Al-Zarqawi's terror reign gets larger

[Quixote1818]

Al-Zarqawi's terror reign gets larger
Militant expanded operations globally, gaining strength and followers
By Katherine Shrader, Associated Press


WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence officials say Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has expanded his terrorism campaign in Iraq to extremists in two dozen terror groups scattered across almost 40 countries, creating a network that rivals Osama bin Laden's.
In interviews, U.S. government officials said the threat to U.S. interests from al-Zarqawi compared with that from bin Laden, whom al-Zarqawi pledged his loyalty to one year ago.

The director of the National Counterterrorism Center considers bin Laden a strategic plotter who is deep in hiding and out of regular contact with his followers, while al-Zarqawi is involved broadly in the planning of scores of brutal attacks in Iraq.

"He is very much a daily, operational threat," said Scott Redd, who is in charge of the government's counterterrorism strategy and analysis.

Continued at:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/news/ci_3144208

[McCamy Taylor]

1. Why do I fear Cheney more than this guy?

[Inland]

2. Bush refused to take out Zarqawi in 2002, to bolster invasion argument

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601/
With Tuesday’s attacks, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant with ties to al-Qaida, is now blamed for more than 700 terrorist killings in Iraq.

But NBC News has learned that long before the war the Bush administration had several chances to wipe out his terrorist operation and perhaps kill Zarqawi himself — but never pulled the trigger.

[Quixote1818]

3. It's clear the Administration knows they have more power

each time we get attacked. Why get rid of your source of power?

Thats how twisted the Bush Administration is!

[Inland]

5. Zarquawi was Bush's argument that terrorists were "In Iraq."

technically true, but Zarquawi was actually in the Kurdish controlled zone, hundreds of miles out of Saddam's grasp.

Getting rid of Zarqawi would have gotten rid of his punch line.

So the Bush decision was pretty straightforward: he could stop terror or he could invade Iraq.

[NNN0LHI]

4. But yet the FBI has never heard of him?

http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/fugitives.htm

[ECH1969]

7. He hasn't been indicted by a US court

Only those who have been indicted can be on the FBIs Most Wanted List.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Why hasn't he been indicted by a US court if he is the #1 terrorist?

Any ideas?

Don

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. Hmmmmmm... Zarqawi was reported dead at the beginning of the

war. Several tribal leaders attested to the fact the he was killed in a bombing raid. I don't believe he's alive and I do believe that he is "being kept around" as a boogey man.

[Quixote1818]

8. At least we have killed his #2 man no less than 10 times. nt

[Dancing_Dave]

10. Aren't Dead Mythological Propaganda Enemies the Greatest?

The CIA can say whatever they like about him, and he can't contradict them because he's been dead for years!

[NNN0LHI]

11. I bet he "flees" to Syria or Iran very soon...or both? n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. Don't ya know? We're living Orwell's 1984 and Zarqawi is Emmanuel Goldman.

[Disturbed]

13. Osama is old news but

al Z is fresh and active. He is a better terrorist threat.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. Exactly.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. I found him!