Early reports are legion, but there’s been no confirmation. So, you know, keep your chin up, Harry! There’s still hope! From the Australian:
The reported death last night of al-Qa’ida’s leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, in an internal power struggle could be the second significant blow to the insurgent group in as many weeks.
Masri’s reported death comes just nine months after he succeeded the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a notorious Jordanian-born thug who was killed last June in a US airstrike in Diyala province.
US forces also killed an al-Qa’ida kingpin who had sent 12-year-old Iraqi boys to their deaths as suicide car bombers. The US command claimed Muhammad Abdullah Abbas al-Issawi, the al-Qa’ida “security emir” in eastern Anbar province in Iraq and a former Zarqawi associate, was killed on April 20.
The Iraqi Government’s chief spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, released a statement last night saying reports of Masri’s death at the hands of Sunni tribesman had been received but that his death could not yet be confirmed.
If the reports prove to be true, Masri’s death would signal a widening split among insurgents. There has been increasing friction between Sunni Islamist al-Qa’ida and other Sunni Arab insurgent groups, particularly over al-Qa’ida’s indiscriminate killing of civilians in Iraq.
Mr Dabbagh’s statement followed a welter of reports from other Iraqi officials that Masri had been killed.
A widening split among insurgents? Why, that would suggest another gradual move by Sunni insurgents away from terror tactics. Which might lead to some stability within the country, and possibly even some sort of political reconciliation.
And we just cannot have that—at least, not until after the November ‘08 elections, when Democrats can take credit for it. Which is why so many of their Presidential candidates seem so keen on “shoving” a forced withdrawal date down the President’s throat.
Is my guess.
Because just as nothing succeeds like success, nothing fails like failure. Although sometimes, you gotta give it a little bit of a nudge.
(thanks to furriskey)
Humor me here.
What if–if–by, say, this autumn, the Iraqi situation has so demonstrably improved politically and militarily/security-wise that the MSM simply can’t embargo it any longer. Sectarian violence has dropped markedly, al Qaeda is on the run with no safe haven, US military operations are de minimus and mostly civil affair-like, etc.
Question: Is there a Dem prez candidate who would stand up and acknowledge it? I mean, couldn’t it be this campaign season’s “Sister Souljah” moment to where this candidate could snag a wide swath of moderates from both parties and independents? Does the anti-war, screeching moonbat faction of the Democrat party have that much influence to where an act like this would result in a very visible act of political suicide?
Would be a smart play. But the base would go apeshit, and one has to make it through the primaries.
Now, once the primaries are over…
Fair enough.
Now a parlor game: name the post-primary candidate most fearless/stupid to do so. I really can’t come up with one.
Harry Reid just called the pharmacy to have his Zoloft prescription renewed.
Kelly,
From your lips to God’s ears, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for such a utopian development in Iraq over the next few months.
First, Iran has a vested interest in getting the US military out out of the region. To that end, they’ll keep the Shia militants active with their campaign against the Sunni population and do everything possible to help create a perception of chaos and failure which the American media will be all-to-happy to shove down our throats.
Second, recent reports of “body-snatching” (where criminals posing as first aid workers or
police officials are now reportedly appearing at the sites of the suicide car bomb attacks and stealing corpses, which they then hold for ransom from beareved families whom under Islamic law must bury their loved one’s quickly) points out, once again, that Iraqi society will need several generations before they’re prepared to conduct themselves in a civilized fashion.
Far more likely is a scenario where violence ebbs in the near term, only to flare up again in time for the US general election.
It is interesting to note the recent articles by intelligence officials stating that the lack of any follow-up attacks in the US by Al-Quaeda could well be due to their belief that our current divided political dynamic best helps them. Any 9/11 type event could possibly unite Americans and serve to harden public opinion against the Islamofascists, rather than push the current Democrat/BDS narrative that we need to “cut and run” from the “civil war” in Iraq.
They could tacitly move in this direction by going with a fearless/stupid VP who has moved towards a more positive evaluation of Iraq. I can see Clinton/Richardson pulling this off. The press can play up the “split” and fall will be filled with nuance and puppy dogs. And also having another Bill around will be very helpful rhetorically.
Al-Qaeda, while responsible for many of the spectacular attacks, represents no more than ~5% of the insurgency…
American’s are dying—daily—and we are pinning our hopes on a Maliki government that is closely tied to a fundamentalist islamist (Sadr)—his power base. Sadr is anit-American in the extreme and more closely aligned with Iran than western politics/ians.
