We might have awakened to another mass murder this AM... (page 3)

BizzyBee

Another take:

Here's the theory: a two-bit mook is sent by Al Qaeda to do a dastardly deed. He winds up neutering himself. Literally.
Authorities respond appropriately; the President (as this president is want to do) presides over the federal response. His senior aides speak for him, letting reporters know that he's videoconferencing regularly, that he's ordering a review of terrorist watch lists, that he's discoursing with his Secretary of Homeland Security.
But an in-person Obama statement isn't needed; Indeed, a message expressing command, control, outrage and anger might elevate the importance of the deed,would generate panic (because Obama usually DOESN'T talk about the specifics of cases like this, and so him deciding to do so would cue the American people to respond in a way that exacerbates the situation. [...]
Let the authorities do their work. Don't presume; don't panic the country; don't chest-thump, prejudge, interfere, politicize (in an international sense), don't give Al Qaeda (or whomever) a symbolic victory; resist the urge to open the old playbook and run a familiar play.
Obama and his team obviously prefer a far more mature, strategic approach. It's about projecting a sense of calm and control. It's about choosing not to elevate some lunatic thug who set himself on fire [....] It's about competent and effective leadership, and it's what the country was sorely lacking up until 11 months ago.

leavingwt

Obama 'Likely' to Speak About Flight 253

White House sources tell ABC News the President will "likely" speak publicly about the alleged attempted terrorist attack on Flight 253 in the next few days. The President is on vacation in his native state of Hawaii - he has received regularly briefings on the incident and called for increased security for air travel, along with a full review of the terror watch list procedures. The White House is adamant that the President is actively engaged on the incident behind the scenes, receiving regular updates as information comes in. While on vacation Mr. Obama does not keep a public schedule, but he did spend much of the day golfing on Saturday and is spending Sunday with his family at the beach. He has been criticized because he has yet to address the American people directly.

The White House believes it has responded appropriately - pointing out that the President's top spokesperson Robert appeared on several Sunday talk shows, including This Week along with Department of Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano.

The President is walking a fine line. Responding immediately could perhaps increase the value of such attacks - even those that are unsuccessful - and encourage other would-be terrorists. President George W. Bush also waited to respond publicly after Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," attempted to attack a plane by hiding explosives in his shoes in December of 2001. On ABC This Week, Jake Tapper asked former George W. Bush strategist Mathew Dowd if President Obama was doing the right thing by waiting.

"Well yes," Dowd said, "Part of the problem here is that all the facts that you think are true at the beginning turn out not to be true as the days go on. Some of that stuff we've learned in the process of this, as, actually, we're learning some of the things we first heard, we didn't catch.

Asked about the President's mood during what was supposed a "news-free" vacations, an aide said Mr. Obama is doing is best to "recharge his batteries" but stressed that the President is very concerned about what is going on in the world and is actively engaged at all levels.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/12/obama-likely-to-speak-about-flight-253.html

beksbks

resist the urge to open the old playbook and run a familiar play.

You mean like insist that Luxembourg is harboring the terrorist's responsible, and anyway they have WMD's and even if they don't, they need liberating, so we're going to invade?

sammielee24

I understand Bizzy what you re saying...a lot of knee jerk reactions are appearing, but from a logical perspective I still ask why a) when his own father contacted not one but a number of agencies in order to warn them that his kid was possibly a threat - nobody took it serious and b) how did he get the needle through the systems that he apparently used for his bomb making?

He strapped the powder to his leg so I can see that, but my understanding has been that there was liquid in a needle that was injected into the powder and he went into the bathroom an hour before to use - a needle shows up on any scanner and through the wanding process. Could it have been on the plane in Amsterdam already?

I also have to ask how 'real' the threat was if they used a moron that was only capable of setting his crotch on fire and who waited on landing to ignite himself. Wouldn't a bigger threat come from something bigger, someone smarter and a location much more impressive?

Joe Lieberman within half a day was calling on a major attack on Yemen to wipe out the terrorist group - all airlines suddenly beef up security with a promise of improved security by either person or machine.

Something just doesn't feel right about this. The timing, the threat level, the non stop media coverage that will implement the warnings again - things just aren't fitting together and nothing is as it is supposed to appear.

Governments are about opportunity.

Question - the shoe bomber found us taking our shoes off in the airport.....this guy is the underwear bomber...will there be a ban on underwear now?? sammieswife.

BizzyBee

All good questions, sammies. Behind the scenes, no doubt heads will roll, procedures will be re-examined, accountability determined, etc. Personally, I don't need another reassuring speech from the President. Just action.

beksbks

I took a flight about 3 weeks ago Sammies, and I took a small sewing kit with a needle in my carry on. I figured there was a chance I would lose it, because it seems you never know exactly what they are going to focus on. But no. Maybe his needle started out as components.

The idea that we are never going to suffer another terrorist attack is absurd. There is no way we can stop every loon that has an agenda. What if he had landed, gathered his bomb making equipment, and strolled unsearched in to a local restaurant? He would have had zero interference. Anyone could have entered a crowded mall over the last two weeks and done the same thing, or simply opened fire. Look at McVeigh, he used fertilizer for heaven's sake. They get thousands of warnings every week, with little real information. There is no way every threat can be preempted.