And Iraqi forces have taken the fight to al Qaeda, removing much of its leadership in Iraqi-led operations.

组织主动出击，在伊拉克主导的行动中铲除了其很多头目。

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It is particularly welcome, since the rest of the al-Qaeda leadership has so far proved elusive.

ECONOMIST: Pakistan

The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, said Mr Bucherer, was a specific objective of the al-Qaeda leadership, whose purist Wahabi beliefs preach a worldwide Islamic government and the destruction of national symbols.

BBC: Plans to rebuild Bamiyan Buddhas

Mr Panetta's statement comes just over a week after a statement made in Islamabad by US special envoy Richard Holbrooke that the US intelligence community did not know where the al-Qaeda leadership was hiding.

BBC: Bin Laden 'is still in Pakistan'