al-Zarqawi Redux

Nobody but me remembers, but there used to be a TV show called The Grey Ghost. During the Great Unpleasantness that those of us in the South call "The War Between the States" there was a Confederate officer, Major John Singleton Mosley (we always have to say the whole name, you know, like John Beresford Tipton, The Millionaire) who was always able to elude capture. Hence the nickname "Grey Ghost."

This Abu Masab al-Zarqawi fellow seems to be a contemporary version of the same kind of character, although this Jordanian is the epitome of evil. I have already blogged about his being the almost perfect foil to US policy in Iraq, even to the point of sharpening our resolve and squirting gas on the fire at just the right time. He is to the Iraq war what Moriarty was to Holmes, doing all the right things to grow into mythic proportions while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

There is now news of a tape made by al-Zarqawi in which he essentially declares "War on Democracy." Notice how his entire name and title are still being spelled out, just in case someone is reading about him for the first time, or lest we forget his al-Qaida connection...

"We have declared a fierce war on this evil principle of democracy and those who follow this wrong ideology," said the speaker, who identified himself as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of the al-Qaida affiliate in Iraq. "Anyone who tries to help set up this system is part of it."

Coming as it does just a week before the elections in Iraq, the timing is almost too good to be true. How better to steel the resolve of patriotic Iraqis and inspire them to show up to vote?
I just hate it when I become so cynical. I know it is one of my sorry traits, but it's there and I can't deny it. It's not good to make light of such a serious situation, but how else can it be seen? All that is missing is a black hat.

CNN report..."Purported al-Zarqawi tape" The authenticity of the message could not immediately be confirmed by CNN.

Huh? Where did this all start? Somebody? Anybody? Curiouser and curiouser...