Unlike some American citizens who recently flew planes into federal buildings, Faisal Shahzad, the would-be Times Square bomber suspect, who was apprehended at JFK on his way to Dubai, which is a frightening brown place, is definitely a terrorist who uses terror to accomplish something (spreading terror). Shahzad purchased the Nissan Pathfinder of terror that caused the dramatic evacuation of Times Square when it did not blow up. The alleged terrorist has two children and lived in Connecticut.

In the latest of what seems like a real string of major developments in a war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, Mullah Abdul Kabir, said to be very influential in east Afghanistan, has been detained by the Pakistan government. Even though this reportedly took place several days ago, the American government says it still can't confirm this for sure-even though the Times (by way of the impeccable Dexter Filkins) asserts it directly. Weird, right? READ MORE

So at the end of the day yesterday, CIA honcho Leon Panetta, and Dennis C. Blair, the director of national intelligence, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that al Qaeda was basically ready to roll. Or are they? Let's take a look at what they said, so that we can be more and or less frightened. READ MORE