Second Thots

I'm past the point of believing that good news in Iraq equates to a turning point in the insurgency. It's bad over there. It will keep being bad over there for a while yet -- at the very least.

However, I do think Zarqawi's death can be squared with two specific political goals that the US and the new Iraqi government are trying to achieve in the country:

- The message of security. If they can finally get Zarqawi, they can get anyone. That should be of some comfort to Iraqis who want peace and security instead of chaos and terror.

- The option of civil society. Young Iraqis are reminded of a choice. They can try to live with the new political regime being instituted -- as much as they may hate or resent it right now -- or they can join the insurgency and meet Zarqawi's fate. It's up to them.
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While I'm on the topic of Zarqawi, you gotta love how some are suggesting Zarqawi is now more powerful in death than he was in life. You can't win with some people. First, they blame Bush for not getting people like bin Laden and Zarqawi. Then, when he does get one of them, it's still a bad move. Give me a freakin' break.