Insurgents: Iraq Al Qaeda Leader Is Alive
Claim Refutes Iraqi Government Reports That Al-Masri Was Killed
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Al Qaeda In Iraq Leader Dead?
Reports claim that the senior leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, may have been killed during infighting among insurgents north of Baghdad. Mark Strassmann reports.
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Still At War
It's been four years since President Bush declared the mission in Iraq had been accomplished. CBS News Military Analyst Mike Lyons offers his thoughts on why we're still at war, and when it may end.
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Iraq: Another New Way Forward?
President Bush plans to discuss another way forward with Congressional leaders. Meanwhile a car bomb explosion in Karbala has provided another setback for progress in Iraq. Joie Chen reports.
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File photo of Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, aka Sheik Abu Hamza Al-Muhajer. (Dept. of Defense)
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Staff Sgt. James Rice, 30, from Frankfurt, Ky., of Delta Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division walks in northern Mosul, Iraq 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, on April 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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U.S. Army Pfc. Casey Legrande, 21, from Norman, Okla., of Delta Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, patrols in northern Mosul, Iraq, April 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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An inspector general report on Iraqi reconstruction projects found that of 8 sampled projects declared successes and turned over to Iraqi control, 7 are no longer functioning properly, if at all. (Getty Images/Chris Hondros)
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CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann reports U.S. military sources in Baghdad are being extremely cautious about taking the reports of Abu Ayyub al-Masri's death at face value.
One senior commander told CBS News that reports of al-Masri's death or capture seem to come from Iraqi officials every month, and so far they have all been false alarms. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker told reporters that American authorities in Baghdad were seeking more information.
An umbrella organization of Iraqi insurgent groups denied the al Qaeda leader had been killed, saying he was alive and safe, according to an Internet statement.
"The Islamic State of Iraq reassures the Ummah (nation) that Sheik Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, God protect him, is alive and he is still fighting the enemy of God," the umbrella group said on a Web site commonly used by insurgents.
A series of reports Tuesday said Abu Hamza al-Muhajer — whom U.S. and Iraqi forces identify by another pseudonym, Abu Ayyub al-Masri — had been killed, either by rivals in al Qaeda or Sunni tribesmen who have turned against al Qaeda.
A Pentagon spokesman, Col. Gary Keck, said he was aware of the reports from Iraq but had no confirmation.
"U.S. forces are working with Iraqi officials to determine if this is true," he said, adding that he did not know whether U.S. forces were at the site of the alleged killing.
In recent months, divisions among Sunni insurgent groups have sharpened, in part because of al Qaeda's attempt to dominate the "resistance," impose a harsh brand of Islam on ordinary people and use foreign fighters, U.S. officials say.
More than 200 Sunni Arab sheiks in Anbar province have decided to form a political party to oppose al Qaeda. Clashes have erupted in three Sunni provinces between al Qaeda and other insurgent groups, notably the nationalist 1920 Revolution Brigades, U.S. officers say.
Iraqi officials released conflicting accounts of when and where al-Masri was purportedly killed, and who was supposed to have killed him. It was also unclear whether Iraqi authorities had the body.
Chief government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh Al-Dabbagh told Al-Arabiya television that the report of al-Masri's death was based on "intelligence information," adding that "DNA tests should be done and we have to bring someone to identify the body."
But he refused to say unequivocally whether Iraqi security forces had the body, citing security restrictions.
Just as al-Zarqawi's death did little to reign in al Qaeda in Iraq, CBS News terrorism consultant Paul Kurtz says al-Masri's demise, if confirmed, would likely have little effect on the group's deadly operations.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq is a multi-headed hydra," Kurtz, who used to work for the Bush administration in counterterrorism, said on CBS' Early Show.
Kurtz says the influence of the Iraq chapter of al Qaeda is believed to be "limited to the confines of Iraq," and the leader's death would have little or know effect on the group's worldwide operations. A State Department report released Monday said terror attacks across the world had increased 25 percent in 2006 (read more).
In other developments
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See all 256 CommentsGW Bush and his corrupt administration may need to start looking for a new "enemy" in Iraq - someone to blame so that he can continue his war of terror on the Iraqi people.
crowd. What would this raghead sand flea have done if we had not lured him from Egypt to his beautiful demise?
Answer: He would have done what kind continue to do. Blow up women and children to make a political point. And yes the terrorist will replace him just like they replaced his predicessors and we will kill him too and so on and so on and so on. Keep sending them Egypt,Syria,Saudi Arabia,Iran and we will send them into the pigs bunghole where they belong.
