Bush says Zarqawi death may "turn the tide"
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-08 20:47
Bush said he will meet his key members of his Cabinet and national security
team at Camp David on Monday, then on Tuesday Iraq's new ambassador to the
United States will join in a teleconference discussion with Iraqi Prime Minister
Nuri al-Maliki and members of his Cabinet. Bush said he spoke to Maliki on
Thursday morning.
"Together we will discuss how to best deploy America's resources in Iraq, and
achieve our shared goal of an Iraq that can govern itself, defend itself and
sustain itself," Bush said.
Bush said U.S. special operations forces confirmed Zarqawi's location based
on intelligence from Iraqis and "delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist
in Iraq."
Bush was informed by national security adviser Stephen Hadley at 4:35 p.m.
(2035 GMT) on Wednesday in the Oval Office that it was believed Zarqawi was
dead, and Bush replied, "That would be a good thing," White House spokesman Tony
Snow said.
At 9:10 p.m. (0110 GMT Thursday), Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, called Hadley and told him that markings on the body and
fingerprints matched those of Zarqawi, Snow said. It will probably be another
day before DNA evidence comes back, he said.
"Special Forces had been tracking him and people close to him, and they had
very good reason to believe, because of some of the traffic in and out of the
building, that Zarqawi was there," Snow said.
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