Gen. Kimmitt "The Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful ......

[Catrina]

Whether Zarqawi died as we are being told today, or not, from the moment Colin Powell mentioned his name during his now infamous speech to the UN which is widely seen as the catalyst for the War in Iraq (and which Powell now says will be forever a stain on his career) until now, and probably long into the future, ME experts, reputable journalists and even US military personel, amongst others have viewed the US claims about Al Zarqawi with great skeptism.

From Wikipedia:

On April 10, 2006, the Washington Post reported that the U.S. military conducted a major propaganda offensive designed to exaggerate Zarqawi's role in the Iraqi insurgency. Gen. Mark Kimmitt says of the propaganda campaign that there "was no attempt to manipulate the press." In an internal briefing, Kimmitt is quoted as stating, "The Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful information campaign to date." The main goal of the propaganda campaign seems to have been to exacerbate a rift between insurgent forces in Iraq, but intelligence experts worry that it has actually enhanced Zarqawi's influence.


Col. Derek Harvey, "who served as a military intelligence officer in Iraq and then was one of the top officers handling Iraq intelligence issues on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," warned an Army meeting in 2004 that "Our own focus on Zarqawi has enlarged his caricature, if you will -- made him more important than he really is, in some ways." While Pentagon spokespersons state unequivocally that PSYOPs may not be used to influence American citizens, there is little question that the information disseminated through the program has found its way into American media sources. The Post also notes that "One briefing slide about U.S. "strategic communications" in Iraq, prepared for Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. commander in Iraq, describes the "home audience" as one of six major targets of the American side of the war." <22>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Zarqawi

Another reference to Gen. Kimmett's statement as reported in the WAPO here:

In the Washington Post’s version of his story Ricks quotes an internal briefing, produced by the U.S. military headquarters in Iraq, which revealed that Brigadier-General Mark Kimmitt – then the US military spokesperson in Iraq – had concluded that, “The Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful information campaign to date.”

http://www.williambowles.info/iraq/zarqawi/zarqawi_rumours.html

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The truth has been so hard to come by regarding this War, from the Forged Niger Documents, to the claims about the now discredited WMD stories, to the cost of the war as told to the American people, to it's expected duration ('months, weeks') etc. that Americans (and even more so, citizens of other countries) can hardly be blamed when they doubt every story now, especially ones such as this, where the individual, Al Zarqawi, was already viewed as a myth by so many and where top military officials have expressed doubts about his status as a top terrorist leader.

To try to sort out truth from fiction, and remembering the many questions raised about Al Zarqawi since Colin Powell first introduced him to the world as a major terrorist, I did a quick search to try to verify if what I remembered was true.

This link leads to a gathering of news stories over the years since we first heard of Al Zarqawi. Each link in the second set, leads to articles on the stories that were in the news re Zarqawi at the time. I have only had time to click into a few, but thought that this would be helpful way to retrace the Zarqawi story as it unfolded in the news.

An example of the news stories from the first link follows, and the links are organized according to the year. This one starts with Nov. 2004:

November 2004

30/11/04

www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1255078.htm
Little known about Al Qaeda’s Zarqawi
ABC Online – Australia
The Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been blamed for car bombings, gruesome beheadings and the mass killing of Iraqi police and soldiers. …

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1382583,00.html
Requiem Mass for Iraq hostage as husband clings to faint hope
The Times – London,England,UK
… In a series of videos, she voiced varying demands which were unlike those made by the hostages of Iraq’s most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of …

29/11/04

www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1101729310219000.xml
Al-Zarqawi group says it killed 17 Iraq forces
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Cleveland,OH,USA
… A statement posted on an Islamist Web site in the name of al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for …

www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=2609218
Purported al-Zarqawi audiotape accuses Muslim scholars of betrayal
WANE – Ft Wayne,IN,USA
BAGHDAD, Iraq An audiotape that surfaced on the Web today may be from fugitive terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (AH’-boo MOO’-sahb ahl-zahr-KOW’-ee). …

28/11/04

www.cbc.ca/cp/world/041128/w112850.html
Al-Zarqawi’s group claims responsibility for killing Iraqi troops …
CBC News – Canada
… A statement posted on an Islamist website in the name of al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for killing 17 members …

www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=2621161
Al-Zarqawi’s group claims responsibility for Mosul killings
KFOR-TV – Oklahoma City,OK,USA
A statement on an Islamist Web site purportedly posted by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s group claims responsibility for killing 17 Iraq security officers and a …

news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3816348
Coalition Troops Stage Daring River Attack on Rebel Areas
The Scotsman – Edinburgh,Scotland,UK
… There have also been reported sightings of Jordanian terror chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the same lawless area of north Babil province, some 40 miles south of …

27/11/04

www.boston.com/dailynews/332/world/Iraqi_official_briefs_Iran_on_:.shtml
Iraqi official briefs Iran on ongoing insurgency, demands Tehran …
Boston Globe – Boston,MA,USA
… Osama bin Laden’s terror network is believed to have strong ties to the major Iraqi insurgency group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. …

26/11/04

www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/nation/10275885.htm
Al-Zarqawi aide captured
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette – Fort Wayne,IN,USA
BAGHDAD, Iraq — A lieutenant of Iraq’s most feared insurgent leader, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, was captured this week, the country’s national security …

www.examiner.ie/pport/web/Full_Story/did-sgteBN36ITTKosgDQQ5wn3uAIg.asp
Al-Zarqawi ally held in Mosul as toxin manuals found
IrishExaminer.com (subscription) – Ireland
By Sameer Yacoub, Baghdad. A LIEUTENANT of Iraq’s most feared militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was captured a few days ago in Mosul. …

