memeorandum: Weldon, Sestak battle over U.S. withdrawal from Iraq (delcotimes.com)

1:20 PM ET, June 8, 2006

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Iraqi PM: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed — BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a U.S. air raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said Thursday.

Omar / IRAQ THE MODEL:

ZARQAWI KILLED!! — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has just announced the death of terror leader Abu Musa'ab al-Zarqawi in a joint press conference with Ambassador Khalil Zad. — Al-Maliki explained that Zarqawi (and 7 of his aides) was killed in an air raid in the little town …

Discussion: Counterterrorism Blog, Wizbang, The American Mind, Samizdata.net, Big Lizards, Global Voices Online, The Real Ugly American.com, Sister Toldjah, Mudville Gazette and Andrew Sullivan

Associated Press:

Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi Dies in Bombing Attack — BAGHDAD, Iraq — Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and kidnappings, has been killed in an air strike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday, adding that his identity was confirmed by fingerprints and a look at his face.

Discussion: Security Watchtower, ThreatsWatch.Org, Scared Monkeys, Winds of Change.NET, Vodkapundit, Jihad Watch, Strategic Outlook Institute and OPFOR

CNN:

Terror leader al-Zarqawi dead, Iraqi officials say — BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, is dead, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Thursday. — "Today Zarqawi has been killed," al-Maliki said. The announcement was greeted by cheers.

Discussion: Reuters, Booman Tribune, protein wisdom, PoliPundit.com, AMERICAblog, AMERICAN FUTURE, The Democratic Daily, BLACKFIVE, The Education Wonks, Davids Medienkritik and Attytood

Rose Garden / White House:

Statement by the President on Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Last night in Iraq, United States military forces killed the terrorist al Zarqawi. At 6:15 p.m. Baghdad time, special operation forces, acting on tips and intelligence from Iraqis …

Discussion: Baseball Crank, bRight & Early and RedState

John F. Burns / New York Times:

Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq Has Been Killed — BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 8 - Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in an American airstrike on an isolated safe house north of Baghdad at 6.15 p.m. local time on Wednesday, top U.S. and Iraqi officials said on today.

Discussion: Liberty Street, Ezra Klein, The American Street, Air America Radio and FP Passport

Michelle Malkin:

"ZARQAWI HAS BEEN KILLED" (VIDEO ADDED) — ***scroll for updates...video of Iraqi PM announcement added...oil prices drop after announcement...the Kos crazies are at it already...scars and fingerprints used to identify Zarqawi body...dancing in the streets...Bush transcript …

Discussion: Reuters, The Anchoress, Publius Pundit, This Blog Is Full Of Crap, Ninth State, Villainous Company, TigerHawk, Classical Values, Macsmind, RightWinged.com and The Strata-Sphere

StrategyPage:

Zarqawi Scheduled for Martyrdom — June 7, 2006: The relationship between terrorist leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi and and the mainline al Qaeda leadership continues to deteriorate. Zarqawi's recent audio messages have not only attacked the U.S. and the Shia-dominated government in Iraq, but also Iran.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Middle Earth Journal, Gateway Pundit and The All Spin Zone

Jim Miklaszewski / MSNBC:

Avoiding attacking suspected terrorist mastermind — Abu Musab Zarqawi blamed for more than 700 killings in Iraq … With Tuesday's attacks, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant with ties to al-Qaida, is now blamed for more than 700 terrorist killings in Iraq.

Discussion: The Washington Monthly, David Corn, The Huffington Post and Democrats.com

CNN:
Airstrike kills terror leader al-Zarqawi in Iraq

Discussion: Reuters, JustOneMinute, BLACKFIVE and Amygdala

Nickle / dailykos.com:
With or Without Zarqawi — With ABC news reporting that Zarqawi …

Discussion: The Jawa Report v3.0 Beta, The Grit, OxBlog and The Peking Duck

Andrew Cochran / Counterterrorism Blog:
ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI KILLED IN U.S. BOMBING ATTACK (updated with pictures)

Discussion: Rantingprofs, Terrorism Unveiled and The Politburo Diktat

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:
ZARQAWI IS DEAD: Good. Unlike previous reports this one seems very likely to be true.

Discussion: Counterterrorism Blog, NewsBusters.org, Classical Values, The Horse's Mouth, Hugh Hewitt, Tim Blair and Murdoc Online

Juan / Informed Comment:
Zarqawi Killed in Baquba

Discussion: Attytood

Mary Anne Weaver / The Atlantic Online:
The Short, Violent Life of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

Discussion: The American Scene and Wonkette

CNN:
Iraq appoints security ministers

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard

Austin Bay Blog:
UPDATED: Zarqawi "terminated" …

Discussion: Power Line and Wizbang

Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Zarqawi Dead In Coalition Air Strike

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, The Strata-Sphere, Begging to Differ, Democratic Underground, Outside The Beltway, The Florida Masochist and Gay Patriot

Mary Katharine Ham / Hugh Hewitt:
Zarqawi Killed — Scroll for updates, quotes from Bush announcement …

Discussion: Hot Air and Wizbang

Texas Rainmaker: Hell Welcomes a New Resident

Associated Press:
Timeline: Major Attacks Claimed by Zarqawi and His Followers

Discussion: RIGHTWINGSPARKLE

Tim Worstall / nightcapsyndication.com:
Zarqawi's Death: A Report from Baghdad

Discussion: The Jawa Report v3.0 Beta

New York Times:

Specter's Uneasy Relationship With White House Is Revealed in a Letter to Cheney — WASHINGTON, June 7 — A senior Republican lawmaker went public on Wednesday about his often tense and complicated relationship with the Bush White House in a remarkable display of the strains within the party.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Wonkette and The American Street

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Los Angeles Times:
Powerful Lawmaker's Relative Linked Financially to Contractor

Discussion: San Diego Union-Tribune, TPMmuckraker, War and Piece and Talking Points Memo

Sidney Blumenthal / Salon:

George Bush Sr. asked retired general to replace Rumsfeld — From left: George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and George H.W. Bush — Former President George H.W. Bush waged a secret campaign over several months early this year to remove Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Discussion: Just a Bump in the Beltway, The Corner on National …, The Left Coaster, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Outside The Beltway and The Democratic Daily

Mark Mazzetti / New York Times:

Efforts by C.I.A. Fail in Somalia, Officials Charge — WASHINGTON, June 7 — A covert effort by the Central Intelligence Agency to finance Somali warlords has drawn sharp criticism from American government officials who say the campaign has thwarted counterterrorism efforts inside Somalia …

Discussion: The Sideshow and The Carpetbagger Report

Hope Yen / Associated Press:

White House faulted in VA data theft — Funds sought for personnel — WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from both parties called on the Bush administration yesterday for money and accountability in a widening data-security breach now encompassing nearly all active-duty military, Guard, and Reserve members.

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Washington Monthly and The Carpetbagger Report