Althouse: Obama admits to "a systemic failure."

December 29, 2009

Obama admits to "a systemic failure."

"When our government has information on a known extremist and that information is not shared and acted upon as it should have been, a systemic failure has occurred, and I consider that totally unacceptable."

140 comments:

Ron said...: Enough apologies for Pearl Harbor...let's figure out how to win Midway!; 12/29/09, 5:37 PM
KCFleming said...: System's working, systemic failure.

Tomato, tamahto, potato, patahto.

Anyway, I'll bet he's really throwing the terrorists off guard with these multiple direction changes.

But what we all want to know is:
Will there be a TSA panty raid?; 12/29/09, 5:41 PM
former law student said...: "Obama admits to "a systemic failure."

HST was right -- the buck stops at the President's desk. I would have said, "Obama declares a "systemic failure," but then I'm a partisan.; 12/29/09, 5:50 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Sounds like it's time for another Blue Ribbon Commission stacked with luminaries like Bill Richardson and Brent Scowcroft.

Can hardly wait for their 1,600 page report...it's sure to be a game-changer.; 12/29/09, 5:51 PM
Matt Eckert said...: Great.; 12/29/09, 5:52 PM
sort of runic rhyme said...: New TSA screening procedure; 12/29/09, 5:53 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Clearly yesterday's statement full of "suspect" and "allegedly" (and no "terrorist") is no longer "operative" and oB+ama has been forced to "pivot sharply" and admit that the government screwed up big time at every step.

this new "mistakes were made" statement is supposed to reassure us that his folks know WTF they are doing. In fact, his supporters have been attacking the Feds for the past 8 years over every attempt to apply more stringent criteria on monitoring suspected terrorist activity and increasing screening.

Instead of reading this clown his rights, charging him and sending him off to a Federal jail, we should have taken him at his word that he was an AQ agent and packed his ass off to Gitmo for a chat, there to learn more about who sent him and future plans instead of scheduling him for a meeting with his court appointed attorneys.; 12/29/09, 5:54 PM
former law student said...: Instead of reading this clown his rights, charging him and sending him off to a Federal jail...

Like W. did with Richard Reid. True that he only received a sentence of 110 years, however.; 12/29/09, 6:00 PM
Anonymous said...: And we want these idiots to take over health care?; 12/29/09, 6:01 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: I wonder if Napolitano will leave her job in a few moths. Forcing your boss to correct your statements is something you can't afford to do.; 12/29/09, 6:03 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I'll tell you a system that works.

Here are the four belts I got via a post here on Althouse last week linking to an article on men's style possibly being influenced by the television show Mad Men, and through a series of wandering linkages therefrom to ElizaB.com where you pick the patterns and colors and they make the belts to fit. Most of the patterns offered have to do with yachting, hunting, fishing, tennis, polo, you know, yuppie type of interests. There are only a few patterns sufficiently ridiculous to appeal to me.

How's that for segue?; 12/29/09, 6:04 PM
BJM said...: Coulda, shoulda, woulda.; 12/29/09, 6:07 PM
Unknown said...: Under the Geneva Convention, it is apparently legal to shoot guys like Umar out of hand because they operate without uniform in a state of war against nation states.

Bambi and the Demos in Congress might object, but I have a feeling 10 or 12 successful airline bombings might convince the American people they need better leadership.

Of course, executing captured terrorists would give them their virgins. Stuffing pork in their mouths, burying them sewn in pigs' hides, or being blown from guns to be food for the pigs and vultures would, however, cure that.

Given that my wife and I will be flying out of the country soon, how they did things in the Sepoy Mutiny begins to attract me.; 12/29/09, 6:09 PM
Will said...: Is he talking about Christmas Day, or Ft. Hood, or both?; 12/29/09, 6:10 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Parsing Obama

.. But is also my job to ensure (our security apparatus) is working effectively and held held accountable. I intend to fulfill that responsibility and insist on accountability at every level. That is the spirit guiding our reviews, that is the spirit that will guide our efforts in the days and years to come.

Accountability - the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.

Spirit - an attitude or principle that inspires, animates, or pervades thought, a feeling.

