NBC news had a report on the news that Zarqawi had pledge allegiance to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Andrea Mitchell supplied the context. Mitchell provided a laundry list of deaths, both claimed and surmised to be by him or his group, to show how dangerous Zarqawi is and, at the end pronounced that this is bad news for Bush.

According to Andrea this must be obvious to everyone. After all, she didn't bother to explain her assertion or back it up in any way. Please ignore the intense pressure being put on those living in the safe zones for Zarqawi in Iraq and the heat he must be feeling, not to mention the daily loss of his supporters in Fallujah to the Grim Reapers of the US Air Force. Also ignore the dozens killed and dozens more rounded up by Coalition forces in Ramadi and elsewhere in the last week and a half.

This is not bad news, but good news for Bush. Zarqawi is whining for Mommy now that his old playmates are looking to play a better game and it includes handing him over on a platter. The bell is tolling and this pledge is too little and much too late to save him. Chances are Zarqawi will be Bush's October surprise and no allegiances will save his ass now.