Iraqis Hopeful After Zarqawi’s Death
Jubilation On The Streets And A Sunni-Shiite Compromise In The Cabinet
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Play CBS Video Video Jubilation, Death In Baghdad The news of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death set off cheering in the streets of Baghdad. But as Elizabeth Palmer reports, it also brought more violence.
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Video Bush Takes Measured Tone The death of the top terrorist in Iraq was the kind of news the Bush administration has been waiting for, and the president was anxious to talk about it. Jim Axelrod reports.
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Video Iraq After Zarqawi Bob Schieffer spoke by satellite to the U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, about the road ahead following the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
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A photo of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi after he was killed was shown in a U.S. military briefing. (APTN/US Military)
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The death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was greeted with jubilation by many on the streets of Baghdad. (CBS)
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This is a frame from TV of the scene Thursday, June 8 2006, following a air raid in which Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed. (AP Photo/APTN)
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Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda leader in Iraq, on April 26, 2006, left, and a U.S. Military image on June 8, 2006, purportedly showing the body of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi after he was killed. (APTN/US Military)
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President Bush speaks about the death of al-Qaida in Iraq's leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Thursday, June 8, 2006, in the Rose Garden at the White House. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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Photo Essay Death Of A Terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraq's most wanted militant, is killed in an air raid north of Baghdad.
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Who's Who Iraq Insurgency More on the militant groups behind the insurgency in Iraq and their motivations.
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
On the streets of Baghdad there was jubilation.
"I think all people are happy about this news," said one Iraqi man.
Members of Iraq’s security forces — some of Zarqawi's favorite targets — were among the most relieved.
"Now, God willing, things will settle down," an Iraqi man said.
But they haven’t yet. At least five separate bombings killed another 40 people in Baghdad on Thursday. In the longer term, though, Iraq’s national security adviser is optimistic.
“I expect a palpable, noticeable reduction in the number of attacks,” said Mowafaq al-Rubaie.
But Americans have heard this before. Saddam Hussein's capture in December 2003 was also supposed to be a turning point in reducing violence. Instead, as it turned out, the insurgency was just warming up.
Zarqawi's elimination is different, insists the Iraqi government.
“Zarqawi is unique in a sense that he used … these spectacular attacks to create maximum casualties among civilians, indiscriminate killings of civilians, especially targeting Shia trying to incite civil war between the Shia and Sunnis,” says al-Rubaie.
Zarqawi was responsible for many of Iraq's bloodiest and boldest attacks — including the bombing of the holy Shiite shrine in Samara, which touched off violence that killed more than 100 people.
Now that he’s dead, the new Iraqi government hopes his foreign fighters will be left in disarray and that they can use the lull to persuade Iraqi Sunni insurgents to lay down their weapons.
That may be easier thanks to a compromise announced Thursday that shares the responsibility for Iraq’s security forces between Sunnis and Shiites in the cabinet.
The new interior minister, Jawad al Boolani, a Shiite, told CBS News that he would be reaching out to Iraq's Sunnis.
“My message to all Iraqis," he said, “is that we will serve them in an unbiased and professional way."
At about the same time, there was a very different message on the Web site of al Qaeda from Iraq, where the group vowed to continue their jihad.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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