Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) made the following comments today on the successful air strike on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: 

“I commend the Iraqi people and the U.S. military for their success and bravery in the strike on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.  The fall of Zarqawi is an unquestionable victory, but there is little time for celebration in Iraq. 

“The U.S. military and Iraqi people don’t have a minute to spare as they face a changing and adapting enemy.  The death of Zaqawi is a victory, but it doesn’t prevent another terrorist from picking up this faction of Islamic terrorism and the homegrown insurgency in Iraq is still a major force of instability. 

“Every day Iraqi civilians and U.S. military fall victim to the Iraqi based insurgency and their ability to use simple technologies to create sophisticated Improvised Explosive Devices.  These devices are the primary cause of U.S. casualties in Iraq, and will remain so until the United States is able to crack their code.

“The U.S. military must continue to provide Iraqi forces and police with the tools and training they need to combat and control counterinsurgency operations – putting Iraqis in the front seat of Iraqi security and moving U.S. soldiers to the backseat.

Larsen sits on the House Armed Services Committee and has taken two Congressional Delegation trips to Iraq since the war began.

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