defense. Al-Masri’s life parallels that of al-Qaeda itself. Born an Egyptian he followed al-Qaeda’s fortunes from the Middle East to Central Asia and back. According to US sources, Masri was born in 1967, “joined the Muslim Brotherhood, and in 1982 … joined Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which later became part of al-Qaeda. He went to Afghanistan in 1999, where he became an explosives expert. In 2004 he was put in charge of al-Qaeda’s overseas networks, and in 2006 he succeeded al-Zarqawi as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.”
Intrestingly enough, Masri was captured in Mosul.
That’s so intresting, it deserved to be stated twice. So, have a beer or four.
Oh, and read this, too.
Back in November of 2006 — back when al Qaeda had successfully plunged Iraq into sectarian chaos and the Iraqi people needed us the most — James Carroll (a columnist for the Boston Globe) was excited about the possibility of America’s apparent defeat.
h/t Glenn Reynolds; if you’re not familiar with him, you should check him out
More: Melissa responds to the perpetual Gerson thread, here.
The humbling of America takes first place over the lives of any one person. Got it.
However, I am not willing to don sackcloth and ashes just to suit Mr. Carroll. He is an example of the Ike Turner School of Patriotism.
I will have a glass of wine(good for the heart) and remind you, guys, that 63 years ago allies defeated Nazi Germany
Dan,
Going out of the visual mode to the code mode in the editor is a good way to delete that stray CSS that puts the rest of the front page in big headline type.
;-)
Thanks.
I know strategically it’s good when they’re captured, but I like it more better when they die screaming.
S.P.E.C.T.R.E. HGWIC: Mr. al-Masri, my cat likes to eat testicles.
Cat: Meow!
al-Masri:…
– False alarm.