Unconfirmed reports from Iraq indicate the Iraqi Army may have captured Abu Ayyub al Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq who was hand picked by Ayman al Zawahiri to succeed Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Al Masri has reportedly been captured in the northern city of Mosul, where al Qaeda is attempting to regroup after taking a beating from U.S. and Iraqi forces during the height of the surge in 2007. Reports state that he has been transferred to U.S. custody to confirm his identity.

Al Masri's capture would serve as a political and military victory for both the United States and Iraq. The capture of the leader of the terror group not only demonstrates a measure of progress, but his knowledge of al Qaeda's organization both inside and outside Iraq will prove useful in efforts to dismantle the terror group. But a word of caution: Iraqi security forces have made similar claims in the past only to be discredited days later. If it's true, the U.S. military will soon confirm the capture.