I found it difficult to summarise the author's arguments in this piece. Fisk clearly thinks that Michael Hayden's claim that al Qaida is "almost defeated" is wrong. He does not seem to have presented a coherent case against Hayden; the evidence in the piece is limited and not sourced. Fisk's assertion of al-Qaida as "a way of thinking" that "feeds on pain and fear and cruelty" may be true to some extent, but is unlikely to be the whole story. A calmer and more eloquent tone, combined with more solid evidence and arguments, would have made this piece significantly more effective.

Robert Fisk is one British journalist who should get an award for journalistic ethics. Just read his bio. He is very knowledgeable about the Middle-East. British journalists don't write in the typical namby-pamby American style so some Americans my consider his words to be largely opinion. If they are opinion, it is 'educated opinion'--not wrong opinion.

really should be under "opinion" rather than news.

This story is not about McCain at all, but an opinionated commentary on aspects of US policy in the Middle East. While I agree with many of the sentiments of the author, it's more opinion than reporting.