Panetta says war on al-Qaida taking new direction

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says America's fight against al-Qaida terrorists is taking a new direction — moving beyond declared war zones like Afghanistan and requiring more U.S. partnering with foreign commandos.

In a speech to a Washington think tank Tuesday, Panetta said al-Qaida has been badly damaged by a decade of U.S.-led counterterrorism operations around the world. But he stressed that the group remains a threat.