Intel From al-Zarqawi Raid Very Helpful

On a day when the 2,500th death in Iraq was announced, we have reason to be hopeful about recent intel victories:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since last week's killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents were killed during those actions, the U.S. military said Thursday.

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said the raids were carried out nationwide and led to the discovery of 28 significant arms caches.

He said 255 of the raids were joint operations, while 143 were carried out by Iraqi forces alone. The raids also resulted in the captures of 759 "anti-Iraqi elements."
That is enormously good news. These deaths and captures are those that were closest to al-Zarqawi one would expect. This is a significant set-back to al-Qaeda operations and will continue to be for some time.

Update: The Iraqi's talk of the treasure trove of info found in al-Zarqawi's flattened safe house:

Al-Rubaie said a laptop, flashdrive and other documents were found in the debris after the airstrike that killed the al-Qaida in Iraq leader last week outside Baqouba, and more information has been uncovered in raids of other insurgent hideouts since then.

He called it a "huge treasure ... a huge amount of information."

When asked how he could be sure the information was authentic, al-Rubaie said "there is nothing more authentic than finding a thumbdrive in his pocket."

I can't disagree with that.