25/11/04

www.boston.com/dailynews/330/world/Government_says_it_arrested_a_:.shtml
Government says it arrested a lieutenant of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi …
Boston Globe – Boston,MA,USA
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) A lieutenant of Iraq’s most feared terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was captured a few days ago in Mosul, the government’s national …

seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?
category=1107&slug=Terror%20Cell%20Phones
Report: al-Zarqawi used Swiss cell phone
Seattle Post Intelligencer – Seattle,WA,USA
GENEVA — Investigators believe terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi used a Swiss-based cellular phone to communicate with Muslim extremists worldwide before …

www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/10272291.htm
Key aide to al-Zarqawi captured; weapons cache found in Fallujah …
Kansas City Star (subscription) – Kansas City,MO,USA
BAGHDAD, Iraq – (KRT) – Iraqi officials Thursday announced the capture of a key aide to Jordanian terrorist suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and said soldiers had …

www.freep.com/news/nw/iraq25e_20041125.htm
Rebel leader maneuvered behind scenes
Detroit Free Press – Detroit,MI,USA
… Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born suspected terror mastermind with a $25-million bounty on his head, is perhaps the best-known leader of Iraq’s insurgent …

24/11/04

www.boston.com/dailynews/329/world/Alleged_al_Zarqawi_tape_critic:.shtml
Alleged al-Zarqawi tape criticizes Muslim scholars for ‘silence’ …
Boston Globe – Boston,MA,USA
… In the tape posted Wednesday on an Islamic Web site, Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi condemned the ‘’silence’’ of Muslim religious figures, saying …

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1373381,00.html
Al-Zarqawi attacks the ‘silent’ scholars
The Times – London,England,UK
THE insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has attacked Muslim clerics for failing to support attacks on United States-led forces in Iraq. …

english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5B944179-9C77-4493-BA02-D72CEC668BC3.htm
Al-Zarqawi: Iraq conference a “farce”
Al-Jazeera – Qatar
Anti-US fighter Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has threatened to increase attacks on American-led forces in Iraq following an international conference in Egypt …

www.columbiatribune.com/2004/Nov/20041124News019.asp
Al-Zarqawi tape criticizes clerics
Columbia Daily Tribune – Columbia,MO,USA
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – An audiotape purportedly made by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi lashed out today at Muslim scholars for not speaking out against …

23/11/04

www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/505327.html
Jordan’s military judge urges terror suspects to surrender
Ha’aretz – Jerusalem,Israel
AMMAN – A military judge called on Jordanian terrorist Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi and three other fugitives to surrender Tuesday, a step toward opening a terror …

www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=99629®ion=6
NEW OFFENSIVE AGAINST INSURGENTS
Special Broadcasting Service – Australia
… Another reason for the Fallujah operation was to capture Iraq’s most wanted man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose al-Qaeda-linked group was allegedly operating out …

22/11/04

www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11465536%255E663,00.html
Fallujah reveals its nasty secrets
Melbourne Herald Sun – Melbourne,Victoria,Australia
… Maj West said the marines had found a house thought to belong to associates of Iraq’s most wanted man, the al-Qaida frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. …

www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/nation/10244930.htm
Suspected hostage houses found
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette – Fort Wayne,IN,USA
… 10. The house is near another raided by US and Iraqi soldiers last week connected to associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant. …

seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?
category=1107&slug=Iraq%20Kidnapping%20Claim
Zarqawi group claims Allawi kidnappings
Seattle Post Intelligencer – Seattle,WA,USA
CAIRO, Egypt — A militant group led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility Monday for kidnapping and then releasing three family …

21/11/04

www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/10240741.htm
Al-Zarqawi underling emerges as force behind Fallujah insurgency
Kansas City Star (subscription) – Kansas City,MO,USA
… While US official pronouncements about rebel leaders have focused on Jordanian terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, rebel fighters and others who escaped the …

www.tmnews.com/articles/2004/11/21/ap/headlines/d86gbo200.txt
Iraq Sets Jan. 30 for National Elections
Times-Mail – Bedford,IN,USA
… In an Internet statement posted Sunday, the terrorist group of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed it killed 17 Iraqi National …

www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/10241037.htm
US forces inspect house where hostages may have been held, killed
Kansas City Star (subscription) – Kansas City,MO,USA
FALLUJAH, Iraq – (KRT) – Acting on information from a man who claimed to have escaped from militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s network, the US military over the …

english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B2BC0FF0-1A7F-4AA9-826C-FBF3D5BDDF0A.htm
Falluja – America’s hollow victory
Al-Jazeera – Qatar
… The first was to either kill or capture the Jordanian born “terrorist” Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers who were believed to be holed up in the encircled …


http://www.williambowles.info/iraq/zarqawi/index.html

Reading through some of the statements made by prominent people in the military, you get the impression that no one was sure whether using Al Zarqawi as the next Osama Bin Laden, was beneficial or not. Whoseever decision it was to elevate him to the status of top terrorist in the world, capable of doing all he has been accused of, remains to be identified.

While exploring the truth of the Zarawi claims, anyone who doubts them is, naturally, a 'conspiracy theorist'. However, from the research I have done, what strikes you is how little, if any, evidence has been presented to support the Bush Administration's claims. In fact, I personally have not found a single supporting piece of evidence that Al Zarqawi was what the Administration claimed him to be. Otoh, those who question his status, have at least presented some corroborating evidence to back up their assertions.

Meantime, I'll keep looking for evidence that what President Bush and SOD, Donald Rumsfeld said today, is true ~ that this was the single most dangerous man in Iraq.