Crotch Bombers, Obama, Blair, Brown, and War
Mr. Abdulmutallab had his first day in court on the same day as President Obama’s address, and a plea of not guilty was entered for him.
President Barack Obama’s counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, has said Abdulmutallab would be offered a plea deal in exchange for valuable information about his contacts in Yemen and elsewhere.
A perceptive analysis of the loss of critical intelligence which probably resulted from the decision to proceed in a civilian criminal court is presented here. If the underwear bomber is a confirmed jihadist, anxious to immolate himself, or at least to roast his genitals, for the cause, the chances that he will provide any useful information in exchange for a reduced sentence are slim at best. His principal attorney, Miriam Siefer, will doubtless do the best she can for him since that is her job. She seems to be very good at it.
Nevertheless, the eyewitness testimony and physical evidence seem, at the moment, to be overwhelming; in flawed Western eyes, bargaining (gently) in a civilian criminal proceeding for potentially high-value information in exchange for a light sentence would be the right thing to do. That may be difficult, not the least because Mr. Abdulmutallab may be uncooperative and prefer to turn the legal proceeding into a prolonged farce, as did Zacarias Moussaoui.
The January 7 presidential proclamation that we are at war must have meant something more, and maybe it did. It was praised highly — rather more highly than the White House praised Mr. Blair’s January 20 testimony. National Security Adviser James Jones stated complacently:
We know what happened, we know what didn’t happen, and we know how to fix it. That should be an encouraging aspect. We don’t have to reinvent anything to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
However, President Obama told us, clearly and decisively, that lots will have to be done. He has initiated the following reforms:
First, he ordered the intelligence community to assign responsibility to individuals to pursue leads on specific high-priority threats. Previously, specific low and high priority threats must have been assigned indiscriminately to amorphous groups. That will be fixed.
Second, intelligence reports will be distributed more widely and quickly.
That’s nice, even though it’s also a bit of a no-brainer.
Third, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair will overhaul existing intelligence analytical efforts.
If that’s the case, nap times and coffee breaks in the intelligence community may have to be shortened, something far worse than the winter retreat from North Korea over snowy mountains during the police action there in 1950, which wasn’t even a real “war.” Fortunately, Mr. Blair seems to have done some pondering since January 7, as reflected in his January 20 testimony noted above. Unfortunately, he may have to continue his pondering as a private citizen.
Fourth, the government will strengthen the criteria used to add people to no-fly lists.
Elderly Methodist bishops and tea party activists, watch out. At least with TSA nominee Erroll Southers no longer in the picture, there will be less pressure than had been anticipated to unionize the TSA.
However, this was also reported:
Obama didn’t tell intelligence officials to change what they’re doing. Instead, he told them to just do it better, and faster. He left it to them to figure out how.
While Obama promised improved security, his solutions were laced with bureaucratic reshuffling.
But … but that’s what bureaucrats do; now they must do it better and faster, but they better know their place and not stray from the path of administrative righteousness.
Still, added together, this must all amount to a clearly stated and decisive effort actually to win the war, expeditiously and cleverly, because President Obama told us so. Unlike the stupid and ineffective doings of the Bush administration, and the stupid and misinformed comments of Mr. Blair, it is the smartest and most effective way to proceed. Even though there seems to be nothing in the works to reverse the substantial damage done to the intelligence community during President Obama’s nearly one year in office.
Man-caused disasters have finally got President Obama’s attention and so has his director of national intelligence; both are very bad. So, apparently, have complaints about holding terrorist trials in New York got his attention. It’s the “not in my backyard” syndrome, but has nothing to do with whether terrorists should be tried in civilian courts.
Since we are now at war, we can all look forward to a prompt declaration of victory, no matter what or how loudly Allah may squawk. Then our government will be able to get on with the important business of the nation, despite the lessons of the January 19 Massachusetts election. It is still very important that what’s left of the economy be destroyed and that health care and card check legislation be enacted. We must no longer be distracted even briefly by annoying difficulties, all of which are President Obama’s unfortunate inheritance from former President Bush. Onward and upward forever!
The poorly read and intellectually shallow Barack Obama is existentially convinced that America is responsible for the rage of radical Muslims. In his heart of hearts, he perceives no logical reason to focus on fighting their terrorist activities. Our country allegedly screwed over the darker skinned people of the Middle East. That means the anger is somewhat justified. It is probably best to limit any violent responses. This will only increase their anger. Sadly, Obama fails completely to realize that providing criminal trials for the terrorists—is considered a sign of weakness. Our overly nice guy approach only entices them to further outrages. We are therefore far better off, according to the Progressive left, to instead concentrate our energies fighting a so-called war against poverty, climate change, or obese children. Conquering these goals will persuade our enemies to give up their arms and became members in the utopian world community. I wish that I was speaking in a tongue in cheek in manner, but I am not. Obama’s worldview is most assuredly that childishly naïve.