ANOTHER LIE BY THE BUSH KOOL AID DRINKING FLUNKIES!
Every human deserves to live in Freedom........and have a government that is elected by the people and for the people.
with a new demon. It seems there is an endless supply of these monsters.
There will be no end to religious fanaticism until religious leaders call some kind of summit.
It is time for the Pope or someone to step up and call for a time out and discussion.
There is no military solution to this problem
with a new demon. It seems there is an endless supply of these monsters.
Posted by cathaleen at 07:50 AM
Send more bullets and bombs we have much killing to do.Better send some bull dozers backhoes and a few incenerators too the bodies are stacking up.
Yes, I agree, you are disgusting, protecting George Bush's political life at the expense of US troops and national security. I mean, why else would you support a war that is bad for America if not to protect Bush?
crowd. What would this raghead sand flea have done if we had not lured him from Egypt to his beautiful demise?
Posted by freedomisnot
I GET IT!!!
The NEW reason for invading a soveriegn nation was to "LURE" bad people from other countries to a killing field.
BRILLIANT!!
Posted by perception5 at 07:45 AM : May 01, 2007
Then why is the United States over there telling them how to run their country?
Naw, this brilliant strategy has been a favorite of the "no intelligence, no thought crowd" for a while now. Which is of course naive to the point of being laughable that all the terrorists in the world will come to Iraq and no other terrorists will be left to attack America. Actually, it's not laughable, it's dangerous to US security to think that.
BRILLIANT!!
Posted by dallison7 at 08:19 AM
No not the new reason it has been the reason ALL ALONG. Take your Ridilen and pay some tension. Iraq has always been a secondary objective. The primary objective is to kill terrorist (Islamic extremist) that reside in most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa. They hide in civilian populations and their host countries deny any affiliation. How do you fight in that situation? Declare war on all of the Middle East and North Africa?? That would not suit us. Better to invade a Holy Muslim country (lots of Mosques and history) thumb our nose at the terrorist and invite them over for a chat. It's kind of like picking a fight at a biker bar when your friends with the owner. You don't want to completely trash the place so just go outside kick over all of the bikes and fight in the parking lot.
Posted by Rafterman1 at 08:30 AM
Please bless us with your strategy. I apologize I was not aware I was in the presence of such wisdom. If you have a plan to win I would love to hear it. I am very openminded when it comes to killing islamic extremist.
Iraq is not a "Holy Muslim country". No such thing. And even then, Saudi Arabia would be a better choice. Our supposed ally has more holy sites and more terrorists than Iraq ever had.
A dangerous misconception is that the terrorists are dumb or lack sophistication and planning. This is not true. Iraq is a planned diversion to keep American troops and money tied up while the real plots against America are planned in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Even before the Iraq invasion, OBL himself said this was his plan - to draw America into a war. OBL wanted war in Iraq and George Bush was dumb enough to oblige.
Posted by freedomisnot
I'm beginning to see a personality profile which will help explain a lot for the rest of us.
Let's see, you are in the IQ bracket of people who would pick a fight in a biker bar.
BRILLIANT!!
Keep talking.
Rafter
Uh thats a commentary not a plan. Whats the plan to win?
Freedomisnot,
So you are saying that we invaded Iraq who did NOTHING to us in order to bring misery and suffering onto their civilians for our own selfish purposes?
How does that separate us from terrorists?
Posted by didntinhale (but swallows)
what a disgusting commentator that wants to see more of his countrymen lose their lives in the lied-into Bush War- a traitor to American ideals and principles - go to N.Korea where you live with like-minded facists.
Remember - there were no Al-Qaeda in Iraq before Bushit lied us into his Bush War.
BRILLIANT!!
Keep talking.
Posted by dallison7
and he'd probably be wearing hot-pants and high-heels !
Posted by neoconRcrazy at 08:46 AM : May 01, 2007
........ Yeah and our President has "repeatly" said that "there was no connection between al qaeda and Iraq". I heard it from his mouth.......unfortunately our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack isn't interested in "debunking" this lie.
BRILLIANT!!
Keep talking.
Posted by dallison7 at 08:43 AM
Sorry for the analogy I forgot I'm talking to pacifist. I only used that analogy to illustrate the fight is not with the bar (Iraq) but the people (islamic extremist). And personal attacks do not add to the discussion although they are fun pencildik
That's just it, no wisdom is required as this is ocmmon sense. Any dink who watches the History Channel for a month could figure this out. But slogans and jingoism have clouded American minds.
