WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has crippled, but not destroyed al Qaeda in Iraq , Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway said on Monday.

"I think that they significantly have been crippled," Conway said after a speech to the Center for a New American Security think tank.

"I think that's a fair word. I would not say destroyed, I would not say eliminated," he added.

Conway said the U.S. military had made great strides in recent months in Anbar province west of Baghdad, once an al Qaeda stronghold and the most dangerous place in Iraq for U.S. troops.

He said the province was far more secure now, thanks in part to the cooperation of local Iraqis in providing intelligence and work by special forces targeting al Qaeda.

But Conway stressed that al Qaeda elements had shown "an amazing ability to regenerate" and carry out sophisticated operations even after the loss of significant leaders.

"Are they crippled? Yeah. Are they still dangerous? Absolutely, and certainly they are not destroyed," Conway said.

The Washington Post on Monday reported the military believes it has dealt devastating blows to al Qaeda in Iraq and that some generals have advocated publicly declaring victory over the group.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said on Monday that U.S. commanders in Iraq had cited progress but not described al Qaeda in Iraq as "defeated." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa and Kristin Roberts)

AlertNet news is provided by