The classified orders signal a watershed for the Bush administration after nearly seven years of trying to work with Pakistan to combat the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and after months of high-level stalemate about how to challenge the militants’ increasingly secure base in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

Instead of posting thoughts about the new Avenged Sevenfold album or Jessica Alba movie, CIA and FBI analysts could use ‘A-Space’ to share information and opinion about al Qaeda movements in the Middle East or Russian naval maneuvers in the Black Sea.