Cynically I wonder if creating an “all roads lead to Anwar al-Awlaki” narrative is not being created to rationalize his assasination. Some people insist that he brainwashed Hasan, for instance, part of the superhuman power of the evil doers, rather than the more likely evolution that Hasan sought our Al-Awlaki because that was where his thoughts were leading him. It is hard to mock the idea that we are at war with Islam when so many non-muslim Americans seems to not only believe this is true but that Islam represent some sort of existential threat , even as Af-Pak flounders and is so easy to ignore, as civilian casualties mount and quality of life goes down the toilet — oh, an opposition the occupation swells “the taliban’s” ranks (the taliban being the inaccurate one-size-fits-all name for the opposition)

Obama and British Petroleum must be thanking their lucky stars for this this “the system worked!!!!” diversion — this poorly conceived and executed amateur hour attempt (I’m tempted to call it a stunt) has eclipsed the ecologic catastrophe being unfolded. News that the planned “capping” failed before it could even be implemented is “below the fold.” or off the front page entirely — And now the Kagan nomination … the Tennessee floods also apparently are not receiving the attention they deserve.

We are not being well served by our news industry. This is narrative is all too reminiscent also of the make the profile fit the “suspect” molding of Bruce Ivins into a master criminal Anthrax mailer, when previous prime suspect Stephen Hatfill managed to clear himself.