Al Zarqawi: The October Surprise

[newsguyatl]

Saw the following on the wire today.

Do you think these "reports" of capture just pop out of nowhere?

There's a reason the Bush gang has made Zarqawi the new Bin Laden.

October 16, 2004
Reports Zarqawi Seized in Iraq Untrue - - U.S. Army
By REUTERS

Filed at 3:32 p.m. ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Saturday that reports that Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been detained in Iraq were not credible.

``We have heard those reports and we do not believe they are true,'' Lieutenant Colonel Steve Boylan, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, told Reuters. ``We have been in contact with the marines based around Falluja and we have heard nothing about those reports through our channels,'' he said.

An Iraqi defense ministry spokesman also denied the report.

The official Kuwait News Agency earlier reported that Zarqawi was believed to be among 10 militants seized in raids in rebel-held Falluja, west of Baghdad.

Another senior U.S. officer also denied the report. ``There was a senior cleric who we seized earlier today and there may have been some confusion,'' Lieutenant Colonel Eric Schnaible told Reuters.

Zarqawi, with a $25 million price on his head, is the United States' main enemy at large in Iraq and is blamed for some of the worst insurgent violence against the U.S.-backed interim Iraqi administration.

But some Iraqis say Washington exaggerates the threat from Zarqawi to disguise the strength of Iraq's homegrown insurgency, and Falluja residents say they have no idea where he is, despite warnings from the interim administration that they face tough action unless they give him up.

The official Kuwait news agency KUNA had quoted Iraqi security sources as saying a man suspected of being Zarqawi was detained during U.S.-led military operations in Falluja on Friday.

The man resembled Zarqawi and DNA tests were being conducted, the sources said. There were no further details.

Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad group claimed responsibility for suicide bombings on Thursday that killed up to four Americans in the heart of Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, seat of the government and home to the U.S. and British embassies.

Mods, no link, came from a wire.

[Carni]

1. Oh geez- if that's all they have they better get busy spinning

I honestly don't think most people even know who the hell he is--
the American public wants UBL and this UBL generic substitution isn't going to get it IMO.

But I agree with you about them presenting Zarqawi shortly!

These articles being retracted always signify something.

[KittyWampus]

2. Sy Hersch Said Zaraqawi Is A Composite Figure

he's already been reported dead and one-legged.

[Mr_Spock]

3. Zarqawi sharbarwai! - Who gives a crap about this fool.

We truly are making Bin Ladens faster than we can kill them. We have done as much as we can right now in that region - we need to get the heck out of there ASAP and see if any of our values stick. A Crusade in this era of mass communication is doomed to failure.

[pretzel4gore]

4. like virginity, once someone's credibility is lost....

it stays lost. thanks to blair/bush's bushit about wmd etc no one (not even dupes) could believe them unless they were intentionally acting stupid....
thank god for those fictitious wmd's.....

[mzmolly]

5. They'll try the bait and switch again, we need to forcefully call them on

it when they do.

Still no Osama!

[bush equals idiot]

6. The Pentagon gave Bush plans three different times

to kill Zarqawi before the war. They had him pinpointed and could have taken out his alQaida followers as well. Bush refused all three. And get this: Reason?

because he did not want to turn public sentiment against his intent to invade Iraq.

Why this isnt't being blasted all over is beyond me.

[exsoccermom]

7. Talk about the gang that can't shoot straight

The US is just now listing the Zarqawi group as terrorists and imposing sanctions? Just now? And this idiot thinks we are more safe now. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[naufragus]

8. Didnt we already kill him once?