John Kerry on the Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry on the Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
June 8th, 2006 @ 8:14 am

The big story of the day, it that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed “when U.S. warplanes dropped 500-pound bombs on his isolated safehouse.” John Kerry issued a statement a short time ago on the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi:

“Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a brutal terrorist and his death strikes a blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq. This ruthless thug who abused the true meaning of Islam was an intruder on Iraqi soil and it’s good news that he’s dead. Our troops did an incredible job hunting him down and destroying him, and all of America is proud of their skill and commitment.

“With the end of al-Zarqawi and the confirmation of the final vital cabinet ministries in Iraq’s new government, it’s another sign that it’s time for Iraqis to stand up for Iraq, bring the factions together, end the insurgency, and run their own country. Our troops have done their job in Iraq, and they’ve done it valiantly. It’s time to work with the new Iraqi government to bring our combat troops home by the end of this year.”

I reported earlier on Bush’s statement on al-Zarqawi death. The short version from Bush, was “Stay the Course.”

John Kerry’s got it right, “Our troops have done their job in Iraq, and they’ve done it valiantly. It’s time to work with the new Iraqi government to bring our combat troops home by the end of this year.”


LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=3241

[Wholelottaluv]

1. I wonder

why we are still in Iraq. I tend to think it has more to do with Iran than Iraq.

[kerrygoddess]

2. And maybe

that's why Kerry is bent on getting us out of Iraq.

[wisteria]

3. As always, a voice of reason.

If their cabinet is in place and Zarqawi's death is the blow they have been talking up- then their is even more reason for us to be out of there by years end.
He should send that e-mail again asking for people to contact their senators along with this letter.

[hopein08]

4. He perhaps should have added that this should not distract us from the...

fact the good old Osama bin Laden is still on the loose.

Other than that, great statement.

[oneold1-4u]

5. Osama saved in safety

to answer the final bell when * declares his omnipotent plan to remain the "leader" for life!

[BigYawn]

8. Osama's dead head will be on TV just before the November elections...

The repugs are masters at timing events.

[ProSense]

6. Time to get out of Iraq!

Thanks Sen. Kerry!

[kerrygoddess]

7. Yes it is! n/t

[sandnsea]

9. Exactly n/t

[LWolf]

10. I prefer Michael Berg's statement.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

O'BRIEN: No, no. And we have spoken before, and I'm well aware of that. But at some point, one would think, is there a moment when you say, 'I'm glad he's dead, the man who killed my son'?

BERG: No. How can a human being be glad that another human being is dead?

[TayTay]

11. Zarqawi was a murderer

Who had no respect for human life at all. He was a partisan warrior who indiscriminately killed men, women and children without remorse. I will not weep that he is dead.

[LWolf]

12. That's the difference between us.

I know that hate begets hate; therefore I won't hate. It doesn't matter how much the target "deserves" it. It matters that my participation feeds the hate spawning acts of terror and acts of war.

I don't think Mr. Berg is commenting on "Zarqawi's" character here. He's reflecting on his, and on ours.

[TayTay]

13. I neither hate nor care about Zarqawi

I weep for his victims and pray that there won't be anymore.

There are evil people in the world. They kill and main and torture the innocent. They must be stopped. That is why I am a Democrat and why I show up and try to do my part to stop it. Ignoring this allows it to happen.

That is the difference between us.

[LWolf]

15. That's a large, blind leap you just took.

From my position of non-hate to "ignoring." Conciously choosing not to hate is not the same thing as ignoring current events.

I have a different world view. I don't sit in the fear-of-evil driven seat. I know that hate and fear are two sides of the same coin, and I don't do either.

That doesn't mean that I turn a blind eye. It means that I recognize that hate and fear is a disease that leads people to actions that breed more hate and fear, creating a world riddled with that they claim to be defending against. "They" must be stopped? Want to stop the killing of innocents? Don't cause it to happen by breeding more hate and fear.

