Pressed

The preznit's press conference yesterday wasn't bad, as these things go. Sure, there were the usual tired talking points -- September 11th, fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here, etc. -- and the usual unsubstantiated claims and outright denials of reality, but there were no real howlers. Well, no new ones, anyway.

He did say this, though:

There is a perception in the coverage that al Qaeda may be as strong today as they were prior to September the 11th. That's just simply not the case. I think the report will say, since 2001, not prior to September the 11th, 2001.

Secondly, that because of the actions we have taken, al Qaeda is weaker today than they would have been. They are still a threat. They are still dangerous. And that is why it is important that we succeed in Afghanistan and Iraq and anywhere else we find them. That's our strategy, is to stay on the offense against al Qaeda.

Uh, no. The report sez:

Al Qaeda is the strongest it has been since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a new U.S. government analysis concludes, according to a senior government official who has seen it.

By the way, whatever happened to the War Czar who was hired a few months back?

And where's Bin Laden?