Why are we supporting (i.e. dying for) a government that even if it is able to quell the sectarian violence will be more closely aligned with Iranian interests than our own? Iraq, at best, will be “democratic” in name only—have any of you read even the introductory parts of their constitution?
If we leave, it is likely that the Sunni’s will break ties with Al-Qaeda as they serve as an irritant to the American’s while undermining longer term Sunni goals. A timetable may pressure Baghdad to get their act together… and if it doesn’t, at least it will likely get Americans out of the line of fire.
I’m more than inclined to agree with you, pvrwc. But first, since our intel re Al-Qaeda has been, uh, less than spectacular over the last 15 years, why should we think it has improved enough lately to render this realistic? Second, isn’t it possible this consigns a bit too much political wonkiness to this terrorist group than they possess? And third, are they that hierarchal and/or news event driven to forestall their stated desire for the destruction of The Great Satan as to glean possibly misleading conclusions from our domestic political fights? I wonder.
Even when we are being killed RoR still searches desperately for a method to place us in control of Iraq. I am impressed. Enough with the Markg8s, enough with the timmybs and all the rest. RoR is my newest and greatest passion.
Why is there this idea that the MSM is ignoring the “good” that happens in Iraq? Wingers think the MSM is hiding the good and Lefties think the MSM is just a press release machine for the Admin. Well, obviously it can’t be both, still both sides try to argue their point non-stop. I read both sides blogs and sites and what not and it’s amazing. Don’t you all realize when you go so far too the right and to the left that yu end up meeting again at some point?
My “too” annexed the o in “yu”.
“Hey Harry? Where’d you leave the goalpost jack? We gotta move ‘em again…”
Ask your friends and coworkers today if they can tell you what the first significant blow was.
for me at least, it’s because I know soldiers that are over there, and most of them are frustrated with the coverage they see. and I read it on milblogs. (here is a good place to start, they usually have a daily roundup of other milblogger posts)
phelander,
I was a Task Force S-5 in Afghanistan, and we saw and did some amazing things. I don’t fret that we weren’t in the news (there were plenty of others doing even more than us) but that we might as well have been on the Dark Side of the Moon. Nobody heard a thing about Afghanistan, unless it was a helicopter crash, something bad about poppies or a KIA from some action. Even during their first Presidential and Parliamentary elections – the press either reported very little, tried to find something negative (non-indelible ink!!!!) or just plain ignored the story.
That is where I get the “idea”…
Phelander,
At it’s core the Hostile Media Effect has to do with how the mind processes loss and reward. But generally, it is a form of confirmation bias.
There are some more empirical means of trying to assess bias, but this post by Neo-Neocon is probably a reasonable empirical observation of the phenomenon.
BRD
Major John, can you be a little more sarcastic and condescending by using more “quotes”? I guess you and the others stopped reading as soon as you read something slightly pointing a finger at the right. Do me a favor, read the whole thing, then comment. And by the way, the fact that you are a soldier doesn’t make me any more impressed with your answers because it’s painfully obvious you are reacting to my comment, not reading it and responding. Thanks for serving your country, but don’t expect me to kiss your ass for the choices you made in life.
Excellent insight, BRD. thanks.
It’s called Blair’s Law, after Tim Blair, and it explains the de facto alliance between the western left and the jihadis.
Oh, and phelander—don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.
Kelly,
Given the effective manipulation of the Spanish electorate by the terrorists just before their elections and the pronouncements by Al-Queda leaders supporting the Democrats before tha 2006 Congressional election here in the US, I think it’s very safe to assume they have a great awareness of Western political dynamics.
Also, the old Arab adage, “your son may kill my son, but my grandson will kill your grandson” attests to the lenghty time frame that exists in the Arab mind.
Perhaps another old adage applies to their thinking right now as well, “never distract your enemy when he’s engage in destroying himself”.
Oh Rob, you’d be so funny if you were. But you aren’t.
That’s funny, I don’t remember “Al-Queda leaders supporting the Democrats before tha 2006 Congressional election here in the US”…oh, must be more lies. Silly liars.
