Third Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader Killed

A third high-ranking leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Ahmed al-Obeidi, has been killed in less than a week by American and Iraqi troops intensifying pressure on the terrorist organization. Vice President Joe Biden called the killing of the other two, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri, Sunday a "potentially devastating blow." A senior leader of the group—captured last month—has been feeding security forces information, some of which led troops to a safehouse in the desert six miles southwest of Tikrit. The security victories are important for Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki, who has promised to bring safety to Iraq but whose coalition came in second place in the national elections in March. (Neither Maliki nor his triumphant opponent, Ayad Alawi, have been able to form a new government yet.) Anonymous sources told USA Today that Maliki personally oversaw the raids.