As a much wiser man once said,

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

[TayTay]

16. Zarkawi kills innocent people.

I have no sympathy for his death. That is a separate issue from the illegality of the war. The killing of innocents bothers me. It is wrong. Zarqawi was a brutal man and ho got what so many brutal people get, a violent end. I do not weep for him, I weep for his victims.

This war must end. It is creating more Zarqawis. More and more every day. There is a certain point at which people determine their own course. They become monsters who kill indiscriminately. That is wrong (or evil, if you like.) We must stop making more monsters.

[Bucky]

21. "It is creating more Zarqawis."

Thank you. Zarqawi was extremely successful in turning Iraq into hell by making the contest in large part about how many Shiites can you kill. Predictably, some Shiites responded with the game of how many Sunnis can you kill--even if they didn't go quite as far as he did (usually). Hell won't accept him. Zarqawi's madness was an unnatural, but completely predictable, outcropping of our occupation of Iraq.

His passing is good news. The bad news is that even if we leave now, the situation will continue to generate more Zarqawis for the time being. If we stay, most will target us, including eventually the US on our own soil. If we leave now, they'll mostly just target each other. Maybe.

[LWolf]

24. That's your pov, of course,

and I don't need to change your mind about anything. We are in agreement on this: we must stop breeding terrorism.

Of course, just as you are free to say, "I have no sympathy for his death," I am free to say that I prefer both Berg's and Ghandi's world view in this situation to any pride or celebration or pleasure taken in the death, which is how I interpret the OP quoting Kerry. I prefer others' povs on this matter; that's my response to the OP, and now to you.

[ProSense]

14. I prefer to reflect on the importance

of the lives lost and think about those who will not die at this animal's hands! Zarqawi's life is not more important than the lives he took and would continue to take. I do not wish him alive to take more lives.

[LWolf]

26. His life is no more, or less important.

One who truly values life doesn't celebrate any loss, or any taking. It really doesn't matter if the man is devil or saint; what matters is my response. I can glory in violence, death, and revenge, and then I've become what I purport to "fight;" or I can grieve honestly for all of the violence, pain, suffering, death, and destruction achieved in Iraq since we invaded, without justifying or judging, thus living the principles I claim. I choose to grieve.

[ProSense]

27. But given a choice: I choose the lives of innocent people over a devil n/t

[LWolf]

30. I don't see this situation as that sort of a choice.

We certainly haven't been told, "You must kill. Here are angels and devils to be your targets. Choose between them."

I see it as a choice to practice vengeance.

[ProSense]

32. In "that sort of choice," I choose innocent lives over that of a devil n/t

[LWolf]

35. Again, I don't see this situation as that sort of a choice.

My point has nothing to do with the character of the dead; it has to do with the attitudes of the living towards violence and towards vengeance.

[ProSense]

36. That's a perception issue, but that sort of choice does exist! n/t

[karynnj]

33. He would continue killing people if he lived

I think it would been better to capture him, but that may not have been one of the 2 choices. I can believe that it may sometimes be harder to capture someone than to kill someone. This is a case where by killing someone who is evil, you are likely saving others. At minimum, this is war and he is not an innocent bystander.

[LWolf]

34. No one is an innocent bystander.

Which is not my point.

My point is simply that I prefer to take the high road, which does not include being "proud" of violent death, or taking joy in violent death, regardless of the character of the dead.

[karynnj]

37. There is nothing in Kerry's statement that can be taken as taking joy

in violent death. If this were OBL would you be ok with his statement. Kerry is not a pacifist - he was very clear throughout 2004 that the jihadists (which Zargawi proudly was) needed to be killed or captured. There are very few people who feel otherwise. Is there someone you support who thinks this was wrong.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a brutal terrorist and his death strikes a blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq. This ruthless thug who abused the true meaning of Islam was an intruder on Iraqi soil and it’s good news that he’s dead. Our troops did an incredible job hunting him down and destroying him, and all of America is proud of their skill and commitment.

