Today's Headlines and Commentary

The American and Libyan investigators can't seem to agree about the source of the attack that killed Ambassador Stevens in Libya. Dina Temple-Raston of NPR writes that the U.S. says that it was a spontaneous attack, while Libya maintains that it was a premeditated attack by foreigners with ties to Al Qaeda. Karen DeYoung of the Washington Post also writes on the divergent opinions, and Fox News reported yesterday that not only are the attackers believed to be connected to Al Qaeda, but one of the suspects is believed to be a former Gitmo detainee, Sufyan Ben Qumu.

The New York Times editorial today urges the U.S. to not back off of its support of the Arab world in response to the attack last week.

John Wendle writes over at TIME on the degree of readiness among Afghan security forces that is quickly becoming apparent as U.S. forces disengage from their joint efforts.

Carlo Munoz at The Hill updates us on the search for Taliban who have infiltrated the Afghan security forces and are responsible for the insider attacks.

Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of the New York Times report that the Pentagon has selected General David M. Rodriguez, who helped put together the surge in Afghanistan, to be in charge of Africa Command.

Some in the Republican Party are calling for an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Three Amigos (McCain, Graham, and Lieberman) are simultaneously calling for an a "strategic pause" to reconsider President Obama's plan to scale back joint operations between NATO and Afghan forces.

An update from the appeal in Italy's highest court from the rendition convictions of 23 Americans who were alleged to have been involved with the rendition of Abu Omar: the convictions will be upheld. Here's Ian Shapiro of the Washington Post and over here read Elisabetta Povoledo of the New York Times.

Senator Rockefeller has written a letter to the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies requesting information on the measures they have to defend against cyberattacks. Here's The Hill's report.

Meanwhile Rockefeller's colleagues in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved a resolution opposing the alleged takeover of the internet by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano reported at a HSGAC hearing that the White House's cybersecurity executive order is "close to completion."

Iran is in the process of creating an intranet, to help defend against outside cyberattacks (not to mention ease the burden on the government of controlling what its citizens access online). James Ball and Benjamin Gottlieb of the Post report.

Yesterday was Gitmo detainee Omar Khadr's 26th birthday. He is still waiting to be transferred to Canadian custody as agreed to in his plea bargain.

Here's the Blog of Legal Times on papers filed by a former State Department contractor charged with disclosing classified information to a reporter.

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