Intelligence officials aren't entirely sure how large a role, at this point, al-Qaida is playing in the Syrian uprising and whether it has ties to the opposition at all. What they seem more certain of is that al-Qaida has a presence there and will try to make itself relevant again by exploiting it.

In defiance of Congress, the Obama administration has issued new rules on how it will comply with a defense law mandating that many al-Qaida suspects be sent into military custody: It will issue waivers in many cases. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday on the trouble with waivers and the need for flexibility in dealing with suspects.

After U.S. military officers in Afghanistan accidentally burned Qurans while disposing of other Islamic texts, two American military officers were killed and protests broke out throughout the country. The violent responses have raised concerns about the U.S. strategy.

The studies in question looked at how the bird flu virus could spread through the air. An expert panel that advises the government on biosafety in research had earlier said the findings should not be published, fearing that the data could fall into the wrong hands.

The U.S. military plans to steadily wind down its role in Afghanistan over the next three years. But with the recent attacks against U.S. forces, will the military have to revise its approach?