“I Don’t Think The Follow-On Leadership Has Been Quite As Good”
NEW YORK — Slain al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a “diabolically brilliant” war tactician, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, likening the terror commander to Civil War generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant.
Zarqawi’s successors are less talented, and less able to manage what may be a shift in Iraq away from sympathy for foreign-born fighters, Rice said in an interview. Zarqawi was killed by U.S. forces more than a year ago. Since then, the al-Qaida in Iraq network he led has suffered setbacks but has proved a resilient threat.
“He was diabolically brilliant,” Rice said of Zarqawi. “I think he was an outstanding organizer, I think he had a kind of strategic sense, and I don’t think the follow-on leadership has been quite as good,” Rice said in the interview with Fox news.
It is wrong to dismiss Zarqawi’s killing as a temporary or insignificant victory in the long fight against terrorism, Rice continued.
“When you hear people say … ‘If you kill one of them, they’ll just replace him with another leader,’ remember that that’s like saying, `If you take out Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant, well, they’ll just replace them with another leader.’” Rice said. “There are people who are better at this than others.”
After the death of the Jordanian-born Zarqawi, “they started to make more mistakes.”
Al-Qaida in Iraq is a homegrown Sunni extremist group, comprised mainly of Iraqis but in some cases led and financed by foreigners. The Bush administration says the shadowy group overreached in Anbar province, leading to a revolt by local sheiks.
Rice, who visited Anbar with President Bush this month, agreed with a questioner who asserted that “these foreign fighters have recognized that the game’s changed and has turned against them.”
“They’re still hoping for parts of Iraq, which is why we’ve got to stay on the hunt. I mean, they moved from Anbar to Diyala,” Rice said. “But your point is exactly right. They’re going to want to go someplace else because I think it’s not going to be long before they’re not welcome anywhere in Iraq.”
U.S. commanders in Iraq told The Associated Press in July that al-Qaida has been run out of some parts of the country yet still has the will, financing and fighters for significant attacks.
“They’re in disarray, but they’re always trying to make a comeback,” Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, the commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq, said in an interview. His area includes Diyala province, where al-Qaida in Iraq had a firm grip until recent heavy U.S.-led fighting.
(AP)
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“If you kill one of them, they’ll just replace him with another leader,’ remember that that’s like saying, `If you take out Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant, well, they’ll just replace them with another leader.’”
I’d have picked Rommel or Hess.
Enjoy the Shit Storm Condi!
September 25th, 2007 at 11:09 pmI SAID IT A LONG TIME AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES! They will be replaced with another leader, but who wants to follow the second string QB? Or the Third? Or the Forth? Or a Fifth?
They break down with EVERY leader that is killed. They break into smaller groups until they can not function as an entity any longer and are left to fight ALONE.
DAMN I got it right!
September 25th, 2007 at 11:33 pmi dont have sympathy for confederacy in civil war, but to compare zarqawi to robert e lee is pretty retarded to me. Same with U S grant. She was just tryin to use a metaphor, but she exaggerated the fuck out of it.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:07 amJeez Condi… Lee, Grant and Zarqawi????? WTF!!!!
September 26th, 2007 at 1:32 amI think she was comparing the situation, not the people.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:50 amRommel or Hess? OK try Jodl or some other German General after Rommel, there was noone left after Rommel to defend the coast and those in command after Hitler poisoned Rommell wer not up to the task, just like the AQI, Their “leader” is gone ,they have finance(Saudi Arabia) and troops(Saudi suicide bombers and other foreign death wish idiots) but no real coordinated leadership.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:57 amHence they will have a devestating effect on random bombings, but the coordination is gone, and with it the good will of the terrified population who used to let them swim within.
Now they aint and the AQI bodies will stack up as the population gets to see what they are like and that now they have an alternative that promises LIFE.
Grant and Lee? I don’t think so Condi. These people aren’t that civilized. At least Grant and Lee were smart enough to end the war. As was Sherman and his counterpart.
Your analogy sucks…much like the job that you’re doing at State. Zarqawi is more like Tojo or Mitsuru. Screwey as the day is long.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:24 amAs long as our MILITARY HEROES keep pounding their asses they won’t be able to set up shop anywhere for long. Condi and the state dept. needs to put some heat on the Saudis to stop the flow of money to these bastards.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:08 amAnd will someone please bomb IRAN.
Lee or Grant. Not to beat a dead horse, but seriously? Why would you equate 2 civil war heroes, one of them a US President, to a fucking terrorist? The context doesn’t even make sense. We’re talking about an insurgency and you just compared it to a divided-line war. I’m flabberghasted. This makes the US look retarded. Furthermore, it gives credit where credit isn’t due. Complimenting your enemy is worthless. This is not the first time Condi has dissapointed me.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:04 am