Look who's back in Iraq

Expect the same in Afghanistan. 
The first online statement from the new leader of al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq claims that the militant network is returning to strongholds from which it was driven by U.S. forces and their Sunni allies before the American withdrawal at the end of last year.


The al-Qaida leader claimed the militant group is preparing operations to free prisoners and assassinate court officials.


The audio identified the speaker as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who became head of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2010. It was posted late Saturday on a website regularly used by the militant movement to make statements....