From U.S. News And World Report/Washington Whispers:
The CIA is going public with a promise that the al Qaeda chief is still Enemy No. 1. In recent comments, speeches, and interviews, officials have been reiterating their pledge to find the terrorist—dead or alive. Leading the campaign to get the word out has been CIA Director Mike Hayden, who told one group this month that the agency's goal remains finding bin Laden and blocking terrorist attacks. "I can assure you, although there has been press speculation to the contrary . . . that the hunt for bin Laden is very much at the top of the CIA's priority list," he said in comments provided to U.S. News. "Because of his iconic stature, his death or capture clearly would have a significant impact on the confidence of his followers, both core al Qaeda and these unaffiliated extremists," he said. The agency believes that nabbing or killing bin Laden would pave the way to extinguishing the organization, in large part because al Qaeda has not suffered a leadership change in 20 years. However, al Qaeda has seemed able to regenerate lower level leaders as some have been reported killed. Here are some of Hayden's recent remarks on bin Laden to the Atlantic Council:
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