Is al Qaeda Giving Up On Iraq?

The WashTimes reports that bin Laden has asked al Zarqawi to stop blowing up innocents in Iraq and start blowing up innocents in the US.

Besides the obvious question -- with most of al Zarqawi's senior aides in Iraq busted, what makes bin Laden think al Zarqawi will be effective here? -- this news raises the prospect that al Qaeda is considering giving up on its Iraq insurgency. It is perhaps becoming obvious to them that they are losing the battle against the desire for democracy and freedom, and that terror against fellow believers isn't working.

Al Zarqawi is Lebanese and is seeing the demonstrations in the streets of his hometown. How this must roil his innards! Sweet.