[Bucky]

19. Great question: How can we be glad someone is dead? Here's how...

read about what Zarqawi has done. More than anyone else, more than even Halliburton collectively, Zarqawi was directly responsible for Iraq becoming the hell hole it is. I'm not glad he's dead, I'm flippin ecstatic. His death won't end the craziness his policy of promoting sectarian violence wrought, but it's a step in the right direction. Iraq under US occupation started out as a two-way shooting match: our troops vs the insurgency.

Zarqawi, predictably, saw his ends could be served by turning it into a five-way shooting match. US troops vs Baathist insurgents vs Shi'ite extremists vs Sunni fundies vs al-Qaeda insurrectionists vs Iraqi pro-government forces. About half those groups have proven willing (or at least susciptable) to killing civilians willy-nilly and almost all at least undertake actions without regard to how many innocents get caught in the crossfire or collateral damage area. Zarqawi made his life about cheapening the value of human lives--from the suicide bombers he manipulated to the innocent mosque-attendees he sought to slaughter. His death is a welcomed development.

[LWolf]

25. When my own house is clean, any judgement

of others may be more valid. At least, it would be for those into judging others.

I don't defend anyone who is willing to terrorize and kill others in the endless struggle for power. That includes my own nation, and I'm sure as hell won't hide behind a "but the enemy is worse than we are" excuse.

I also don't agree that the current debacle in Iraq can be laid at Zarqawi's feet. We made our agenda about cheapening the value of human lives when we invaded. We aren't in any position to cast stones. In my opinion, of course.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[blm]

28. Yes - but Michael Berg would never be in the position of leading military

forces. At this point, we have precious few leading lawmakers who are even against the civil death penalty, Kerry being one of them.

[LWolf]

31. Isn't he running for an office?

I think I read that somewhere.

I greatly appreciate Senator Kerry's stance on the death penalty, as well as some other positions he's taken. Are you thinking about leading the military from office, or from former service? I'm not sure I'm getting the connection.

[blm]

38. If he decides to do it again or gets tapped for VP, he may be in a

position where he has to lead the military, so I cn't fault him for his statement about Zarqawi or any terrorist who murdered the innocent.

[PATRICK]

17. With equal media treatment

This would be a brilliant trump of Bush's pathetic "turning the corner" "stay the course" miasma.

But then Kerry would be president. I am sure he is getting heard and heard more sympathetically, but it just reminds me of all the frustrated people who should be president instead of these crooks, looking in from the outside and not a damn thing they can really do about it.

As it is, Kerry's point set and match of the trophy kill campaign will dissipate into his memoirs and the dusty pages of the Congressional Record. That is a crime too.

[Zhade]

18. "Done their job"? "Valiantly"?

I'm sorry, you must be talking about something OTHER than this illegal war based on lies about a DIFFERENT job the soldiers were allegedly to do.

[cleveramerican]

20. here's johnny........

where you been?

[Zhade]

23. Your post makes NO sense to me.

Can you try again?

[Bucky]

22. "and his death strikes a blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq." To clarify this...

Zarqawi's death is not a blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The name of Zarqawi's organization is al-Qaeda in Iraq. Like most of the world's al-Qaeda affiliates, Zarqawi's group is an independent, homegrown group. I'm glad our troops cut off one of the heads of the hydra. This one had really sharp teeth and was filled with lots of bad ideas for how to kill the innocent. His modus operandi puts the word "thug" to shame, as the original thuggees were no where near as evil. Hell will reject him when he arrives. I'm glad he's gone, but this is just one less burning ember in house completely on fire.

[Raksha]

29. When I was reading your post

the type looked kind of blurry when I read this line:

>>I reported earlier on Bush’s statement on al-Zarqawi death. The short version from Bush, was “Stay the Course.”<<

For just a split second I thought it said "Stay the Curse." I had to read it twice to see that it said "Stay the Course" (of course).

But you know something? I think this time my eyes were smarter than my brain. Stay the Curse...I think I'm gonna keep that one!