Proudvast runs to some rightie blog to “prove” his point…world remains unimpressed.
phelander,
I agree that there are those on the right who are convinced that the MSM ignores or under-report our successes; and that some on left are equally convinced that the MSM is simply a mouthpiece for the Bush administration. I also agree, generally, that both propositions can’t be right at the same time.
But did it ever occur to you that both are not right? That one is a correct view (that the MSM is ignoring/under-reporting successes) and the other is a fiction?
la-la-la-la-la….
Oh Rob, you’d be funny if you were. But you aren’t.
???
But don’t worry, phelander–we all think you are hillarious
Phelander, just a quick question. Did Major John serve “your” country, too? Your attempt to outreach for the moderate/independent is pretty encouraging, but do you really believe that the MSM plays it down the middle? The old adage is still true…if it bleeds, it leads. Unfortunately, they only keep score for the bad guys. That’s the problem most of us “wingers” {snickers} have with the MSM.
RoR, that is certainly one way to look at it and one way that I look at it, at times. For me personally, this whole challenge in Iraq is tough to get my head around.
Yes it occured that both are not right. that’s what I said. Both are not right. Both, therefore are wrong. Both are also correct. The Elephant is a snake and a tree trunk.
I love that song. Now it’s gonna be stuck in my head all day.
Polish, you know very well what the term “Serve Your Country” means. Don’t try to make it sound like their are 2 different countries, mine and his, that I was speaking of. Unless of course that is what you want to imply. You sure like to divide and not unite, don’t you? Not me, I’m a uniter not a divider. I am also a decider.
I also like cider.
Actually, I was wondering if you were a U.S. citizen or not. Nothing else. How did I divide? I love to unite, if you know what I mean. Are you ok? A decider of what? Coffee or tea? Boxers or briefs? Lagavulin 16 or Balvenie Doublewood (BTW, thanks Jeff)?
?
Definitions of react on the Web:
* show a response or a reaction to something
* undergo a chemical reaction; react with another substance under certain conditions; “The hydrogen and the oxygen react”
* act against or in opposition to; “She reacts negatively to everything I say”
How is ‘reacting’ different from ‘reading and responding?’ It would be damn hard to respond cogently without having actually read your statement.
But really, your counter essentially reduces to ‘swallow what I feed you or keep your mouth shut.’ With perhaps an implied ‘don’t confuse my narrative with pesky firsthand experience or facts’ somewhere between the lines.
At risk of putting words in other people’s mouths, I have never been anywhere in the world where I didn’t end up getting a better sense of events on the ground in six hours in a bar than I did from months and months of press coverage.
In every single case, the situation was both worse and better than was being portrayed.
Based on what I’m hearing from the folks crashing about in the Sandbox, both better and worse is, in many cases, a reasonably accurate description.
I would still hazard a guess that the media here tends to magnify the disasters. I think everyone agrees that Iraq never had rainbow skies, chocolate rivers, and children flying kites. Moreover, it’s still not rainbow skies, chocolate rivers, and children flying kites. And whether or not we stay or leave, it won’t be rainbow skies, chocolate rivers, and children flying kites.
BRD
Does Major John give off some secret troll pheremones or something? just wondering since he seems to be getting attacked from out of left field lately. cause HOW DARE YOU ANSWER PHELANDERS FIRST QUESTION MAJOR JOHN!!!!
Maggie, the retard line starts right after W over there. He’s the one playing with the cowboys and sunni figures over there in the sand.
phelander, do you have a point here, or are you just home from school today?
is that you PIATOR?
TomB, the point is, make a crack at me, be prepared to get cracked back. That’s all.
I.E. – Are you asking because they let you home from the Pedophile rehabilitation program and you want to check in on me?
You’re right, Phelander. How dare Major John muddy up your pristine analysis with his actual experience?
Let me compliment you as well on your ability to read what everyone else saw as a civil reply and detect the clear signs of condescencion and sarcasm that only you were empowered to discern.
Plus, the bravery of taking a stand against ass-kissing (as you were so plainly entreated to do) and labelling folks “retards” – dude, how did this board become lucky enough to attract you?
Psst…TomB is a Pedophile????….no sh…really???
A. Pendragon, I think it was my wish to the Google Gods to take me to the place where A.Pendragon thinks he matters.
Yea, we missed you at the last meeting. And you were the one that was supposed to bring the donuts.
So NOW will you make a point?
Scintillating.
