March 15, 2010
Pre 9/11 Mentality
Fifty minutes. This past week-end we learned that's how long the Obama Administration saw fit to interrogate would-be suicide bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who allegedly tried to blow up a US airliner approaching Detroit on Christmas Day. After just under an hour of questioning, Abdulmutallab was read his Miranda rights and allowed to "lawyer-up." This also means that he clammed up.
This is a guy who had just emerged from a terrorist training camp in Yemen, a growing haven of terrorist training and recruiting where we have very little visibility. He should have been turned over to military custody where he would have been interrogated by experts who could have learned a great deal about who supported his efforts, what sort of terrorist training infrastructure now exists in Yemen and, most important, what other attacks are now in the pipeline.
In testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee last week, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (whose first response to the incident was that "the system worked"), and Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Michael Leiter (who continued his ski trip after learning about the attempted attack) all stated they were not even consulted on how to handle Mr. Abdulmutallab. What? Apparently the decision to treat Abdulmutallab like a shoplifter instead of an enemy combatant was made by Attorney General Eric Holder. Thus we lost a golden opportunity to gain valuable information.
The Obama Administration needs to understand that these terrorists are at war with us. Most in Congress do not support this kid-gloves approach to terrorists. One alarming exception is Congressman Jim Moran. Mr. Moran apparently wants all enemy combatants removed from military custody and tried in civilian courts, preferably right here in Alexandria, VA (wisely, the Northern Virginians with whom I have spoke strongly disagree). In fact, according to Mr. Moran, anyone who opposes civilian trials for terrorists are "un-American." When did defending Americans become un-American?
This is a guy who had just emerged from a terrorist training camp in Yemen, a growing haven of terrorist training and recruiting where we have very little visibility. He should have been turned over to military custody where he would have been interrogated by experts who could have learned a great deal about who supported his efforts, what sort of terrorist training infrastructure now exists in Yemen and, most important, what other attacks are now in the pipeline.
In testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee last week, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (whose first response to the incident was that "the system worked"), and Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Michael Leiter (who continued his ski trip after learning about the attempted attack) all stated they were not even consulted on how to handle Mr. Abdulmutallab. What? Apparently the decision to treat Abdulmutallab like a shoplifter instead of an enemy combatant was made by Attorney General Eric Holder. Thus we lost a golden opportunity to gain valuable information.
The Obama Administration needs to understand that these terrorists are at war with us. Most in Congress do not support this kid-gloves approach to terrorists. One alarming exception is Congressman Jim Moran. Mr. Moran apparently wants all enemy combatants removed from military custody and tried in civilian courts, preferably right here in Alexandria, VA (wisely, the Northern Virginians with whom I have spoke strongly disagree). In fact, according to Mr. Moran, anyone who opposes civilian trials for terrorists are "un-American." When did defending Americans become un-American?
Printer-friendly version
Post new comment