Excellent point.

They may have hit the jackpot with this guy's laptop, for the exact reasons that you mentioned. Even if these keys are only enough to decrypt a few messages, they could be the domino that starts all of the others falling.

Now if the mainstream media would stop searching for the latest scandal and do some intelligent reporting, a la the blogosphere, we'd all be better off.

This is actually something I hate. Sure, anyone with half a brain-- and obviously, Al Qaeda has to have at least a *few* of those guys-- will understand basic operational security. Any dolt watching the History Channel long enough learns about Enigma, and I'm sure a few of them have read Tom Clancy.

However-- as supportive as I am of the war on terror, one side effect that it will almost undoubtedly have is Darwinian selection. The stupid terrorists are low-hanging fruit, and the smart-- or lucky-- ones will have the opportunity to realize their mistakes, and possibly correct them. Thus making it harder for the good guys the next time around. That's what Kerry et al. don't realize-- we've punched these guys around for a few years, but if we don't press for the kill, the next generation of terrorists will have better skills AND the knowledge/motivation stemming from our weakness.

Sure, it's an "endless cycle of violence." But so is human history. All we can ever hope for is to do our best to ensure the good guys come out on top for as long as possible. THAT'S "patriotic duty."

But, in having to defend the latest intel, the Administration has been forced-- for purely political reasons, by the Deaniacs and the media who love them-- to provide Al Qaeda with the knowledge of how we got this intel, and how we corroborated it not once, but *twice*. Gee, why don't we just invite these guys over to Ft. Meade while we're at it?

Cheers,
Dave
Arlington, Viriginia

Like I said elsewhere, should this rumor have been leaked at all? Best to have them keep using the codes, I'd think...

"But, in having to defend the latest intel, the Administration has been forced-- for purely political reasons, by the Deaniacs and the media who love them-- to provide Al Qaeda with the knowledge of how we got this intel, and how we corroborated it not once, but *twice*. Gee, why don't we just invite these guys over to Ft. Meade while we're at it?" -- Dave

Hey I loath Dean and the Media as much as anyone else but I have a feeling that Al-Queda and its sister groups know that once someone is taken captive,their present communication system is then compromised.I read an article on this guys capture and the Pakistani cop was saying that there were cell calls from inside the target house to other terrorists somewhere,even while the raid was in progress.
As far as I am concerned if this threat is as serious as I believe it to be,the government should be imposing restaints on the Media as to what they can braodcast about anti-terrorist efforts,but it will take another BIG attack to make people see what is required to fight these monsters.

It could also be that they are using this capture as cover to act upon intelligence they have obtained elsewhere and wish to keep secret.

All is not as it seems in this world. They've had some practice to think about it.