Let me see if I have this straight: The new guy shows up, uses scare quotes around “good” in his question, and implies that any insinuation about a biased media is simply loony.
Major John, one of the finest gentlemen ever to grace a comment thread, gives him a meaningful, first-hand account of how he interpreted media coverage based on his own experience.
To which the new guy responds by getting all bent out of shape over a single use of scare quotes (clearly intended to convey that Major John’s perception of bias was more than a mere “idea” ) and insulting the man who genuinely and politely answered his question.
Confronted by the rest of the community for his anti-social behavior, the new guy continues in his defensive and gratuitously insulting spiral, all while maintaining a sneering attitude as though he’s above it all.
Am I missing something?
Yes: he also called us “wingers” in a post claiming his open-mindedness and neutrality.
Holy Wow… Count the logical fallicies in this one. The logical errors are only outnumbered by the grammatical errors.
He’s as dumb as Alphie!
“Is this the END of Johnny Rico?” he coughed, clutching his belly as he lay dying on the snow-covered steps of the church…
Plus, in the Rosie post above, he spoke of “people who smell like they just had sex with their own mothers,” a subject clearly of some significance and familiarity to him.
OUCH!
Well, touche, I guess. Consider me duly chastized. There is no way I could possibly compete with your ability to destroy with mere words. I stand in awe of your powers.
“Pedophile” – Gosh, how can I cope?
He’s talkin’ troof to powah!
Much like the MSM and Democraps in Congress, he supports the uneducated, atrocity committing troops who ‘got stuck in Iraq’….
Is this latest troll actually the mighty Kos? Or just someone who sounds more elitist, effeminate and gayer? NTTAWWT…
Actually there was not an election endorsement from Bin Laden in 2006, that was in the 2004 presidential race.
Actually the importance of the Al Queda leader endorsing Democrats is nil, just a cheap shot but in a political atmosphere where Democrats abandon all substance for cheap shots I don’t feel bad. More significant is the weird conspiracy nonsense from the Left during 2006 and 2004 election seasons claiming that the evil Karl Rove was releasing Bin Laden tapes to benefit GOP election chances.
While the Democrats are catering to people like Rosie who think that the World Trade Center was intentionally demolished by explosives because they are ignorant of basic physics, they can’t be trusted to run the country.
Hopefully, this account of al-Masri’s death at the hands of his own sect is true. The U.S. could certainly any help it can get in this mess, and indigenous Sunni insurgents turning on the al-Quaida terrorists may do more to destabilize al-Quaida than we ever could.
Huh. How novel. A boorish internet troll infatuated with his own cleverness. Do you suck yourself off as well, fellator?
Kelly:
He can’t answer you at the moment. He’s trying to twirl his beret and get it to land on his bust of Glen Greenwald … er … Ellers Ellerson … uh … MONA!
After which he will cut a slice of brocholi and spinach quiche (made with unfertilized eggs) and enjoy with a glass of pomengranate juice. That will be followed by several hours of blogging about the STUPID IGNORANT FASCIST MCCHIMPYBURTON NEO WACKO GODBAGS!!!!
Check back later…
I think its more likely that his mom called him to dinner and then told him to take out the garbage. All the while screeching at him “…and I don’t know what you’re doing alone in your room all the time…”
“and indigenous Sunni insurgents turning on the al-Quaida terrorists may do more to destabilize al-Quaida than we ever could.”
Cynn,
It may have just been an example of an ancient Bedouin ritual – the ‘leave taking of the honored guest’. The ‘acceptance of the $5m reward’ ritual will be performed next.
You can sure tell that they’re close to divvying up the oil revenue.
You guys make such wonderful and intelligent points. Go on.
you first.
Looks like dinner’s over. What did I tell you, perfect timing.
Hey phel, did you have to clean up your room too?
TomB, no. Thanks for asking. When are you going to stop being an ignorant asshole?
Uh, after you?
Say, did anyone else hear that a top al-Quaida guy might have got popped? No? Oh, OK then.
NPR said it was “just another sign of an increasingly fractious and violent insurgency.”
Cynn. One sign that the box we are trying to put AlQueda in is getting smaller is that they are starting to detroy their own.
TomB, no. Thanks for asking. When are you going to stop being an ignorant asshole?
Posted by phelander
Howsabout you try and be more civil.
Rusty, howsabout you say the same thing to mr. comedy there. Oh no, that would be too fair. Fuck you.