Dan Miller graduated from Yale in 1963. All hell broke loose only a few years later. The Ivy League schools instituted their affirmative action policies in the mid to late 1960s. Blacks and other minorities were the first to take advantage of the lowered standards—but by 1975 the white students inevitably also jumped aboard the gravy train. The softer disciplines have never been the same since. Only a hard science credential is usually earned. The affirmative actions students don’t take those courses. A liberal arts degree is often something to ridicule. Obama entered Columbia University in 1981. Enough said.
Here is a request from Republican members of congress that Attorney General Holder respond to specific questions and testify before the appropriate congressional committees. I don’t plan to hold my breath while waiting for him to do so.
Perhaps Holder and crew are missing a great opportunity. If they claim to have extracted all necessary informatiion from the crotch bomber in 15 minutes then : Just switch from waterboarding and polite conversation etc. to explosives in the shorts. What amazing speedy results ! Although most of us would rather have the explosives in Holder’s shorts while he is sitting on Obama’s lap.
‘War’ is nothing but a word to the President, another phrase used to make a point.
“I don’t plan to hold my breath while waiting for him to do so.”
It would also behoove one not to wait to see if Eric Holder has the intellectual ability to answer any hard questions. He graduated from Columbia Law in 1976. It is obvious that Holder took advantage of the affirmative action policies instituted a few years earlier.
Our current U.S. Attorney General lacks the education necessary to carry out his responsibilities. Lindsey Graham made mincemeat of Eric Holder. All Americans should watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7lm8Sfbo4
Our nation is paying an awful price for the lowered academic standards of the Ivy League universities. Their students are often so ridiculously mediocre. Still, they are the “best!” It only gets worse at the second and third tier schools.
Pressure on the Obama Administration continues to build to modify its decision to hold the KSM and other terror trials in New York City. Although other places are being considered, Obama remains firm that the trials must be held in civilian courts.
White House spokesman Bill Burton said Thursday that President Obama is committed to seeing Mohammed and his alleged accomplices brought to justice in a federal court. The president believes that can be done successfully and securely.
“Currently our federal jails hold hundreds of convicted terrorists, and the president’s opinion has not changed on that,” Burton said.
Sometimes, I wonder whether they understand the world.
I don’t know whether to characterize this testimony by Attorney General Holder as muddled, stumbling, evasive or incompetent. Maybe all four apply. In fairness, I guess it should be noted that most of the talking was done by Lindsey Graham who was questioning him.
Now playing at a courtroom near you in New York, and there is lots more to come.
Now, the savvy “Terror Mom” of three is pulling out all the stops to win a mistrial. Among her Cirque du Jihad antics:
— Demanding that jurors be genetically tested for a “Zionist or Israeli background” to ensure a fair and impartial jury of her Jew-hating peers.
— Ranting about 9/11 Israel conspiracies during voir dire.
— Screaming out loud during the testimony of U.S. Army Capt. Robert Snyder, who was in the room in Ghazni when Siddiqui allegedly grabbed an M-4 rifle and proclaimed, “Allahu Akbar!” and “I hate Americans! Death to America!” Before being ejected from the courtroom, Siddiqui shouted to Snyder, “You’re lying!” She also babbled about torture at a secret prison.
#8 DAN MILLER—You said it all. No reason to post on this story.
Thanks, Keyboard555. However, this does seem worth noting: Next year’s budget will included $200,000,000 to “help defray the security costs resulting from the criminal trials of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his fellow 9/11 terrorists.” The author continues,
Aren’t Khalid and his pals ordinary criminals? Even trying John Gotti didn’t shut down Manhattan. The reason why such extraordinary security will be necessary is that the 9/11 plotters are not merely criminals. They are combatants in a war against the United States; it is their fellow combatants who are still in the field who pose such a risk that extraordinary measures are necessary.
Worth thinking about.
War ? It is of little use to ask about a single three letter word . He did not mean anything he said .
The Crotch Bomber has started talking again, apparently under a plea deal and has provided “valuable intelligence.” That’s probably a good thing, but it suggests that the powers that be were puffing smoke when they announced that he had said all that he was going to say before being given a Miranda warning and counsel.
Word that Mr. Abdulmutallab has resumed cooperating with authorities isn’t likely to end the controversy. “There’s no changing the fact that Mirandizing Abdulmutallab gave terrorists a six-week head start to cover their tracks,” said Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri, the top Republican on the Senate intelligence committee. “We will never know what life-saving information on co-conspirators and future plots we missed out on.”