Al Qaeda lowers its remaining profile in Iraq

Strategy Page:

...

...

As the surge offensive continued to tear apart the terrorist infrastructure, the leaders put the organization into survival mode. Planning and carrying out attacks became less important than keeping remaining leaders and key people out of jail, or a grave. This is why the number of terror attacks has plummeted. The remnants of al Qaeda have fled to northern Iraq, around Mosul and areas near the Iranian border. If worse comes to worse, the terrorists know they can flee into Iran, and have a chance of bargaining their way out of an Iranian jail. Within Iraq, however, capture is either a long jail sentence, or execution. Al Qaeda is the most hated organization in the country, and may have to abandon Iraq altogether if the pressure doesn't ease up.

But first, al Qaeda has to try and "go dark" and disappear from data stream that American intelligence monitors. This is difficult to do since the U.S. has such an extensive database of people who are, or have, worked for al Qaeda. Getting new recruits is very difficult, and getting foreigners into the country is more difficult now that Syria and Iran are really doing something to seal their border.

If al Qaeda cannot go dark and rebuild, they will have to abandon Iraq. That is almost unthinkable, because al Qaeda has, since 2003, declared Iraq to be "the graveyard of the Crusaders." To admit defeat in Iraq would be a tremendous blow to al Qaeda operations elsewhere. The organization is already weakened by the failure to carry out any more operations in the United States since September 11, 2001. Al Qaeda has been shut down in so many other areas as well. But it looks like Iraq may be the last stand, and the last straw.

The Democrats still remain al Qaeda's best chance for escaping complete destruction in Iraq. Both desperately want the US forces out before the destruction can be completed. Al Qaeda has already lost the war, but they will never sign a peace treaty and they will not stop fighting until the last sorry members of the terrorist are killed.