Posted on 06/08/2006 7:09:47 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
As President Bush and Iraqi leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement that coalition forces had killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, some in the anti-war community used the development to call for troop withdrawals while others downplayed its significance.
U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who was beaten by President Bush in the 2004 presidential race and had recently renewed his call for speedy troop withdrawals from Iraq, on Thursday praised the service members involved in Zarqawi's killing.
Coalition forces "did an incredible job hunting him down and destroying him, and all of America is proud of their skill and commitment," Kerry said.
He called Zarqawi's killing "another sign that it's time for Iraqis to stand up for Iraq ... and run their own country." He said American 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."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also issued a statement praising the U.S. military and intelligence community. Calling Zarqawi a "cold-blooded killer who got what he deserved," Reid said his death and the naming of Iraqi national security and defense ministers made Thursday "a day to recognize these important achievements."
U.S. Rep. John Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who on May 18 said "we have done everything we can do militarily in Iraq," said Thursday in a statement that the death of Zarqawi would "have a significant impact in reducing the amount of violence in Iraq."
But Murtha renewed his call for troop withdrawal, saying that because of the development, "we should be able to substantially reduce our presence in Iraq and redeploy our military outside of Iraq."
But not everyone in the anti-war movement agreed that Zarqawi's death would have a great impact.
"If you look at recent violence, most of the violence now is happening between different religious folks, not necessarily so-called terrorists that are now creating the violence, so I think it's tough to say this is something that's going to turn the tide in Iraq," said Paul Martin, an activist with Peace Action.
The American people, Martin said, are "ready for us to move on and to give this to the Iraqis to deal with and to focus our financial energies on rebuilding the country so they're able to take care of themselves."
Michael McPhearson, a spokesman for Veterans for Peace, said that "if you really think about the makeup of the insurgency, I think you have to realize that there [are] very different people making it up."
"With al-Zarqawi gone, you still have the same dynamics that created the groundswell of anger and agitation by the people there in Iraq," McPhearson said. "Just because al-Zarqawi's gone doesn't change the facts on the ground that people are upset and want us to leave."
McPhearson added that Zarqawi's death might mean "there won't be so many attacks on civilians and Shia by insurgents, but certainly there will be retaliation against American forces with new vigor because their leader's been killed."
Bloggers on the Democratic Underground website criticized Americans who believe the Bush administration's assertion that Zarqawi's death marks a turning point in the Iraq war.
"There will be a bunch of sheeple in America tomorrow morning, who when they wake up from their blissful sleep after watching a bunch of reality shows, they will hear about the Bogeyman Terrorist Zarqawi being dead, and they will suddenly think the world is safer and everything is okay," one blogger wrote.
Others questioned whether Zarqawi even existed in the first place. "Do we even know if this guy ever existed?" one asked, adding: "And even if he is who they say he is, so what?"
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
Victory could be at hand and they want to leave.............
How about this: Taylor Hicks won American Idol. Let's pull troops.
John F'in Kerry is a discrace to this nation.
Kerry only cares about three things: himself, power, money.
So why was he demanding our withdrawal before this killing took place? Guess he really wasn't interested in reducing violence in Iraq.
On the one hand, the DBM (drive by media) claims that Zaqawi's death is meaningless - nothing will change. On the other hand, Democrats claim the death is momentous enought to warrant an immediate withdrawal.
Which is it?
Everybody knows we go to war just to see how fast we can pull out. I'd love to play paintball with these guys. Great Exit strategy losers
On it's own, I would agree with this statement. But considering the source and his history of anti-Americanism.
Dude, the 60s are dead. The hippies lost.
On H&C tonight they had segments with General Franks and later with Ollie North. Colmes was trying to down play the significance of Zarqawi being killed and was slapped down by both of them.
General Franks told him after some kind of smart remark Colmes made that every American has a right to voice their opinion but what Alan said was silly. Then went on to say when he makes remarks, he knows what he's talking about before saying them. That's not verbatum but it's close.
LOL, now that Zarqawi is dead, we here in Atlanta can now ship part of our hot, dry weather to New England in trade for a wee bit of cool rain ;)
There are a certain number of old and enfeebled democratic elder statesmen for whom no viagra for the mind or for body will succeed in keeping them straight and stalwart.
Why is what a bunch of moonbats on DU say worth publishing in NewsMax?
Franks/North '08!
Proud Ohioan to vote the good vote. It has been said,oh what, a gazillion times, how could this nation have carried on after 9/11 if Gore was in office. The thought of it just boggles ones mind.
Murtha was implicated in ABSCAM. It's no wonder he wants to cut and run as fast as possible from the Mideast. Wonder what he's worried about?
Kerry is getting desperate to achieve defeat in the face of success...at all costs.
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