I am delighted to see that psychopathic master terrorist Imad Mughniyeh (whose name is just as unpronounceable as it was when he was alive) is dead.
Not only has he been killing Americans and Jews since the 1980s, and pioneered suicide bombings, but he's long been a crucial link between Hezbollah (and Iran) and al Qaeda.
Hot Air details his long history, the speculation about his involvement with bin Laden, and more. Time has more on the importance of this superstar of terrorism, and speculates about who might have carried out the assassination (which might have been aided by the Syrian government looking the other way).
Mughniyeh being a key link in this connection, I'm hoping that his death is bad news for al Qaeda and Iran, and good news for the overall picture in Iraq.
MORE: Hezbollah is vowing retaliation against Israel, and Israel denies any involvment in the assassination. More here.
UPDATE: Excellent roundup of posts and reports about Mughniyeh's death at Pajamas Media.
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Comments
It is also quite possible that the Iranians decided that he had outlived his usefulness, and rather than risk him becoming a free agent/loose cannon, they simply eliminated him.
As a twofer, they get to pin the deed on the Israelis, thus getting to enagae in a bunch of saber rattling and gaining a propaganda boost.
Sell no martyr before his time, and all that...
ThomasD · February 14, 2008 01:09 PM
What folks have been missing is the capability Imad Mugniyah brought to the table and his skill at starting up far-flung and profitable operations. One of the few things that Hezbollah has understood is not to promote someone into a position they are not good at from one they excel in.
Getting rid of Mugniyah would be the same as knocking off the JCS, head of the treasury and commerce department, and bombing the head offices of OPM and GAO during wartime. He was cautious to a fault and so well connected that it will take at least 6 individuals to collect his loose-ends and ensure continuity of operations... at the highest level of Hezbollah.
I am very glad he is gone, he was far too capable at what he did.
We miss the point of what he built and how he built it, however, and those remain unaddressed to this day. And having read about the extended network of individuals he worked with, I am not only not convinced that we have a handle on the danger, but that our efforts to curb them are horribly misplaced.
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
Don?t bang your head!
It is also quite possible that the Iranians decided that he had outlived his usefulness, and rather than risk him becoming a free agent/loose cannon, they simply eliminated him.
As a twofer, they get to pin the deed on the Israelis, thus getting to enagae in a bunch of saber rattling and gaining a propaganda boost.
Sell no martyr before his time, and all that...