The plan? You cannot defeat terrorism in war any more than you can have a war on crime or drugs. Remember how those went? Not so well. Any a$$hole with a gun and a grudge can be a terrorist. You cannot take a few hundred thousand troops and think you can defeat a whole world of terrorists with it. Because the enemy can replace dead terrorists just as easy as we can replace our dead troops. It never ends.
You don't defeat terror with military force, you defeat terror by making the terroists not want to be terrorists in the first place. Step One wil be to solve the Israeli-Paletinian problem. Ninety percent of ME terror is because of it. And it can be solved. But none of the sides involved are really interested in solving it. It will take a commitment and the realization that both sides are going to have to give up things they don't want to give up.
Posted by singinrick at 08:11 AM : May 01, 2007
It's a bad news for Right-wing nuts like you who removed SECULAR SADDAM from power and brought their RADICAL MUSLIM BROTHERS into power and turned Iraq into a training camp for Alqaeda.
Posted by Rafterman1 at 08:30 AM : May 01, 2007
Do you deny that elements from outside countries are trying to influence the stabilization of Iraq? What most fail to realize is that, like it or not, Iraq has BECOME the killing field. It has morphed in to a totally different battle.
Rafterman1,
Well said. ANYONE can also be a terrorist. Anyone.
As I already alluded to in my last post, the diplomatic solution is what needs to be concentrated on. The military one is getting us nowhere. Israel has been fighting the Bush plan for fifty plus years now, to no avail. Your plan is to remedy the symptom. But the real key though is to rememdy the cause. Prevent the disease in the first place.
But I also explained the terrorist's plan according to OBL himself. Are you saying your plan is to fall for their diversion?
How does that separate us from terrorists?
Posted by whatithink at 08:46 AM : May 01, 2007
Misery and suffering were in Iraq long before we got there ala Sadam. He was the big bad dude mouthing off to the whole world and thumbing his nose at the UN for more than ten years. Again I know you are a pacifist so you may not understand this but in a fight against multiple opponents you attack the loudmouth first. If you take him out quickly (as we did) the others will pause just long enough to let you plan their demise.
Of course there is outside interference. Iran, probably Syria. But that doesn't change the reality that Iraq does not have a military solution. Even our generals have said that. Arabs and Israelis have been going at it 50 years. The Russians gave up after 10. Why does anyone think the US will hve better luck?
Posted by freedomisnot
Not a personal attack, my friend, an observation. It is the mentality of the far right that the United States has the right to go anywhere and kill anyone, whether they have harmed us or not, if we believe it may serve our needs. Therein lies one of the main reasons that young Muslims are willing to give their lives in this fight.
We are losing this fight, and we will never win until we understand that we have no right forcing our will on others. We should be lifting people up instead of killing them. Imagine the good that could have been done with all the money that has been squandered on this war!
If only we had stayed on track and brought to justice those who harmed us, instead of starting this insane war we could still be a beacon for good in the world.
Whether you can see it or not, the answer to most of the world's problems is education.
Posted by Rafterman1
Right on - this is why bushits' "war on terror" is so phony. what you've said, every well-informed person knows.
the fact that bushit hasn't paid any attention to the root of ME terrorism, i.e. Palestinian conflict, means his agenda does not include the basic solutions needed to end terrorisms' reason to exist.
this leaves us only with the reality that bushit started this war to;
- revenge his daddy
- show his disapproval of Saddams moustache
- impress Condi
- steal their oil
probably a mix of the above.
Posted by freedomisnot
in that case, consider yourself smacked "general".
your evident profound understanding and talent for military matters would make you a prime candidate for service, or are you "retired", Sir?
Posted by Rafterman1 at 09:02 AM : May 01, 2007
Because the dynamic of having a government favorible to the US is in place there. It's not up and running on all cylinders yet, but it is in place. Once enough of their own get trained up, it could have a favorable impact.
Posted by freedomisnot
This from a reader in the Wall Street Journal - "I believe the Democrats' defeatism is due, in some part, to political cowardice. Most revealing of (President Harry's - my emphasis) duplicity is his premature assertion that the surge is ineffective, when Gen. Petraeus stated from the outset that we won't know how effective the surge will be until later this year. Sen. Reid obviously never had any intention of giving the general and our armed forces a change to win in Iraq. Indeed, his dishonesty goes beyond partisanism: It is the root problem of this party's credibility and voters are taking notice." Those last four words say it all.