Are you Rosie O’Donnel’s mom?
I’m making a great leap here, but it seems to me that AQ gets into trouble not long after I see reports from Iran of internal trouble. Wasn’t there a rash of student “protests” recently?
If I wasn’t so lazy, I’d do the research. But it does seem that the Iranian leadership has a lot of trouble jugling more than one crisis.
Mission Accomplished, right? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHA
Interesting that on the anniversary of that day, the truth still eludes some:
Jason Phelan of Nashville, TN is using proxy servers to get around being banned.
Okay, Jason.
You want to play? Let’s play.
phelander, are you sure you meant to address Major John with that? I count precisely one set of quote marks in his comment, around the word “idea”.
Phe, aka. Jason Phelan of Nashville, TN, is gone now MayBee, but not before he crapped all over the couch.
However, I think it might have been a reaction to the scare quotes. They give him nightmares.
Maybe he’ll put his angst to song for us.
Howsabout it, Phee? A song dedicated to protein wisdom and its sick acolytes?
Something on the order of “Goddamn the Sun” by Scott Miller and the Commonwealth might work.
I’d happily play it for all to hear!
Now, to let him back on to see what we’ve found…
Damn it! I had a real snappy comeback. I really did!
Or a Drive-By Truckers Country Rock Opera?
Seems like a talented guy. Too bad he decided to put his worst face forward here.
And to think, how I love me some Shawn Mullins, too.
Looks like you’re the one who got cracked.
Nice job, Jeff.
There’s no such word as ‘snuck’. Shoulda ponied up for a professional writer, Jason.
Heh, always the joker.
That’s just a shame, TomB. Quote marks aren’t scary– they’re just people. People with children and dreams.
And poor people like Jason wouldn’t be scared of them if it wasn’t for Chimpy McHitlerburton fooling us into beilieving the lie of the “scare quote threat”.
NO BLOOD FOR QUOTATION MARKS!!!!1111!!one!!11!11eleven!!!
Born in 1972? Hell, Major John and I both have socks older than that.
Robin, I think I tossed that last pair out a few weeks ago…
Jason came on with only a little bit of sanctimony, and I answered his question. [I think maggie is right – I must give off some fierce troll-angering waves.]
Jason,
Where did I ever say I wanted anything out of you? I really could care less if you hate, respect, loathe or like me. I don’t know you, and from your behavior, I don’t see any reason I would want to…
BTW – My being a soldier is only relevant to the example I gave. You know nothing of my service, so why would I demand anything from you based upon it?
Good Lord, this post is turning me into an actus style questioner!!! Argh!
I was trying to stay on task. How ‘bout that terror dude who might have been smoked? Alrighty then.
cynn,
Awaiting confirmation on ‘im. SOme of these guys have to be killed two or three times before they end up actually dead, if you take my meaning. If true, I think AQ might have to consider if it is time to move on.
I’m hoping, hoping for confirmation, cynn… It would indeed be a Good Thing.
RoR, from waaaay up at the top, do you think the gov’t of Iraq isn’t excruciatingly aware of the U.S. electoral cycle, vis a vis timetables for withdrawal? It may be true that a Democrat president would actually take the position that we need to finish what we’re doing before leaving Iraq… but if you were a fledgling representative government in the middle of the Middle East, would you want to bank on it?
Maj. j: What the hell are you talking about? And you don’t know which of these shits are dead or alive? I grant upfront that I don’t know the conditions on the ground there.
I don’t know where I stand yet, because I stand here, and not there. Bless all of you.
Cynn,
Sometimes claims of certain people being killed have been made prematurely. As in, they were not actually killed. Or captured. Or hurt.
Later we end up getting them and have a body, DNA or such (remember that al-Zarqawi was “killed” twice, I believe, according to announcements made by the Iraqis – fianlly we zorched him and proved it).
So, I am waiting for the MND or CENTCOM to confirm this dude being demised before I crack open the bubbly…
Well, then, I have to suspend all further consideration until your side decides to release more information. It’s the same dance, different song.
Yes, the American side.
Would that be cole slaw or potato salad?
Quick, cynn, who won the World Series in 1954 ?
Whoever was on first!
Bok Choy Salad ?
I made it to second in 7th grade. God bless you, Janice Rosen!
That’s a pinky response, and therefore evil.