The National Security Network today released this statement by Richard Clarke, former National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism on the National Security Council, on the new al Qaeda video.

"The intention and intelligence value of this video at this time is still unclear and we shouldn't jump to conclusions.   But we should be mindful that Al Qaeda has attempted to influence elections in the past  to magnify the media coverage of their terrorist activities and reminding us they are still around.   Even more disturbing is the fact that Abu Yahya al-Libi should never have been able to make this statement in the first place, if the Bush administration had done its job and kept him from escaping Bagram Air Force base."    

Please also see recent articles written by Richard Clarke and R.P. Eddy and LAPD Chief William Bratton on this subject.