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December 27, 2009

Terrorist Not Only One With Pants On Fire

I'e been offline spending time with family over the past few days and so I'm behind the curve on the story of the terrorist that tried to detonate a bomb on a flight about to land in Detroit. The attempted detonation of a PETN device with a nitroglycerine detonator failed. Instead of bringing down the airliner, the explosive misfired and burned instead of exploding. A Dutch passenger is credited with being a hero for his actions in the immediate wake of the failed attack for subduing the would-be terrorist, but the simple fact of the matter is that if the device had functioned properly, the plane would have likely gone down, killing hundreds. Quite simply, God and bad chemistry was on our side.

It was therefore quite revolting to see DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano claim that "the system worked." The system was an utter and unmitigated failure.

The system allowed one of the most dangerous explosives known to man—one known to be a favorite of al Qaeda—aboard a flight into the United States in sufficient quantity to destroy a plane in midair. The device used one of the oldest known and most common explosives in the world as a trigger as well. As for the bomber himself, he was a known al Qaeda affiiliate who had been turned in by his own father for his extremism.

In what way, Janet Napolitano, did Homeland Security "work" when it let a known terrorist fly into the United States with a bomb strapped to his body?

The simple fact of the matter is that our security measures failed once again, and the DHS secretary is trying to cover for a group that repeatedly fail in their primary mission, while wasting time and energy and focus in attempts to demonize her political opponents.

The DHS failed, and failed miserably. Perhaps if they spent more time attempting to hunt down terrorists, and less time trying to smear Americans that don't like Barack Obama, terrorists like Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab wouldn't be able to make it onto US-bound flights in the first place.

Jonah Goldberg wants Napolitano fired, but I'm not sure what purpose that would serve. Looking at this Administration's raft of failed and marginally competent appointees, do you really expect that any replacement nominee would be any less ideologically-drive or more effective?

Posted by Confederate Yankee at December 27, 2009 08:58 PM
Comments

The Secretary should be fired only because she said the system worked, another Obamoid lie. She should have said she was going to do better, or some other lie, but one less egregious. This was really not a TSA procedural failure, but if anything a failure of political correctness, or an obsession with "privacy" which has hindered the use of body scanners. It also shows that Obama's groveling to the Muslim world has achieved nothing. If you want to puke, read the latest from some shithead in the Atlantic who says the bomber was incompetent so why get upset? We could win his but we have not the spine. It will take a nuke attack to get us in the right frame of mind.

Posted by: mytralman at December 27, 2009 09:40 PM


Need to strike "DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano" and replace with "The Obama Administration" -

It was therefore quite revolting to see the Obama Administration claim that "the system worked." The system was an utter and unmitigated failure.

He earned it, the Buck stops with the One.

*in fine print it can be foot-noted what individually hand-selected Obama appointee demonstrated The One's great judgment in delegation of his duties and responsibilities.

Posted by: Druid at December 27, 2009 10:18 PM

Unfortunately the system didn't work. What did work was, as was noted, A. the device failed and B. the folks on the plane who took action. Its been noted already by some other folks that while security protocols have ALREADY changed in England . . NOTHING has changed here. Its still up to us - the citizens of this country to look out for ourselves and our country

Posted by: Nina at December 27, 2009 10:47 PM

Um, excuse me, but ... how can we say anything about the efficacy of American aircraft security based on a case in which a man boarded a flight in another country, which has different security standards enforced by different people? Does anyone even know if the Netherlands' air-security agency gives a damn about the DHS no-fly list?

I think TSA in particular and Homeland Security in general are a bunch of totally useless clowns, but come on, people. What's the point of smacking them around for somebody else's failure?

Posted by: wolfwalker at December 27, 2009 10:55 PM

mytralman

Do you think muslims are going to agree to full body scans?

I picked up my kids at the Nashville airport the other day and there was a lady in a full burka greeting people from the same plane.

I doubt that the TSA would even pat down a lady like that or put her under extra screening.

Posted by: Pinandpuller at December 28, 2009 12:55 AM

Ah, but according to the deranged logic and beliefs of Janet Napolitano and the rest of the Obamites, the system worked just perfectly. Their concerns have little or nothing to do with protecting the public from terrorist attacks and everything with social justice and protecting the tender sensibilities of favored victim groups, which includes anyone who would wish to harm the United States or its citizens.

No doubt the terrorist involved was not in the least inconvenienced, nor was his self esteem bruised, at least not up until the moment that, due to dumbest of dumb luck, he set the family jewels on fire (natural selection?) rather than killing everyone on the aircraft, forcing, of all people, a Dutch filmmaker to do what the Obamites refuse to do: catch terrorists. This incident also proves, by the way, that God has an omniscient sense of irony.

So as the terrorists has already been appropriately lawyered up and mirandized, all potential intelligence has been lost, and a celebrity show trial will be scheduled, all of the Obamite's goals have been reached. To their way of thinking, the system did work just perfectly. Isn't it nice when a plan comes together?

Posted by: mikemcdaniel at December 28, 2009 12:02 PM

This particular incident stikes 'too friggin close to home' for me. Thats the EXACT flight I usually take on my homeward bound journeys. In fact, Household Six had me come home at Thanksgiving this year, as Christmas was going to be 'too hectic'... Good thing!!! Yet another case of the Big C 'dodging a bullet' thanks to the Good Lord watching out for fools and drunks (of which I qual' on both counts.)

Please make a note all you AlQuaedaKids out there...Y'all do NOT want this 380 Pound Pissed Off Redneck getting his paws on you... My advice: stick to blowing up schools hospitals churches and other defenseless targets... it's more y'alls speed...y'all don't want ME gettin hold of ya as it'd be a "Lets see how many bones I can break before the police intervene" or a "How many times can we play 'flush the retard terrorist in the blu-stuff before he drowns?' or an all time favorite "Bulkhead Head Bashing: Which Gives way first?" My money is on your head.

It just goes to show how much kinder and gentler the Dutch involved in this fracas were/are. I saw the booking photos and ain't nary a mark on this terrorist douche... Me? On my way home from a long pull of B.S. in Iraq? I'm not sure he'd be much good for questioning for a while after, 'cept "Blink once for Yes, two for No."

As for the Obamanoids? I'd say it's time make THEM fly coach on these jaunts, as it might ingrain a bit more reality to the situation. That and fire all them worthless lyin' heaps o'dookie spoutin' off 'bout "how the system worked" Which one? The fire extinguisher? Or the paranoid kid who wrassled this critter down before he could finish the job? Sheesh! Kudos to you kid!

Posted by: Big Country at December 28, 2009 01:40 PM

The only reason this attempt failed is because the guy tried to set the mix off before it had time to dry.

Posted by: emdfl at December 28, 2009 08:49 PM

But Napolitano was right -- the government will grow in size as it imposes more restrictions on Americans, and will conduct more citizen surveillance. Politically connected firms will sell more spy equipment to the government, thereby boosting the economy.

Posted by: Old Rebel at December 29, 2009 10:35 AM

You know what all this means. More 80 year old grandmothers will be strip searched now.

Posted by: capt26thga at January 1, 2010 08:02 AM