The importance of Zarqawi?

Missing out on the up to date news last night, I had to listen to the death bell ring this morning instead. The most wanted man in Iraq has fallen by an air assault. Thanks in part to the Jordanian government, Zarqawi, the (estranged) citizen of that country is no longer a threat to the citizens of Iraq or the American troops and their allies. As important as his death is, it does not, in any way, mark a new turn for the insurgency or life in Iraq. As with the mafia, when one head is cut off in terrorist networks, another one emerges.

First, however, the importance of his life must be assessed before we look at his death. He was more of a military coordinator than a movement leader. He was not a religious leader, as Osama (incorrectly) claims to be. He was not a Sunni leader, as many top Sunnis felt threatened by his headline-grabbing assaults and massacres. He was, however, a master propagandist and military man. His ruthless tactics, like the beheading of Nicholas Berg, and the many suicide bombings he orchestrated, were indicative of the danger he represented. He was a foreign man in foreign land. A citizen of Jordan, Zarqawi found his niche in Iraq and undoubtedly left his mark. The work he did was definitely essential for the insurgency, but, as many intelligence officials noted, he was not the force he was made out to be. The insurgency needed him, but it did not rely on him. While he was considered the most dangerous man in Iraq (sorry, Muqtad al-Sadr, your day has passed for now), the danger he posed can be easily filled by someone already in the pipeline. Some believe his capture is completely fruitless.

What will come after his death? Most likely it will help the current Iraqi government. Having just appointed some more officials, the baby Bambi government needs a morale boost any it can. This will definitely help. Along with this benefit to stability, it will certainly make Iraqi life, at least seem, more livable. The shakiness Iraqis are accustomed to will take some time to get rid of, especially when little or no progress is made with the strongest nation in the world inhabiting and helping its land.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. That is the only thing certain at this point. Unless they find that the tattoos and the body ID was all wrong. In that case, we are back at the beginning. In essence, that is where we will be even if he is dead. That is the problem when you fight a noun, its hard to know when it is down. Stay down terrorism, stat down.