What does this say about the state of al Qaeda? That they're trying real hard to make every terrorist act, whether actually conducted by them or not, seem to be an al Qaeda attack? That's possible.
Are they hoping to get lucky on attacks that would score a media frenzy? Absolutely. Showing a US ship damaged by missile or mortar fire would be shown to be a defeat for the US, regardless of any actual damage to the ship or whether any US sailors or Marines were casualties.
And how will al Qaeda spin this failed attack? I think the better question will be "how is the media going to spin this attack?"
UPDATE:
One of those missiles landed in Eilat, Israel.

UPDATE II:

UPDATE III:
Is there more than can be said about the failed attack? I think so. Is it possible that the one missile that landed in Eilat was not a miss, but rather a deliberate attempt at hitting the Eilat airport, which is near where the rocket landed.
We have al Qaeda trying to show that it can flex its muscles. It tried to attack US warships. That's crazy stupid, but then again al Qaeda isn't exactly short on people willing to be crazy stupid.
I believe that this is yet another sign that they're continuing to probe our defenses and see what they can get away with. The devil is in the details of whatever response will be mounted in return.
One other thing - what separates this attack from the Cole attack? The only thing separating this from the Cole was that this was not a successful attack. That's troubling. Al Qaeda still thinks, or wants people to think, that it can go toe-to-toe with the US.
UPDATE III:
Bubbleheads have more background on the naval units involved in the attack earlier today.
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