Zarqawi’s Death a Milestone?

Reportedly, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed last night in an airstrike on a stronghold in Baqubah. The DNA testing to confirm that the remains are indeed those of Zarqawi is expected to be done in two days.

All of the cable news networks are running almost nonstop coverage on the development, eschewing Brangelina baby pictures, Ann Coulter’s latest rabble-rousing and the freshest Republican corruption for breathless accounts of how this is a turning point in the formation of a stable Iraq and possibly even for victory in the War on Terror.

But who knew who Zarqawi was until we attacked Iraq? In what way are we more safe now than on September 12, 2001? In what way is the Middle East region in better shape?

After almost five years, we still have not captured Osama bin Laden. It has been reported that the remnants of the Taliban in Afghanistan have been gaining strength in that country. In fact, 400 civilians were killed in Afghanistan just last month.

Meanwhile, 763 civilians were reported dead in Iraq last month. (according to the Iraq Body Count Database) Even after Zarqawi’s death, at least 40 people have died today in Baghdad alone, according to Fox News.

It is not one man or even a group of men that stand between the Iraqi government and their pursuit of peace and stability. It is the widely held belief that the U.S. and its allies are meddling in the Middle East in order to gain control of the region’s oil reserves and to advance the cause of the state of Israel.

Both Zarqawi and bin Laden began their military training in Afghanistan when the U.S. backed rebel forces against the Soviet occupation force. Saddam Hussein was our ally in our struggle with Iran in the 80s. We have a complicated relationship with Saudi Arabia, whom we don’t hold to the same standard as other countries in the region. We appear to favor Israel when we should be more impartial in their conflict with the Palestinians. And most importantly, we appear to side with the interests of ChevronTexaco and ExxonMobil over the living, breathing human beings in any of these countries. Until these mixed messages are addressed, we can expect another Zarqawi to emerge, and another after that.

It is not by military domination that we will transform this region, it is by making clear to the people of the Middle East that we are committed to improving their way of life and allowing them complete autonomy given that they respect international law. They have to believe that the same rules apply to us as apply to them when it comes to international relations and commerce.

Let’s face it, no one in the Bush Administration thinks in these terms. To them it is all about forcing their will on others. The father of Zarqawi-beheading victim Nicholas Berg said it best today. The only way we can save the lives of thousands more U.S. troops (and for that matter tens of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians) is to impeach George Bush today. If only.