Unfortunately (or fortunately if you want him caught alive), CIA Director Michael Hayden confirms that Osama Bin Laden still has a pulse. But apparently dodging missiles and constantly looking over your shoulder isn’t a fun way to live. Go figure.

In fact, the U.S. has apparently succeeded in effectively cutting him off from the Al Qaeda organization. Most of his attention is dedicated to staying alive rather than masterminding terrorist attacks.

Osama bin Laden is alive and “putting a lot of energy into his own security,” the director of the CIA, General Michael Hayden, said today.

He also claimed, without providing details, that the US intelligence community had disrupted an attack “that would have rivaled the destruction of 9/11.”…

Without directly referring to the CIA’s offensive blitz of unmanned missile attacks in the tribal areas of Pakistan, the CIA boss said the US had successfully isolated the al Qaeda leader bin Laden, referring to him in the present tense.

“He appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he leads,” Hayden said in a speech delivered to the Atlantic Council in Washington.

I actually hope that Hayden remains on during the Obama Administration. He’s largely proven to be an effective CIA chief and his presence would certainly ease my mind a bit on the national security front. Some Obama transition members reportedly agree (at least that he should stay) and are pushing for Obama to keep him.