Bin Laden spends his time trying to stay alive

BBC:

The CIA says Osama Bin Laden is isolated from the day-to-day operations of al-Qaeda, but that the organisation is still the greatest threat to the US.

CIA director Michael Hayden said the Saudi militant was probably hiding in the tribal area of north-west Pakistan.

Mr Hayden said Bin Laden was "putting a lot of energy into his own survival" and that his capture remained the US government's top priority.

But he warned that al-Qaeda was still spreading in Africa and the Mid-East.

In a speech to the Atlantic Council on Thursday, Mr Hayden said: "[Bin Laden] is putting a lot of energy into his own survival, a lot of energy into his own security."

"In fact, he appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organisation he nominally heads."

However, Gen Hayden added: "If there is a major strike on this country, it will bear the fingerprints of al-Qaeda."

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Hayden said that finding bin Laden remains a top priority with the CIA which may have been a message to the Democrats who have been talking about making it a higher priority. I think his statement is consistent with bin Laden's inability to get a message out this fall. We have been taking out so many of his top guys he needs to be concerned about any direct communication with them putting him in the range of a Hellfire missile.

Hayden also said that al Qaeda no longer considers Iraq the central front in its war with the US. I take that as an acknowledgment of defeat on that front by al Qaeda.