Major al-Qaeda Figure Killed in Precision Strike

Another bold multi-phased strike by American forces in Iraq:

The most wanted al-Qaeda in Iraq figure south of Baghdad was killed last weekend by a precision-guided artillery round, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Abu Jurah, an al-Qaeda cell leader, died Saturday in the Arab Jabour area just south of the city after U.S. troops received word that he and 14 others were meeting at a house there, a U.S. statement said.

About an hour later, the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment fired two Excalibur precision-guided shells at the house, destroying it. An unmanned aerial vehicle saw people leaving the rubble and loading the injured into a vehicle.

An AH-64 Apache helicopter attacked the vehicle and destroyed it, the statement said.

Three people were seen fleeing into a second house, which was destroyed by a U.S. Air Force F-16 jet that dropped two 500-pound guided bombs on it.

Note the persistence in the followup strikes, including on the wounded. Al-Qaeda is fighting for its life in Iraq and much of its energy is therefore diverted from offensive jihad in Western countries. Credit George W. Bush, even though his pass to Palestinian terrorists may prove to be suicidal.