Posted on 06/10/2006 12:32:16 AM PDT by MadIvan
Baghdad was under a daytime curfew yesterday as the Iraqi government brought forward a security crackdown to exploit the disarray in rebel ranks caused by the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Vehicles were banned from the streets and a series of raids were carried out.
The prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and Gen George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, have been working on the plan since the new government took office on May 20.
The clampdown was imposed as it emerged that 1,400 bodies had been deposited at Baghdad's mortuary in May, most suffering from gunshot wounds and many showing signs of torture.
Security in the city has collapsed in recent months with tit-for-tat sectarian killings between Sunni and Shia Muslims and the widespread belief that elements of the police force act as death squads.
The death count was the highest monthly total since the invasion in March 2003.
The interior minister, Jawad al-Bolani, who was appointed on Thursday, used his first press conference yesterday to call for Zarqawi's death to be a "new beginning".
Mr Bolani's performance will come under particular scrutiny as his predecessor is accused of filling units of the police force with members of a Shia militia.
The death of Zarqawi, the head of al-Qa'eda in Iraq, in an air strike on Wednesday is being viewed by military commanders as a golden opportunity to counter the insurgency.
At least 39 raids were carried out by US and Iraqi forces as websites devoted to al-Qa'eda and other jihadist causes were flooded with messages of support and pledges to continue the fight.
Maj Gen William Cadwell, a US spokesman, said now was the time to strike al-Qa'eda because "we dealt it a severe blow but it can regenerate".
The information gained from the safe house where Zarqawi was staying at the time of his death, and from 17 other homes of suspected al-Qa'eda sympathisers raided in the hours after his death has been described by the Americans as "treasure".
A subsequent 39 raids resulted in the seizure of computer memory sticks and hard drives, as well as an as-yet unspecified number of arrests. "On a scale of one to 10 the intelligence gathered was about an eight," a US official said.
"The next 36 to 48 hours will be very crucial in prosecuting other targets. Our goal now is to target as many al-Qa'eda members as possible and keep them off balance."
But the security crackdown also reflects fears that Zarqawi's death could lead to retaliatory attacks from al-Qa'eda, intended to send a bloody message that his removal does not mean the end of the organisation in Iraq. Speculation is rife over who will replace him. The US military believes Abu al-Masri, an Egyptian bomb-maker trained in Afghanistan, will take over.
Other possibilities include Abdullah Rashid al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi said to have been made head of the group's political wing this year, and Sheikh Abdul Rahman, Zarqawi's spiritual adviser.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
I'm sensing some snarkiness in this "reporting".
Could it be the Telegraph is miffed that they lost one of their most avid readers?
No, that would be the Guardian. Zarqawi read them as well.
Regards, Ivan
I guess the paper would not want to mention the body count during Saddam's time.
Gee, maybe someone will get ahold of the actual information the military gathers and publish it along with plans for the offensive with schedules.
I really do wish they would banish the press from Iraq for the short term.
I love to hear about the progress, but I could do without in the name of security. Not only would it speed up the whole process, it would be a major setback for the enemy not having the propoganda machine at it's disposal.
I realize this article isn't as bad as a lot we have seen in revealing information, but even in it's lack of real information, it gives our enemies a confirmation that one of their vunerabilites have been compromised causing them to flee even faster before we can score the kills necessary.
Then again, the DUmmies think Zarqawi was invented by the US as a bad guy to blame and kill for PR purposes only, this would just fuel the conspiracy fire...
"The prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and Gen George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, have been working on the plan since the new government took office on May 20. "
We have a plan? I thought we were wandering around aimlessly with our only goal to steal Iraqi oil. /sarcasm off
What people dont understand is!!!!!!!!!!!!
A COUNTRY LIKE IRAQ HAS TO BE RULED WITH AN IRON FIST!
Then gradually you can introduce more freedom!
Eliminate all three of them now to obviate the trouble later on.
It's called "preventative maintenance".
Leni
Nope. Uh-uh. Don't see any in there at all.
:eyeroll:
"Zarqawi killing followed by crackdown"
Actually, the headline should read: "Zarqawi killing followed by crack-up--DNC/MSM lose it"
"Authorities are mentioning three possible successors to Zarqawi including some li'l ole Egyptian bombmaker.
Eliminate all three of them now to obviate the trouble later on."
. . .and Sheikh Abdul Rahman, Zarqawi's spiritual adviser."
Rahman was mentioned as the third possible successor. Don't they know that he was killed along with Zarqawi?
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