In a briefing on Nov. 6, Buchanan expressed the first U.S.
acknowledgement in 2010 that Syria has failed to block the flow of fighters
and other support to Al Qaida in Iraq. Over the last year, the U.S. military
said the number of foreign fighters who have entered Iraq from Syria dropped
from about 100 per month to less than 10.
Buchanan did not provide figures on Syrian support to AQI, but said the
flow of foreign fighters has dropped to "five to 10 percent" of that of
several years ago. The general stressed that the network has been
hurt in its
efforts to obtain money and recruits in Iraq.
"We have had a significant impact on degrading the network that Al Qaida
used to bring foreign fighters from other countries," Buchanan said. "But it
has not been shut off."
Officials said the Syrian supply has enabled mass-casualty strikes
in Baghdad and other cities in 2010. The suicide strikes peaked in
November, with an attack on a church and explosions in Shi'ite neighborhoods
in Baghdad and Karbala. The Al Qaida-aligned Islamic State of Iraq has
claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks.
"They demonstrate that Al Qaida remains determined and dangerous,"
Buchanan said. "I think Al Qaida remains a threat and will continue to
remain a threat in the future."