Jordan--Unbowed

The islamofascist bloodlusters feasted on the innocent yesterday. Today, the Jordanians took to the streets. Their message? Zarqawi, burn in hell!

Yahoo! News has the story here.

Thousands of Jordanians rallied in the capital and other cities shouting "Burn in hell, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi!" a day after three deadly hotel bombings that killed at least 59 people. Officials suspected Iraqi involvement in the attacks, which were claimed by al-Qaida's
Iraq branch.

As protesters in Jordan and elsewhere in the Arab world denounced the Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, security forces snared a group of Iraqis for questioning and officials said one of the bombers spoke Iraqi-accented Arabic before he exploded his suicide belt in the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

The main demonstration in Amman lasted for more than an hour. But honking vehicles, decorated with Jordanian flags and posters of King Abdullah II, cruised Amman's streets until late in the night, as passengers chanted "Death to al-Zarqawi, the villain and the traitor!" and anti-terrorism slogans.

About 50 people, including Jordanian children holding tiny flags, placed candles on a makeshift sand memorial in the driveway of the Hyatt.

King Abdullah II, a strong U.S. ally, vowed in a nationally televised address to "pursue those criminals and those behind them, and we will get to them wherever they are."

Two Americans were killed and four wounded in the bombings Wednesday evening at the Hyatt, the Radisson SAS and the Days Inn, State Department spokesman Noel Clay said. Two of the wounded were hospitalized.

Significantly, the victims also included some two dozen Palestinians with roots in the
West Bank. Among them were the West Bank's intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Bashir Nafeh, a diplomat and a prominent banker. Many Jordanians and Palestinians have supported the Iraqi insurgency, but the hotel bombings could tip Arab sentiment against al-Zarqawi.

In the West Bank village of Silet al-Thaher, members of the Akhras family mourned 13 of their relatives killed during a wedding party at the Radisson.

"Oh my God, oh my God. Is it possible that Arabs are killing Arabs, Muslims killing Muslims? For what did they do that?" screamed 35-year-old Najah Akhras, who lost two nieces in the attack. Similar thoughts were heard over and over throughout the West Bank and
Gaza Strip

If Zarqawi thought he could cow his Jordanian countrymen, he gravely miscalculated. The Jordan street is in no mood for butchers. I don't see many recruits pouring in from this hit. His Iraqi Al Qaeda franchise even managed to victimize Palestinians. I doubt that will play well in the West Bank.

This attack could be a sign that Zarqawi's losing Iraq. Look at what's happened in the former Babylonia of late. The constitution passed. December elections loom. Hussain faces trial--if his lawyers live long enough to muster up his defense! The Iraqi defense and intelligence services become more and more capable of defending Iraqis from the butchers. Even disgruntled Sunnis have engaged the political process in order to further their aims. Fractures have appeared between Zarqawi's Al Qaeda fighters and certain Sunni terrorists. This does not look like the glorious victory over the Crusaders that Saddamites and Bin Laden-philes had hoped for.

Therefore, Zarqawi targets Jordan. Perhaps he hopes to topple Abdullah, as Bin Laden sought to depose the House of Saud. More likely, he tried to disrupt American and Jordanian intelligence officials, while simultaneously terrorizing Westerners.

Either way, he does not appear to have demoralized the Jordanians. The street is calling for his blood, not Abdullah's. Jordan remains steadfast in combatting terrorism. No one's buying the "return to Caliphate" pipedream that Al Qaeda sells.

May God strengthen the courage of those Jordanians that oppose Zarcawi. May he shower the victims and and their families with his Mercy and Consolation. May he forgive the butchers that spilled so much innocent blood. May he pour his peace upon all of our hearts.