Posted by Infidel_US
YEP!!
And just as soon as they get back from their TWO MONTH VACATION they're going to try to get one of those cylinders going... maybe.
It is fantacy to think that 'if' this 'so-called' government ever gets up and running it will be favorable to the United States. More likely, they will turn themselves over to another dictator... who this time?? Al Sadr?
Death to Islam.
But this is exactly what the Soviets were saying in 1980 when they invaded Afghanistan. The Soviets were also propping up a favorable government in Afghanistan and though not running on all cylinders, they were hoping to train enough government troops to stabilize the country.
Take it further, look at Yugoslavia. Tito was a secular dictator, keeping things in line. He dies and the country goes to h3ll with religious strife. A replay of that is now happening in Iraq.
Again, I ask why the US will have more success? Because history has shown that this strategy will not work.
Posted by notblue at 09:17 AM : May 01, 2007
If you are right and they hate our freedom then why didn't they attack one of those European countries like Sweden where Homosexuals have right of marriage just like the Heterosexual couples(no discrimination on the basis of SEXUAL ORIENTATION which RADICAL ISLAMIST and RADICAL CHRISTIANS from USA believe),women are allowed to be topless is public just like men(no GENDER BASED DISCRIMINATION which RADICAL ISLAMIST and RADICAL CHRISTIAN in USA believe),women have the right to choose abortion(unlike ISLAMIC TALIBANS in AFGHANISTAN and CHRISTAIN TALIBANS in USA),etc.
We were attacked because of those RADICAL CHRISTAIN ENEMIES of UNITED STATES who want to support the illegitimate and unjustified existance of ISRAEL on the world map on the cost of AMERICAN MONEY,AMERICAN LIVES and USA herself because AMERICANS are GOD-NEGLECTED and NON-AMERICAN EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE are GOD-CHOSEN,USA is an UNHOLY LAND whereas occupied Palestinian territories like TEL AVIV is a HOLY LAND,US Constitution which separates church from state is UNHOLY whereas the ANTI-AMERICAN,RACIST and UNJUST BIBLE which discriminates against AMERICANS by not not promising them a single penny while promising NON-AMERICANS a land in the Middle east,is HOLY.
Posted by notblue
No, it is 100% the fault of Israel, and the USA for supporting Israel, for what the Palestinians are dealing with. Our tax dollars are funding Israel's abuse of the Palestian people.
First off we have a war against an ideal, and they supposedly hate us because of our ideals, yea that's it. Actually I wish this was the case, then no one would be dying.
Now this is just my opinion but I think they hate us for sticking our noses in their business. I'd knock someone over their head if they came into my house and started helping themselves to my stuff and with good reason. In this country we are allowed and expected to do that.
The 'they hate us for our freedom' is a slogan for non-thinkers to embrace. Go ahead and try to define that. They hate us because we've ticked them off. And saying that all Muslims will kill us and our family is the real 'Emboldening' of the enemy.
Muslim is an old religion, and like most religions exists for people to have faith in something higher, it is very powerful. Try understanding your enemy, then you might have an idea how to really defeat them, or learn to live with them like the rest of the world.
And this is exactly what the terorists say about us. Anybody, even a terrorist, can be reasoned with if you are willing to give them something they want. The key is, is that "something" they want do-able in the frameworlk of your interests and security and such.
Unfortunately, neither side is willing to do that or even look at the possibility of doing that. Both sides want 100% of their interests covered and as long as that is the case, we are doomed to geneations of war. Like I said, they can replace their dead fighters just as easily as we can. Maybe even more so since many of their people don't have much else to live for.
Posted by Rafterman1
Seems to me that if the death of this Abu Ayyub Al-Masri is confirmed and the fact that the Sunis claim to have killed him is true, then we are seeing a realization by a bitter insurgency that senseless killing by these manics is not the way to go and they are beginning to realize the U.S. is providing them with an opportunity to achieve stability within their own country. If Anbar province is becoming pacified by virture of the Shieks taking matters into their own hands and turning against Al-Qaeda, then what we are beginning to see that they are one step closer to unification - by and large not a big one, but one nonetheless. That's why the strategy can work. Al-Qaeda has no soul, no humanity -- or one drive, one desire - Islamofacism.
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