Gen. David H. Petraeus, center, near Baghdad in July. Whether to fight on is a "big, big decision, a national decision," he says. Johan Spanner for The New York TimesFrom The Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Central Command Chief Says Group Has Shifted Operations There, While Afghani Taliban Plan 'Surge' of Their Own
WASHINGTON -- Senior leaders of al Qaeda are using sanctuaries in Pakistan's lawless frontier regions to plan new terror attacks and funnel money, manpower and guidance to affiliates around the world, according to a top American military commander.
Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in an interview that Pakistan has become the nerve center of al Qaeda's global operations, allowing the terror group to re-establish its organizational structure and build stronger ties to al Qaeda offshoots in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and parts of Europe.
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My Comment: I would also add the lawless regions of Yemen and West/Sahara Africa as a gathering point for Al Qaeda allies and sympathizers.