First of all, a big thank you to everyone in law enforcement in the US, UK and Pakistan who unearthed the plot to explode up to 10 American jumbo jets in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean or heavily populated cities.

The good news:

1. We got them this time.
2. Our efforts were well co-ordinated both internally and externally.
3. Muslim tipoff 'led to arrests'
4. Al Qaeda or not, the plan was basically the same as a plot hatched 12 years ago which means they may or may not have slightly more volunteers, but not more ideas.

The bad news:

1. The bad guys are still plotting and planning.
2. It's going to suck sitting out on a 100+ degree runway for three hours during a flight delay without being able to take a drink of water.

Like it or not, the folied plot should favor the Republicans politically. While the Democrats are focusing on pulling out of Iraq, inspecting cargo ships and making sure no one is inconvenienced by an unwarranted search or tighter immigration laws, their opponents continue to push for fewer restrictions on surveillance and closer relations with "lapdogs" (Blair, Musharraf) that have actually proven effective in stopping large-scale attacks.

To those that criticize politicians who take advantage of such situations, they should remember that our governement is structured so that the commander in chief of the armed forces is also our most successful, highly placed politician. You can't separate war from politics and as long as the opposition wants to argue about tactics in the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, the stump remains a legitimate place to do battle.