Tightened noose

Iraq | Coalition forces crack down in Baghdad in the wake of al-Zarqawi's demise | Lynn Vincent

What a difference a thug makes. Like a fuse timely lit, the death of top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi triggered a chain reaction that included a crackdown by coalition security forces in Baghdad, media reassessment of the global terror network, and an uptick in public opinion concerning the war in Iraq.

Eager to build momentum in the wake of al-Zarqawi's death, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on June 13 ordered the largest security crackdown since the United States handed over sovereignty to Iraq in 2004. The fledgling government restricted the carrying of concealed weapons to Iraqi security forces and those with permits, tightened curfew hours, and deployed tens of thousands of coalition troops in a security sweep designed to root out al-Qaeda cells in the capital city.