Breaking: Pakistan arrests American-born al-Qaida

What, you mean working with your allies as opposed to trying to run roughshod on them actually works? Who knew?

KARACHI, Pakistan – Pakistani intelligence agents have arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born spokesman for al-Qaida, in an operation in the southern city of Karachi, two officers and a government official said Sunday.

The arrest of Gadahn is a major victory in the U.S.-led battle against al-Qaida and will be taken as a sign that Pakistan is cooperating more fully with Washington. It follows the recent detentions of several Afghan Taliban commanders in Karachi.

Gadahn was arrested in the sprawling southern metropolis in recent days, two officers who took part in the operation said. A senior government official also confirmed the arrest.

When do you think the kudos for the Obama administration terrorism strategies will start?

Obama watch: A moonlight visit to Mr. Lincoln

By GottaLaff

(Photo: Mandel Ngan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)

Getty

Obama family outing:

After riding in a motorcade from their temporary home at the Hay-Adams Hotel, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha entered the grounds around the memorial shortly after 7 p.m. Bundled in coats in the near-40 degree weather, they walked up the dozens of steps in a close pack and into the memorial.

Once inside, Obama and his family had the opportunity to gaze at the nearly 20-foot statue of the 16th president and see the carved inscriptions of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address on the walls.

After touring the memorial for about 20 minutes, including the lower part of the memorial that houses some exhibits, the Obamas walked out, facing the reflecting pool and Washington Monument. They waved to some onlookers standing around the memorial's lower steps.

Hilariously detailed pool report here, and you know how we love those.

Oh dear. Being the Muslim terrorists they are, I hope the Obamas weren't using this wholesome little outing as an excuse to scout out locations for that future attack on a national monument they've been planning. That would take some real coordination, and all you parents out there know how complex and stressful that kind of family activity can be!

President Barack Hussein Obama May Make Major Speech From Islamic Capital

By Gotta Hussein Laff

Here's your change:

President-elect Obama's aides say "he is considering making a major foreign policy speech from an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office," according to the New York Times.

The consensus is that he may give the speech in Cairo, Egypt.

Any and all speculation on what the Righties will scream say is more than welcome in Comments.

UPDATE via Matthew DeLong:

From Reuters, in January:

“Once I’m elected, I want to organize a summit in the Muslim world, with all the heads of state, to have an honest discussion about ways to bridge the gap that grows every day between Muslims and the West,” Thursday’s edition of Paris Match quoted Obama as saying,

“I want to ask them to join our fight against terrorism. We must also listen to their concerns,” Obama said in the French-language transcript.

The speech is a good move, but a summit is still a very good idea. It would build good will and send an immediate signal to the rest of the world that the tone of American foreign policy is going to be moving in a different direction under the new administration.

Also, by inviting every leader in the Muslim world — including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and even the new Israeli prime minister — a summit could provide a little political cover from critics who scoffed at the notion of meeting with hostile foreign leaders “without preconditions.” Obama could hear their concerns without giving the bully pulpit to Ahmadinenjad that those critics fear bilateral talks would produce.

Most important, it would break the ice between the United States and its perceived enemies again, which most of the world would welcome.

January 20th. That's all I gotta say.