Valley reacts with skepticism

Area residents say war will plug on despite a top terrorist's death.
By SARAH WEBER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- While United States and Iraqi leaders are touting the death of the most wanted terrorist in Iraq as a great leap toward peace, residents here seem skeptical.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the brain-power behind a series of suicide and car-bomb attacks as well as the destruction of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, was killed during a U.S. airstrike on his safe house Wednesday after a tip from an al-Qaida insider.
"I don't think one guy is going to stop [the war] or make it go forward," Patsy Tamburino, a Youngstown resident, said when asked if having al-Zarqawi out of the picture will make a difference in Iraq. "The kids that are over there, the lives that we're losing ... it's just not worth it."
Jennifer Moritz of Poland agreed that al-Zarqawi's death will do little to affect the war.
"It will never end if we never leave," she said. "I support the cause, but we'll just be stuck in it forever."
Glenn Shelton of Youngstown, owner of Skeeter's Jazz Bar and Grill, said, "They are wasting their time -- they didn't kill any of the other people, just one man. That might make it worse."
Only temporary
Others said they thought the war efforts might see a temporary improvement, but lose in the long haul.
"Maybe slowly it will start to get better for a while, but it's going to get worse again," said Eric Dzurilla of Youngstown.
Sean Allan, a Bay Village resident, said: "I don't think it changes things. It might change for a while, but somebody else is going to take his place."