The U.S. military has determined that Al Qaida increased recruitment of foreign fighters and nationals in Iraq. The military has assessed that Al Qaida sought a surge in attacks to ensure that the Bush administration withdraws U.S. troops from Iraq in 2008.

"We have seen in the last six weeks indications that Al Qaida has actually sent more people into Iraq to try to shore up the Al Qaida network in Iraq," Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, deputy chief of staff for strategic effects in Multinational Force-Iraq, said.

The Al Qaida buildup comes as the U.S. military has reported gains against the insurgency leadership. During July and August, officials said, the U.S.-led coalition has captured or killed at least 18 senior Al Qaida operatives. The most prominent of them was Khaled Al Mashhadani, identified as the most senior Iraqi national in the Al Qaida leadership.

"They are not able to maintain the same coherence in their command and control and their planning and direction of operations," Bergner said. "They spend more of their time having to regenerate and re-establish the leadership connections."

Over the last two days, eight Al Qaida operatives were killed and another 14 were captured in operations that targeted a senior Al Qaida commander west of Tarmiyah. The operative was said to have commanded 400 fighters in the northern belt around Baghdad and responsible for numerous car bombings in the capital. "Taking down the bombing network in Baghdad is a top priority for us," U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said. "We will continue targeting the leaders who coordinate and execute murderous attacks on the Iraqi people."