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Bush hails Zarqawi's death
08/06/2006 15:14 - (SA)
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| President Bush speaks about the death of al-Qaeda in Iraq's leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in the Rose Garden at the White House. (Ron Edmonds, AP) |
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Washington - President George W Bush said on Thursday the death of al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is "a severe blow" to the al-Qaeda terrorist network and a decisive victory in the US-led campaign against terrorism.
"Now Zarqawi has met his end, and this violent man will never murder again," Bush said in the Rose Garden.
Americans "can be justly proud" of US fighting men and women, the president said.
"We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people," he said.
'A good thing'
Bush learned of the killing on Wednesday afternoon from national security adviser Stephen Hadley, who had received a phone call from Baghdad shortly before 16:00.
"That would be a good thing," White House press secretary Tony Snow quoted Bush as saying at the time.
In his statement Thursday morning, Bush said the terrorist's death means "the ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders." But he cautioned that the struggle against terror lives on.
"Zarqawi is dead, but the difficult and necessary mission in Iraq continues," Bush said. "We can expect the terrorists and insurgents to carry on without him. We can expect the sectarian violence to continue."
Popularity waning
News that al-Zarqawi was killed comes at a time of trouble in Bush's presidency. It is uplifting news for the president whose popularity has been weighed down by waning public confidence in his handling of the war in Iraq.
Only 40% of the public approves of Bush's performance on foreign policy and the war on terror, and just 35% of the public approves of Bush's handling of Iraq, according to the most recent AP-Ipsos polling.
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