Zarqawi Competing with Al Qaida Brand in Afghanistan?

Here's what was said:

While his commitment to waging his terror campaign in Iraq seemed unparalleled, Iraq may in the end prove just the beginning, says Alani.

"Al-Zarqawi is competing with the al-Qaida headquarters," he said. "With the Amman attacks, he has now proved that the brand in Iraq is able to carry out operations on a regional scale."

I disagree with that assessment here.

Interesting that the article from the AP makes the same point directly under the statement from Alani:

In October, the U.S. government released a letter purportedly from Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, urging al-Zarqawi to expand his insurgency into neighboring Muslim countries. Al-Qaida claimed it was fake.