US official: Al-Qaida's No. 2 killed in Pakistan

[Bosonic]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — A senior Obama administration official says al-Qaida No. 2 leader, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, has been killed in Pakistan.

Al-Rahman was a Libyan national who was considered al-Qaida's operational leader before rising to the No. 2 spot following Osama bin Laden's death in May.

Al-Rahman's death is a big blow to the terrorist group and comes as U.S. officials have said in the aftermath of bin Laden's killing that a few more high-profile deaths could break al-Qaida's back.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence operations, says al-Rahman was killed Aug. 22 in the Pakistani tribal region of Waziristan. That's the same day a US drone strike in Waziristan.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110827/us-al-qaida-leader-killed/

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Oh, what a relief ...

[OhioChick]

3. ...........

:rofl:

[ixion]

7. exactly...

:rofl:

[gateley]

8. No kidding! nt

[bigwillq]

9. Great 'toon!

:thumbsup:

[Dokkie]

10. lol

I was going to say something to that effect. It seems like we have been killing No. 2 ever since the war on terror started. At some point, killing No. 2s dont impress anyone anymore. I wonder how many innocent people have been killed trying to get this No 2?

[xchrom]

15. Indeed. Nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

20. that is the funniest thing I have seen all week!!!!!!!

I am SO stealing that!

God, it is just perfect...pitch perfect.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[jannyk]

23. !

:rofl:

[Warpy]

24. Most dangerous job in history, that's for sure.

[tawadi]

30. Perfect. eom

[Igel]

31. Iraq, Pakistan.

Whatever. Some unimportant, non-US country of such utter unimportance that ...

What were we talking about? Must not have been important. Now, let's talk about what's really important, something about me.

Meh.

[Solly Mack]

35. ROFLMAO

[GliderGuider]

2. Again? /nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. He must be one tough hombre.

I wonder how he does it?

[greyl]

6. Kinda like how a US Vice President would be replaced.

It's not the same guy, replacements just keep movin' up the totem pole.

[whatchamacallit]

25. Rubes don't know they're rubes

[Occulus]

36. Here's a hint:

His name is Jack Harkness.

[tularetom]

5. Not this again

[izquierdista]

11. Heh heh-heh

He said #2.

[Vinca]

12. How many #2s can there possibly be????

[Frustratedlady]

13. It would sure cause me to be hesitant to be offered the position of #2.

Just look at how many #2s have been killed. Many more promotions and you'll have the entire bunch. Apparently, we will know when we've almost wiped al-Qaida out when there is no longer a #2. I'd say #3 is probably the best place to be.

[AndyTiedye]

14. Who is Number 1?

[xchrom]

16. Who ever isn't # 2? Nt

[Bosonic]

17. The artist formerly known as #2

[Hissyspit]

18. To be replaced by the drummer from Spinal Tap. nt

[Brother Buzz]

19. Al-Qaida really needs to retire jersey number two

[jberryhill]

21. That's worse than being a keyboard player for the Grateful Dead

[jefferson_dem]

22. Excellent! Another piece of human debris expired courtesy of a US drone strike.

I appreciate the schoolyard hilarity upthread and all... but this is a massive "get". Chalk it up as YET ANOTHER major-league national security success of the Obama administration.

[whatchamacallit]

27. Ha

so belligerent, so ignorant...

[jefferson_dem]

28. Ignorant? Absolutely. We agree.

Belligerent? Meh. Debatable depending on one's definition.

[trackfan]

26. That position has like a 3000% fatality rate. n/t

[MidwestTransplant]

29. Al Qaida #3 used to be the most dangerous job in the world.

Looks like #2 is going to be now for a while.

[Bosonic]

33. #2 has a precedent for being the most tenuous appointment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Two_%28The_Prisoner%29

[IDemo]

32. #3 restrained and sworn in by #'s 4, 5, 6 before making escape

[Scurrilous]

34. K & R

:thumbsup: