Wash Post: "Al-Qaeda In Iraq Reported Crippled"

The opening line of this Washington Post story should make you want to read the whole thing:

The U.S. military believes it has dealt devastating and perhaps irreversible blows to al-Qaeda in Iraq in recent months, leading some generals to advocate a declaration of victory over the group, which the Bush administration has long described as the most lethal U.S. adversary in Iraq.

Details on al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI):

There is widespread agreement that AQI has suffered major blows over the past three months. Among the indicators cited is a sharp drop in suicide bombings, the group's signature attack, from more than 60 in January to around 30 a month since July. Captures and interrogations of AQI leaders over the summer had what a senior military intelligence official called a "cascade effect," leading to other killings and captures. The flow of foreign fighters through Syria into Iraq has also diminished, although officials are unsure of the reason and are concerned that the broader al-Qaeda network may be diverting new recruits to Afghanistan and elsewhere.

There appears to be a variety of opinions within the civilian and military leadership as to how damaged AQI is, and whether to actually proclaim victory. But it is heartening that the question is even being asked.