The story is at Orbusmax via Captains Quarters and seems to say so.

Has Baghdad Stopped Burning?

Two sources within Iraq report that al-Qaeda has begun to flee Baghdad in advance of the American troop surge. Richard Miniter, blogging at Pajamas Media, confirms with US military intelligence a report from an insurgent press outlet quoted by Iraq the Model:

Al Qaeda terrorists are fleeing Baghdad in advance of President Bush’s 21,500-man troop surge, a senior military intelligence officer told Pajamas Media today. Under orders from the al Qaeda commander in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, fighters are streaming toward the Diyala region of Iraq.

This confirms reports posted on Iraq the Model, which cited al-Sabah, a well-known mouthpiece for al Qaeda in Iraq.

In speaking with Pajamas Media the military intelligence officer supplied several new details of the al Qaeda retreat.

The apparent evacuation of Baghdad by al Qaeda forces comes from direct orders issued by al-Masri, the former soldier who took control of the Iraqi wing of al Qaeda following the June 2006 bombing death of Zarqawi.

In any case, the message from AQ, via its al-Sabaah mouthpiece, seems to be that the surge has made an impression on the right people. It already has the terrorists scrambling for position, and the motion itself will make them much more vulnerable.

Time will tell whether this is wishful thinking or not, but it is still interesting that I hear nothing on the Mainstream Media about it.

If it’s true this is both a huge story and at the same time a very dangerous one.

After the bombing at the University (yea, hear that Cindy Sheehan?  Your friggin freedom fighters blew up a bunch of college women waiting for a bus.  How special) I find it hard to believe they are fleeing, but then again, there are so many different factions, it is hard to say who is fleeing or not.

Regardless, it needs to be looked into.  Maybe the NY Times could spend less time trashing marriage with bogus stats and more time covering what is really happening in Iraq.

Army war objector loses key rulings

Army war objector 1st Lt. Ehren K. Watada has lost key rulings, the U.S. Army said in a statement Tuesday. 

Watada was charged with missing movement after refusing to deploy with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The Army also proceeded with charges of conduct unbecoming an officer for statements he made to journalists and at a veterans convention

Good.

Rot in jail sir, rot in jail.  And the sooner the better.