Well, most intelligence insiders are realistic and know that many of the criminal groups in Iraq pick up AQ nomenclature. They are contractors to AQ, and advertising for 1. AQ $$$ to blow things up. 2. Cannon fodder to do it with. 3. Looking for status with their peers and locals, as a “religious” group, rather than simply murderers and thugs.
There is plenty of AQ in Iraq, but they are mostly operators who are distributing money now. We’ve killed nearly everyone else.