The immediate response of President Barack Obama’s Homeland Security director to the attempted Christmas day bombing of an American airliner over Detroit was to say that the government’s $50 billion terrorist identification system worked just fine.
This was just an “isolated” incident, we were told.
It was basically a very (very) high-priced version of the old “move along, folks … nothing to see here” line.
Of course that ill-advised PR offensive – much like the government’s terrorist ID system – also failed miserably.
Now, a day after saying “the system worked,” Janet Napolitano has pulled a public relations U-turn.
“Our system did not work in this instance,” Napolitano said on The Today Show Monday morning. “No one is happy or satisfied with that. An extensive review is under way.”
Napolitano later said that her prior comment was … drum roll, please … “taken out of context.”
What?
Napolitano is justifying her “system worked” remark based on the fact that … get this … other flights were notified of the attempted attack and that “additional security” measures (i.e. additional holiday delays) were put into place after the fact.
Obviously, none of that explains how a Nigerian man whose radical views were made known to the U.S. government on multiple occasions in the past was able to sneak explosives on board an American-bound airliner.
What ultimately stopped Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from blowing that plane out of the sky?
Dumb luck … a combination of the terrorist’s incompetence and the efforts of nearby passengers.
Of course, as is invariably the case, government’s screw-up will now lead to a massive overreaction – which will mean additional delays and more invasive searches for millions of American passengers.
Not to mention an ever escalating price tag.
And for what?
At the end of the day, you can’t stop asymmetrical warfare … you can only hope to contain it, something that the Department of Homeland Security (a bureaucracy that never should have been created in the first place) is doing a piss poor job of …
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By Michael S. Smith II December 28, 2009 at 11:43 am
Transcript of al Qaida in Yemen’s (October 28, 2009!!!) directive calling on Muslims to target airlines and airports with “small explosives” — link to transcript: http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/nefaAQIYTGTAirports1209.pdf
It’s now believed al Qaida’s most prized bomb maker, who resides in Yemen, likely provided the Nigerian terrorist responsible for the Christmas Day incident the makeshift bomb he sought to detonate over Detroit.
MICHAEL S. SMITH II
By No Way! December 28, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I am so glad to see that everyone recognizes what an absolute idiot we have in the Secretary of Homeland Security seat! She thinks that everything went just fine! No problems. Wake the heck up!
By 2 cents December 28, 2009 at 12:06 pm
There is no doubt in my mind that Obama, being an idealist, was betting on the fact that diplomacy and his background would appease the terrorist folks around the globe. He is inexperienced and does not know what he is doing with regard to terrorism and other issues.
I did not believe that people could actually hope for the destruction of an entire ethnic group until I worked with a Middle Eastern man who stated that he firmly believed in the full extermination of Jews everywhere. He compared them to blacks in America. Go figure. What this man, who actually had a job in a local plant that many local citizens would give their right arm for, is doing in this country is beyond me.
It seems apparent that we have our own terrorists here in the U.S. that need to be dealt with as well. It has been stated that McVay was with a group that worked with Middle Eastern terrorists because they had the extermination of the Jews factor in common.
Now I don’t believe in bombing entire countries and policing the world, but if we find them here, I say we do exactly what their own governments do their own citizens. Do the same with domestic terrorists. I believe in diplomacy, but at the same time fight fire with fire.
By a reader December 28, 2009 at 12:09 pm
What do you people think should be done about this? I’m just politiely asking and would appreciate it if you wouldn’t launch personal attacks for asking what measures you think should be taken to satisfy everyone. Does making people stay in their seat for the last hour of the flight so they can’t use the toilet make sense to you? These and so many other stupid prohibitions, such as the nail clippers and mouthwash prohibitions don’t do anyone any good. Checking the name lists of idiots like the reject who got on the plane seems like a good idea to me. What are your views?
By flipnut December 28, 2009 at 12:23 pm
The dog and pony show Homeland Security puts on for passenger screening is a joke, it’s been proven over and over again. What really scares me is air cargo and shipping containers, if these clowns are really well financed they will buy a freight forwarder(like Fedex for big stuff), operate it legitimately for a few years and once they are “known shippers” and not flagged in the DHS computers, they can ship what ever they want and Boom!
By sam December 28, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Bush was the butt many of Hollywood joke but at least he kept us safe.
Obama is too busy “hangin’ ten” on his boogie board to even bother commenting.
Hope a change, people!
By countryboy December 28, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Profiling would certainly help but that is not going to happen, especially while the Democrats are in power and have idiots like Napolitano in key positions. Maybe never happen we are so damned worried about being PC and not hurting someone’s feelings. Most all suicide bombers are going to look the part, come from certain countries, be of the Islamic religion, etc. So good profiling would eliminate the vast majority of potential suicide bombers. Bottom line is, we are screwed and it is just a matter of the terrorists organizations being able to find enough people to be suicide bombers.
By James the Foot Soldier December 28, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Until someone other than a nut-job jhihadist blows up an airplane I have a novel idea:
All white, black, hispanic, japanese, and mandarin Americans: pick up a box cutter and go directly to the plane.
All Muslims with names that can’t be pronounced without requiring a nasal tissue: stip search the goat fuckers.
