CIA says al-Qaida defeated, on defensive

WASHINGTON, May 30 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida is on the defensive in much of the world and essentially defeated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the head of the U.S. spy organization says.

Cautioning the terrorist organization remains a threat, CIA Director Michael Hayden said Osama bin Laden is losing support in the Islamic world and has given up using the Iraq war for recruiting, The Washington Post reported Friday.

"On balance, we are doing pretty well," Hayden told the Post. "Near strategic defeat of al-Qaida in Iraq. Near strategic defeat for al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia. Significant setbacks for al-Qaida globally -- and here I'm going to use the word 'ideologically' -- as a lot of the Islamic world pushes back on their form of Islam."

Terrorism experts agree with Hayden's assessment, although some say it's too soon to determine whether the gains are permanent.

The United States hasn't captured bin Laden and his chief aide Ayman al-Zawahiri, thought to be in a remote, area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, generally considered an al-Qaida safe haven, experts note. Hayden said capturing or killing the pair is a top priority, but it is difficult finding them in a region officially off-limits to the U.S. military.