New & improved undie bomb; intelligence coup or propaganda coup?

Leon Panetta was on the TV a couple of days ago intoning in his most serious senior-statesman-like voice that the fortuitous capture of the latest undie bomber was proof that we all have to remain suspicious of arabic-looking guys on or near airplanes, or near other forms of public transport, or just nearby.

And there were startling revelations about this second generation undie bomb. Apparently these new and improved underwear weapons are invisible to the body scanners installed at virtually every airport in America! 

OH MY GOD!

No discussion about how those body scanners don't actually work in the first place, and how any serious suicide bomber could circumvent them simply by shoving the bomb up his ass. No, that discussion would sour the prospects of the former Homeland Security types now making a fortune peddling the scanners.

Couple of days go by and it comes out that the guy caught with the new and improved underwear of terror is actually on the CIA payroll.

Hmm...

Intelligence coup or just another scary story designed to keep us on the edge of our seats in the run-up to November?