By his hands alone

If you just look at the people whose death he was directly involved with, he is a murderer first class. Just for that, the world is a better place for him being dead. The folks at Powerline in the article below match my sentiments: glad he is dead for what he has done and a step in the healing of Iraq from Saddam and the terrorists. The fact that it isn't a huge step should not detract from the fact that it is very good news.

Power Line: Iraqis Celebrate Zarqawi's Death

PAUL adds: There's something seriously wrong with any non-terrorist anywhere in the world who isn't celebrating Zarqawi's death. The world has become a better place, and Americans are a bit safer too -- as we would have been safer if the Clinton administration had taken advantage of one of its opportunities to kill or nab a certain other master terrorist during the late 1990s.

On the other hand, I don't think Zarqawi's demise is going to change things in Iraq. It's unlikely to have any effect on the strife between Sunni and Shiite, and in all likelihood al Qaeda has other leaders in Iraq who can replace Zarqawi. A power struggle may break out among them, but a power struggle may already have broken out (and possibility contributed to Zarqawi's end).

There may have been a time when Zarqawi played something like an indispensable role in Iraq, but if so that time probably has passed. Progress in Iraq is going to be gradual, and I think it's overly optimistic to be talking about this being a "tipping point."