I was discussing the (indeterminate at this point) results of yesterday’s CIA attempt to nail al Qaeda number 2 man Ayman al-Zawahiri with a friend, who had not yet seen news of the previous day’s report by Michael Ledeen of the alleged death last month of Osama bin Laden. For his convenience, and those of any others who have not seen it, I am quoting, and linking, the story:

According to Iranians I trust, Osama bin Laden gave the world the most marvelous Christmas present he could possibly give by departing from it in mid-December. The Al Qaeda leader died of kidney failure and was buried in Iran, where he had spent most of his time since the destruction of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Iranians who reported this note that this year’s message in conjunction with the Moslem Haj came from his number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, for the first time.