1. The system is split between prevention (which failed big time, yes) and the response side. While the Sec. did backtrack I'll still say the response system worked. There was no panic, the crew and passengers acted the right way, the FAA and DHS responded the right way in coordinating the rest of the flights and ensured there were no other events. Remember, after 9/11 we had no idea what was going on. Once this occurred, we knew exactly what was going on and how to respond. That system worked.believer wrote:
"Fell through the cracks"? Really?
C'mon, Ptown. Are you so close to the inner circle to fail to see that - small terrorist potatoes or not - this KNOWN Islamic-radical not only made it on board the flight in the first place but was able to carry on the materials necessary to create an explosive device?
In the meantime I would bet the ranch that airport security confiscated all the 6 oz. water bottles and switchblades from the little old ladies and children before THEY boarded.
The system worked?
What would you have labeled this situation had this moronic Islamic radical been successful on detonating the device and killed a couple of dozen people with his "firecracker"? Would that qualify as "big time" or have we decided that flying airliners into skyscrapers sets the terrorist bar?
What about Fort Hood? Is that not a big deal?
In my naive right-wing narrow-minded conservative world, ANY Islamic radical who attacks us here or abroad is big time regardless of how many people are killed or injured.
The sooner the so-called "moderates" and the anti-war left get their collective heads out of the Middle East sand and realize that radical Islam is at war with the Great Satan, the sooner we'll defeat this insanity.
You would think that Beirut, the USS Cole, and at least 9/11 would make that clear.
Appeasement foreign policy is and always will be viewed by politically and religiously brainwashed radicals as a sign of weakness.
This is precisely why liberals - like Janet Napolitano being "in charge" of security - don't give me tons of warm fuzzies.
The prevention system failed. Again, the prevention system failed.
Also, yes I hate the airline screening myself. I think they are pointless. Let me say a third time, I think the airline screening processes are awful and not needed. But, that is different than the response system. That is part of the failed prevention system.
Again, in terms of scale, 1000>12. I mean big scale, I mean large multiple bombings that are coordinated and complex. (Think al Qaeda in Iraq muliple bombings) I also mean WMD and other highly coordinated events. One guy that may kill 12 people is small and is nearly impossible to stop. Just ask Israel.
That means it is not a big deal, it just means that in terms of scale and complexities, it is small. Plus, the "bomb" was poorly made and did not create "chatter" which usually is a sign of a large attack.
I do not have my head in the sand, but know that all the resources in the world cannot stop radical Islam. Force alone does not win. Again, ask Israel. They have been trying to use force since 1967 and have failed miserably in stopping and squashing radical Islam. I know that there is a serious threat and want to destroy it, but I also know things are very complex.
Beirut? As in the civil war and U.S. involved and the bombings by Hezbollah. I won't go into that but will say that the Lebanese civil war was one of the most complex civil wars in human history.
The USS Cole and 9/11 were highly coordinated events that created chatter. Very different from this event.
Fort Hood, an act of terrorism, but not a "big event" and is nearly impossible to stop. Shit happens, it is sad, but sometimes it is impossible to see all the signs and say, look we need to stop this guy. This isn't the movies. It is hard, complex and difficult work. Think about as you need to put a puzzle together, but you only have half the pieces and the puzzle is upside down where you cannot see the images.
You may feel uneasy, but I feel fine with smart, hardworking people doing the dirty work keeping this country safe.
