We should be emboldened by the events in Somalia, where the Islamists are on the run and heavy casualties are being taken by Qaeda forces.

American forces have increasingly come under attack in their hunt for Qaeda forces.

Although the remaining Qaeda forces are often said to be massed around Khost, the area is huge, cavernous and concealing.

The goal is not just to kill remnants of the Qaeda force but to capture some.

There were also no specific new military plans for attacking Qaeda forces or the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

The strength of the Qaeda force is a matter of fluid estimation, with the numbers ranging from several hundred to a few thousand.

At this point, a second wave of air assault troops would land and establish new blocking positions, effectively "slamming the door" on the Qaeda forces.

Slowly, though, the American effort, buttressed by heavy air bombardment, started to grind down the Qaeda forces.

In his time here, he said, he has concluded that while Qaeda forces and their Taliban allies have scattered, they remained a threat to Afghanistan.

Mr. Zarqawi, a Palestinian, fought alongside Qaeda forces in Afghanistan.