Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is Dead

This is the best possible news from Iraq, and news that will foster a wave of initiative and progress. This monster was responsible for hundreds, if not thousands of deaths. He orchestrated the assasination of a U.S. ambassador, a hotel in Jordan, and personally beheaded American and other hostages. His reign of terror was unparalleled, and his death is a good thing.

The violence will continue. People will die in Iraq today. Al-Queda in Iraq is a cell structure, and operations have already been planned. The left will undoubtably find something wrong with the way in which he died, and as soon as a bomb goes off in Baghdad at lunchtime today then they will bash the President and accuse him of not being able to capitalize on al-Zarqawi's demise. They may even criticize us for killing him, with the repeatively absurd logic that they will hate us m ore now than they did yesterday, so we should have left him alive.

But do not be discouraged. There is constant progress in Iraq. The Iraqi people, despite what the left tells you about how they want us out, have been helping in droves. Tips from Iraqis are up tenfold from last year. The moderates are slowly taking hold in Iraq, and this news will only propel that progress at a faster rate.

Hopefully, there is a plan to take full advantage of Zarqawi's death, and prevent al-Queda in Iraq from solidifying around a new leader. It is of some passing interest that in the al-Queda communication today that verified the death that there was no signatory to the release. Whatever the outcome, today's news is nothing but positive.