The Pentagon has published what it says are recently captured documents from al-Qaida in Iraq showing that the group sees itself as weak, disorganized, and unpopular in Baghdad.
U.S. military officials say the papers and a number of videos were seized in a raid last month south of Baghdad.
They say an unknown but significant militant wrote the documents.
The military officials say that according to the documents, al-Qaida in Iraq's only power lies in surprise hit and run attacks and booby traps that target civilians.
It describes the group as nothing more than a daily annoyance to the Iraqi government.
A U.S. military spokesman says the Iraqi people know that al-Qaida's only role in Iraq is to impede their prosperity and security.
Al-Qaida in Iraq is led by wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The U.S. military last week showed video of what it said was al-Zarqawi struggling with a machine gun and needing help by an assistant, who burned his hand when he grabbed the gun's handle.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.