If you read just one thing on al Qaeda’s failed Christmas Day bombing, read Fareed Zakaria’s column in today’s Washington Post.

If you’re hungry for more, Peter Beinart in Time and this article in the Wall Street Journal also get it right.

And if you’re convinced, or even modestly intrigued, by the suggestion that one of the key goals of terrorism is to terrorize, and the appropriate response is to not be, then listen to or watch this event on Wednesday.