Oh my god! ... was I wrong!!! We appear to indeed have Al-Qaida on the run in Iraq.

My previous posting which trivialized the killing of Al Zarqawi (comparing his death mask with a likeness of Pavarotti) was stupid and out of sync with the facts as they unfold this week.

I also apologize for two postings on the same day/night, but Mr. Bush and his military leaders deserve a tremendous applause for having turned the fortunes of Al-Qaida in Iraq totally around. We seem to have them on the run -- and have the Iraqi security forces solidly behind the effort to eliminate Al-Qaida influence in that important Middle Eastern country.

The papers and (probably) computer files recovered yesterday and then more papers found earlier today from a number of sites raided as a result of intelligence gathered at Al-Zarqawi's "safe house" destroyed by the 500 lb LGBs ... plus the deaths of 104 Al-Qaida operatives (at last count) at 452 locations (at last count) and (even more important) the capture of more than 700 persons related to Al-Qaida have dealt the terrorists a possibly fatal blow to their plans for creating of Iraq a terrorist stronghold and training grounds after we suctioned them in after invading Iraq back in 2003.

True, the Al-Qaida terrorists might never have entered Iraq in the first place had we not taken out one of their most hated Middle Eastern leaders and secular governments (which at the time was entirely within our control, considering the north and south no-fly zones, stringent sanctions, unlimited -- in the end --inspections, etc.), but just maybe ... that was the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld plan from the outset.

Whatever, we must now realize that the Republican leadership is correct in suggesting that we not "cut and run" now, just as the tide is turning in our favor. I never thought I would agree with the likes of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senator John McCain, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (and even Senator Hillary Clinton, who stood prominently among a minority of Democratic senators) in suggesting that we not pull out this year -- in fact, imposing no precipitous time table!

My God! They were right! Again, applause to Bush and the planners of the recent attacks on the Al-Qaida-in-Iraq infrastructure.

Whatever our political persuasion, for now, we have to agree that we seem to have the upper hand in cleansing Iraq of Al-Qaida and may have actually been winning that particular aspect of the war for some time. I was shocked to read the released excerpts of Al-Zarqawi's and his organization's papers that portrayed Al-Qaida's future in Iraq as declining (I heard the word "bleak" mentioned on one newscast) and even suggesting that they (Al-Qaida) somehow goad us into a war with Iran to take the pressure off their operatives in Iraq.

My one word comment . . . WOW!!!