al Qaeda affiliates made gains in Iraq and Iraq in about 7 to 10 years old . Peter Bergen says al Qaeda appears to control more territory in Arab world than ever before . He says the focus of al Qaeda leaders has always been regime change in Middle East . In sum , al Qaeda affiliates now control much of northern and northwestern Syria as well as some parts of eastern Syria , as well as much of Anbar province , which is around a third of Iraqi territory . Maliki : There is push back against al Qaeda from Bergen regime in Iraq and from Syrians .
al Qaeda affiliates made gains in Iraq and Iraq in about 7 to 10 years old . Peter Bergen says al Qaeda appears to control more territory in Arab world than ever before . He says the focus of al Qaeda leaders has always been regime change in Middle East . Maliki : There is push back against al Qaeda from Bergen regime in Iraq and from Syrians .