Any questions?
By Ynot December 28, 2009 at 4:19 pm
and fortunately, it’s time to renew the (un)Patriot Act…. what a coincidence huh?
By Obama the Magic Negro December 28, 2009 at 5:53 pm
a reader: I would suggest strip searching every Muslim or Muslim appearing person planning to fly. Alternatively, just ban them from flying all together. I don’t really care one way or the other! I am fine with exporting them all back to the Middle East. My dad once told me to keep enemies at arms length. Let’s put an ocean between us and them. Send them back!
By workinman December 28, 2009 at 6:24 pm
December 28th, 2009 3:49 pm ET
We are doing everything we can says Obama. Just another pack of lies by a person who cannot lead, cannot be trusted with your safety and cannot stop from being in another photo op.
I agree with Obama the Magic Negro
Obama you are as stupid as a piece of paper, its not that we are doing everything, its that you are doing NOTHING.
Its pretty simple, secure our borders, when we are threatened, respond with force, if you want to kill a snake, you cut its head off, you dont sit, talk about it and make idle chit chat and say we are doing everything. Terroist use threats and scare tactics to prey on the people, maybe just maybe we should start playing the same game and quit talking.
Obama its time you manned up and saw the light, quit turning your back on America. Are you an American or muslim
By workinman December 28, 2009 at 6:25 pm
By the way, thanks for putting your lavish getaway on hold for a few minutes to do your job. What a joke. President Obama and his Homeland Security Secretary are both proving themselves to be as incompetent and unqualified as their critics have claimed them to be. This is what we get for being idealistic when electing our leaders. Thanks a lot independents and democrats.
P.S. Maybe the Obama clan may want to vacation a bit less while we are suffering a 10 percent unemployment rate nationwide. Vacationing in Hawaii and calling the bankers fat cats in the same month doesn’t jive with me.
By The BOSS December 28, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Is he actually going to spare the American people a few moments of his time between working out and his golf games? I hope he announces how he is so sorry for Napolitano and her foolish statements re how the system worked. He should fire her ass tomorrow then resign as the greatest embarassment this country has seen.
By me December 28, 2009 at 7:50 pm
why do we have the tsa again? I guess all the ex cons and sexual predators need jobs to.
By Liberty For Me December 28, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Gee..With all the money we spend on military to invade other countries…You would think we would have the technology to stop a guy from carrying explosives on a plane.Ever notice this doesn’t happen to Israel?? Why is that?? Inquiring minds want to know…
By Bunch of BS December 29, 2009 at 2:47 am
I’ve seen a bunch of conservative wackos blame Obama for this. It was not an American’s fault. People get your head out of your asses.
By UP YOURS December 29, 2009 at 2:50 am
And I quote…”Maybe the Obama clan may want to vacation a bit less while we are suffering a 10 percent unemployment rate nationwide. Vacationing in Hawaii and calling the bankers fat cats in the same month doesn’t jive with me”
He is still taking less vacation than Bush took. Why is the president blamed when this man boarded a plane in another country? Why?
Your a F*ck*ng retard.
By Ynot December 29, 2009 at 6:35 am
First, this incident actually happened in Amsterdam. How do they screen passengers bound FOR the US>?
Second, there is evidence that says a ” well dressed man” got this “terrorist” ON the plane WITHOUT even a passport.
How does anyone deal with these details? Even Obama pray tell???
Secondly, Homeland Security or the Gestapo, is for We the People. They are penalizing the wrong set of passengers.
Get your heads out of the sand ya’ll.
We the People are NOT the “terrorists”, or are we?
By The BOSS December 29, 2009 at 7:09 am
To Up Yours:
Get for real, we didn’t have a 10% unemployment rate under Bush! The president is not blamed for his boarding. He is blamed for being a fucking retard in hiring Janet Napolitano who clearly could not find groceries in a paper bag. She thought everything was going well on Sunday. Didn’t even seem to know the policies in place for international watch lists. On Monday, she appeared to have been schooled on the situation a bit more. Our lazy ass president is in Hawaii while he should be working in a time of serious unemployment!
By sam December 29, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I gues “Big Sis” was too busy profiling US vets that she didn’t bother to investigate the terror warnings from the young Muslim’s distraught father.
By The BOSS December 29, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I tell you who needs to take their head out of their ass . . . Napalitano and our president
By The Colonel December 30, 2009 at 2:46 am
Napolitano is someone we should be listening to! Let’s look at her quotes from the last few days:
26 Dec – “…the system worked…”
27 Dec – “…no evidence of larger plot…”
28 Dec – “…the system failed miserably…”
Now it is being reported that a large group of “mis-understood” young men are being trained to carry out identical attacks, I guess 10 Jan or so she’ll come out with the “…there is a larger conspiracy…” sound bite.
If it looks like a jihadist, walks like a jihadist, and it’s dad tells you its a jihadist, it’s probably a jihadist.
Napolitano needs to go – she has neither the background nor the common sense for the job.
By Libb December 30, 2009 at 7:30 am
George Bush was vacationing at Crawford when the Shoe Bomber incident happened. It took him 6 DAYS to issue a public comment. So, who’s head was up an orifice then?