YES! We got a big fish...

[aways]

Via PowerLine...
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/012867.php

ABC is reporting that al Qaeda's top bombmaker and chemical weapons expert was killed in last week's Predator attack in Pakistan:

Midhat Mursi, 52, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, was identified by Pakistani authorities as one of three known al Qaeda leaders present at an apparent terror summit conference in the village of Damadola.

The United States had posted a $5 million reward for Mursi's capture. He is described by U.S. authorities as the man who ran al Qaeda's infamous Derunta training camp in Afghanistan, where he used dogs and other animals as subjects of experiments with poison and chemicals.

"This is extraordinarily important," said former FBI agent Jack Cloonan, an ABC News consultant, who was the senior agent on the FBI's al Qaeda squad. "He's the man who trained the shoe bomber, Richard Reid and Zacharias Mousssaoui, as well as hundreds of others."

Great news, assuming it's confirmed.

[Joeaksa]

Sure hope its true. The news people here (am in Cairo now) are saying that after the bombing that 12-15 bodies of "foreigners" were carried away.

The Pak President has been in hot water from his foes but hopefully this will tone them down now that its been found that there were bad guys there. We all thought that there was more to the story when he stated that villagers should not be hiding terrorists.

Sorry if any innocent people were killed but it kinda brings me back to the statement that Pres Bush said after 9/11. "You are either with us or you are with the terrorists"...

Not much wiggle room there for those who harbor or allow terrorists to stay in their villages. Maybe now the other villagers will spill the beans on where the rest of them are and we can keep moving on.

Joe A

Now being reported by CNN and Yahoo:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/18/pakistan.airstrike/index.html

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/osama_bin_laden_and_al_qaida

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Of course they killed 18 civilians in the process but hey, you gotta' break a few eggs to make an omlette, right?

[JeremyD]

collateral damage

[bryanthompson]

earth to morons: if you have dinner reservations with a known terrorist, expect your house to 'splode.

[M.D. Holloway]

The benefits for the many outweight the misery for the few...but I sure as hell wouldn't want my fam to be in the line of fire for the benefit of the many.

[aways]

Originally posted by Porsche-O-Phile
Of course they killed 18 civilians in the process but hey, you gotta' break a few eggs to make an omlette, right?

These not-so-innocent "civilians" were knowingly harboring al queda. In fact, they "invited" them to their homes. As Joe says, maybe now they'll think twice before throwing out the welcome mat in the future. This is a significant step forward in the WOT, and it's not surprising that some Bush-haters and/or al queda apologists will not be pleased.

[JeremyD]

probably french...

[fastpat]

Originally posted by aways
These not-so-innocent "civilians" were knowingly harboring al queda. In fact, they "invited" them to their homes. As Joe says, maybe now they'll think twice before throwing out the welcome mat in the future. This is a significant step forward in the WOT, and it's not surprising that some Bush-haters and/or al queda apologists will not be pleased.

Like Osama B. Laden who claims that those killed in the World Trade Center were at first thought to be merely collateral damage, then he discovered that many of them traded with companies that sold weapons to the US government which made them legitimate targets.

Isn't it interesting that all thugs think alike?

[Bill Douglas]

Good shot.

[aways]

Originally posted by fastpat
Like Osama B. Laden who claims that those killed in the World Trade Center were at first thought to be merely collateral damage, then he discovered that many of them traded with companies that sold weapons to the US government which made them legitimate targets.

Isn't it interesting that all thugs think alike?

The moral relativists really amaze me. So I guess Churchill and Roosevelt were "thugs" just like Hitler because civilians on both sides died during the war. Anyone who has trouble distinguishing between the actions of Bush and Bin Laden is so morally confused that discussion is really futile.

[aways]

Originally posted by Bill Douglas
Good shot.

I assume you mean by the predator drone...

[fastpat]

Originally posted by aways
The moral relativists really amaze me. So I guess Churchill and Roosevelt were "thugs" just like Hitler because civilians on both sides died during the war. Anyone who has trouble distinguishing between the actions of Bush and Bin Laden is so morally confused that discussion is really futile.

No, they were't thugs just like Hitler, but they were murderous thugs.

Roosevelt for hooking American into World War Two in the first place by committing numerous acts of war against Germany and Japan in violation of US law for two years or more before December 7th, 1941; and Churchhill for authorizing area bombing of German civilian populations. I'm sure I could dig up other war crimes commited by both, but why pile on.

[aways]

Originally posted by fastpat
No, they were't thugs just like Hitler, but they were murderous thugs.

Roosevelt for hooking American into World War Two in the first place by committing numerous acts of war against Germany and Japan in violation of US law for two years or more before December 7th, 1941; and Churchhill for authorizing area bombing of German civilian populations. I'm sure I could dig up other war crimes commited by both, but why pile on.

No need. You've explained where you're coming from quite clearly.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by aways
No need. You've explained where you're coming from quite clearly.

No, I have not. But you have.

[dhoward]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
earth to morons: if you have dinner reservations with a known terrorist, expect your house to 'splode.

Yes.
Learn a lesson.
If I'm hangin' out with the local crack dealer, and the cops break my door in, I have no reason to b!tch.
Unless I'm Pat, then it's nobody's business who my friends are....

[emcon5]

Originally posted by fastpat
No, they were't thugs just like Hitler, but they were murderous thugs.

Roosevelt for hooking American into World War Two in the first place by committing numerous acts of war against Germany and Japan in violation of US law for two years or more before December 7th, 1941; and Churchhill for authorizing area bombing of German civilian populations. I'm sure I could dig up other war crimes commited by both, but why pile on.

Wow. Your grasp of world history is fascinating. May I ask how many copies of The Catcher in the Rye you own?

Tom

[Por_sha911]

Originally posted by fastpat
No, they were't thugs just like Hitler, but they were murderous thugs. Roosevelt for hooking American into World War Two in the first place...

Really! We should have just let Hitler roll through Europe until he came knocking on your front door. The French would be proud (come to think of it, even they didn't like it when Hitler destoyed their country). Now lets all sing anti-war songs and hand out daisies until the dictators give up. Pu-leaze!

[RoninLB]

I just subscribed

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
earth to morons: if you have dinner reservations with a known terrorist, expect your house to 'splode.

The children that were blown apart made dinner reservations with a know terrorist?


I support the government taking this sort of action, but lets not be glib about the death of innocent children who happened to be caught up in the cross fire.