Remember when al-Qaeda was pronounced pretty much dead? Well, it really isn't (as if the last few days of unconfirmed scares didn't tip you off). But the point was made crystal clear by newly minted CIA Director David Petraeus in his remarks on Tuesday in a joint congressional intelligence committee hearing. Not only did he warn that Yemen's al-Qaeda affiliate was the "most dangerous" one out there, he reiterated the notion that the weakened organization will set our counterterrorism agenda for a very long time. CNN condenses his remarks: 

"Some mid-level leaders and rank-and-file al Qaeda members may increasingly seek safe haven across the border in Afghanistan or decide to leave South Asia," Petraeus said, adding that "even in decline with its core leadership having sustained significant losses, al Qaeda and its affiliates still pose a very real threat that will require" continued U.S. focus and dedication "for quite a while."

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Erik Hayden