You've read all the cautions. This is not a turning point. Zarqawi's death is not a seismic event. He was not that brilliant or strategic. He will be replaced. Al Qaeda is just one of the many militias running rampant in Iraq. All true. And so, the violence continues. But there are some political signs—no more than glimmers—that make me just a bit hopeful. First, Zarqawi's death might be a sign of the changing attitude of some radical Sunnis. Zarqawi was likely betrayed by someone close to his organization, perhaps even someone within it. His extreme ideology and actions were turning off Sunnis, even those who had allied with him. His increasing brutalities against Shiite civilians—blowing up mosques—were not popular.
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