Rumsfeld: Zarqawi like Hitler
2005-05-26 21:56
Emery P Dalesion
Fort Bragg - In a pep talk to thousands of paratroopers on Thursday, defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld likened al-Qaeda's reportedly wounded chief in Iraq to a cornered Adolf Hitler during the final days of Nazi Germany.
"Like Hitler in his bunker, this violent extremist, failing to advance his political objectives, now appears committed to destroying everything and everyone around him," said Rumsfeld.
Iraqi ministers said on Thursday they had information verifying rumours that reputed terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been wounded.
Al-Zarqawi is Iraq's most-wanted militant and has claimed responsibility for the country's deadliest attacks.
Like the Japanese kamikaze attacks at the end of World War II, the suicide bombings by the followers of al-Zarqawi are a sign of desperation, Rumsfeld said.
"The Zarqawis and the bin Ladens, like the tyrants and fascists before them... tried to destroy things they could never build, and they tried to kill people they could never persuade," he said.
- AP