“I agree that Zarqawi had to be brought to justice. I do not celebrate his death or the death of any human being. It would have been preferable had the U. S. been able to bring this man to trial before an international court to make his crimes known before the world. His targets were not representatives of U. S. government policy, but innocent civilians, just like the innocent civilians who died on September 11th.”
Adele Welty
Mother of Firefighter Timothy Welty
Killed at the World Trade Center
“When we began this war on Iraq, we opened up a greater hole on earth for hateful acts of all kinds to flourish. I heard today about al-Zarqawi–his death and the deaths of five others. One of those five was a child. The ease with which we erase that child’s death and claim victory over terrorism is devastating to our collective souls. Our whisper of a plea to stop cannot counter the bravado of the administration which now will claim that the U.S. is victorious and justified. Each day is sadder. ”
Donna Marsh O’Connor
Mother of Vanessa Langer
Killed at the World Trade Center
“I heard the news of the killing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi this morning with mixed emotion. My first thought was how profoundly sad it is that a human being could be so cruelly responsible for such such great harm as he has been. However, his death does not make me feel victorious or safer or convinced that terrorism has been even remotely brought to its knees. Quite the contrary. Why? Because it is an absolute truth that violence begets violence. Vengeance and retaliation only perpetuate hatred and violence. It will only stop when someone stops it. When we refuse to participate. While a person who is so damaged as to believe that violence is justifiable must be stopped, it is necessary for us to remember that this too is a human being, a part of the whole, connected to me and to all others. And so I mourn for a life spent in the perpetuation of suffering as well as for all those who suffered as a result. We have a chance to reverse the trend of thousands of years of human war and retribution. We do not have to have a society that promotes and justifies violence. It is not true that those who have been harmed deserve vengeance, indeed must have it, in order to heal.
I understand Michael Berg when he says that the death of Abu Masab al-Zarqawi does not help him. It does not bring back his son, Nicholas. Mr. Berg’s words gave me hope, because despite his wounds, he has kept his humanity and remembers that Abu Masab al- Zarqawi, however, damaged, was a human being too. The war in Afghanistan and Iraq has caused untold pain and suffering to thousands of our fellow human beings, and is our responsibility.”
Andrea LeBlanc
Wife of Robert LeBlanc
Killed on Flight 175
“Zarqawi’s death is not our victory. Our victory is a world in which people like him do not need to resort to violence.”
Patricio Grehan
Brother of Pedro Grehan
Killed at the World Trade Center
“The death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi brings no joy. I wish he could have been brought to justice without violence, for violence is the primary tool of those whose beliefs become stronger than their regard for human life. To rejoice in the results of violence is to deny the importance of learning how to live without violence. The end of al-Zarqawi’s leadership may well slow the horrors of daily life in Iraq, but it is not what will will win the war on terror. That will be accomplished by peaceful acts that teach everyone that we can truly live together in one world of respect for each other.”
Bruce Wallace
Uncle of Mitch Wallace
Killed at the World Trade Center
http://121contact.typepad.com/
“al-Zarqawi was truly a terrorist who killed innocent civilians on a daily
basis. I wish I knew more about what really drove him to do the things he did.
I, too, would have liked to see him brought to justice. I do not know that
killing him will make much difference in this war. I do not celebrate his
death.
We’ll have to see what happens next.”
Doreen Leone
Sister in Law of James (Jimmy) Barbella
Killed at the World Trade Center
“As the brother of Craig Amundson, who was killed on 9/11, I might be expected to rejoice over the death of the al-Qaida leader in Iraq. Instead, I am frustrated. al-Zarqawi
