Times Square bomb suspect arrested as officials call for more CCTVs (+ analysis); Delegates walk out on Ahmadinejad; Red Shirts promise to continue fight; Wall St Journal does the maths and finds Greece bailout plan wanting; and more

Top of the Agenda: US Arrests Times Square Bomb Suspect

US officials arrested (NYT) a naturalized US citizen from Pakistan for Saturday's foiled car-bombing plot in Times Square. Connecticut-based Faisal Shahzad was arrested at Kennedy Airport when he tried to board a flight to Dubai. Shahzad had recently returned from a trip to Pakistan. Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik said the country would cooperate with US officials. Authorities are investigating any connection Shahzad or others involved had with overseas terrorist groups.

US officials are using the thwarted attack to argue (WashPost) for more surveillance cameras in New York, but the attempted bombing revealed the technology's limits.

Analysis:

On the "Daily Beast," Bruce Riedel says though it is too soon to judge the Times Square plot, there have been numerous plots aimed at US targets, indicating that al-Qaeda still wants to attack the United States.

On "Slate," Fred Kaplan says Saturday's foiled attack shows that–whether a terrorist organization or an individual planned it–the state's response to the crime was adequate. It did not need to treat the event as an "act of war," as Dick Cheney has argued.

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly details the counterterrorism methods employed by the New York City Police Department for terrorist attack prevention and response.

Background:

This Wall Street Journal timeline tracks terror-related events in New York City since the September 11 attacks.

 

PACIFIC RIM: Hatoyama Says US Base Movement Impossible

Japanese Premier Yukio Hatoyama abandoned (AFP) his plan to move the Futenma US Marine Corps base off the island of Okinawa, one of his central election promises.

Thailand: Thai "Red Shirt" anti-government protesters in Bangkok will not back down (WSJ) despite plans to reenter negotiations with the government.

 

ELSEWHERE:

NPT Delegates Walk Out on Ahmadinejad
WSJ: Greek Bailout Won't Cover Costs

 

This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.