Iraq News -- Say What?

[Strick11]

<p>[Zarqawi</a>, al Qaeda are heading out, U.S. general says](<a href=“http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060413-110216-1235r.htm]Zarqawi”>http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060413-110216-1235r.htm) </p>

<p>

Al Qaeda in Iraq and its presumed leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, have conceded strategic defeat and are on their way out of the country, a top U.S. military official contended yesterday. </p>

<p>The group’s failure to disrupt national elections and a constitutional referendum last year “was a tactical admission by Zarqawi that their strategy had failed,” said Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the XVIII Airborne Corps.</p>

<p>“They no longer view Iraq as fertile ground to establish a caliphate and as a place to conduct international terrorism,” he said in an address at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. …</p>

<p>Gen. Vines said the foreign terrorists had made a strategic mistake when they tried to intimidate and deny Iraqis a way to vote.</p>

<p>“I believe Zarqawi discredited himself with the Iraqi people because of his willingness to slaughter Iraqi people,” he said.

</p>

<p>OK, this could be too good to be true and requires independent confirmation. </p>

<p>On the other hand, there have been reports that foreign fighters have been fleeing Iraq for the past couple of month and the report that Zarqawi had been “demoted” as a result of the huge backlash his campaign against Iraqis caused.</p>

<p>Stanger things have happened. I never thought I’d see David Hasselhoff singing on The Wall either and look what that caused. ;)</p>