The accountability is only in "spirit". Nobody is getting fired over this.; 12/29/09, 6:15 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Given that my wife and I will be flying out of the country soon, how they did things in the Sepoy Mutiny begins to attract me.

LOL

It's a stretch, because though General Napier made his mark in India, he died before the mutiny, but I never miss an opportunity to quote him on multi-culturalism:

"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."

:); 12/29/09, 6:16 PM
J. Cricket said...: Oh for the good 'ol days, when George W was president!!! He never, ever, under any circumstances, no matter how strong the evidence, admitted that his administration had erred in any way.

He did a heck of a job!!; 12/29/09, 6:17 PM
Anonymous said...: After Napolitano it's all down hill. She's his best and brightest, a shooting star across Obama's socialist firmament.

Things are going to get worse, a lot worse. Which is exactly what happens when you install a 5th Column in the White House.

And then retreat to Starbucks to cry in a latte whatever.; 12/29/09, 6:17 PM
The Drill SGT said...: edutcher said...
Under the Geneva Convention, it is apparently legal to shoot guys like Umar out of hand because they operate without uniform in a state of war against nation states.

No,

You must have a trial, though the form of the trial is left up to the detaining party. It can be 1 single officer as the judge, on the battlefield for example: e.g. the famous VC Assasin Tet photo by the Chief of the National Police.; 12/29/09, 6:27 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: Cheat or beat ?

Tiger cheats on wife and women are up in arms.

Charlie Sheen holds a knife to wife's throat, charged with domestic violence, and nobody cares.

Clearly women would rather be beaten than cheated on.; 12/29/09, 6:33 PM
traditionalguy said...: That statement by President Obama was a good one. He is at least telling the war on terror planners to raise their game. Does he have an acess to an inside report that the excrement is about to hit the ventlation system in air travel? Masses of Suicide Bombers in Diapers will not be that easy to stop 100%.; 12/29/09, 6:39 PM
Irene said...: Stanley Loomis, describing the Girdonists in Paris in the Terror, at page 52:

Posterity had described them as "men of letters," a compliment that is open to some question. They wrote copiously, it is true, and with all the posture and flourishes that marked their public speaking, but they had been educated neither in the school of experience nor in that of the textbook. In consequence, when read today, their writings remind one of some flaking, ornate façade of stucco behind which there is nothing. In the arena of politics, long words or classical references are poor substitutes for a useful idea. They are no substitute at all for an organized police force, ammunition and a loyal National Guard.

(edutcher, I reference this passage *not* in jest.); 12/29/09, 6:42 PM
Maxine Weiss said...: Well, I just saw a Hanes commercial with Charlie Sheen. Tiger's advertisers dropped him immediately. Sheen holds a knife to his wife's throat and advertisers have absolutely no problem with it.; 12/29/09, 6:43 PM
gk1 said...: as cock breath jeremy would say "DUH!"; 12/29/09, 6:54 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll believe he's taking things seriously when he puts on a fucking tie and gets his ass back to work.; 12/29/09, 6:58 PM
Anonymous said...: "Forcing your boss to correct your statements is something you can't afford to do."

Janet Napalitano has succeeded only in making Barack Obama look like a fucking buffoon.

That can't be a good career move.; 12/29/09, 7:00 PM
Unknown said...: Sarge, I can't recall where or from whom I heard it, on Fox News, I believe, but that was the gist of what the commentator said. I used the word apparently because I wasn't 100% sure; I happily stand corrected.

I remember the Tet photo; the perpetrator had just murdered the family of the officer (or that of a close friend or relative, IIRC) about to carry out the execution. The Lefties, of course, threw a fit.

Anyone wanting to hear more about the Mutiny and how Her Majesty's forces quelled it can read, "The Great Mutiny", by Christopher Hibbert. There's also a good article in one of this year's issues of Armchair General by Col. Ralph Peters.

PS Fair enough, Irene :); 12/29/09, 7:02 PM
Irene said...: edutcher, thanks. The more I thought about it, the less funny it seemed!; 12/29/09, 7:09 PM
Michael said...: Was this a different speech from the other speech? I think it must have been. Give him a few more days of hearing the howls from the populace and he might become a bit belicose; 12/29/09, 7:21 PM
Methadras said...: Does this moron even understand what he is saying? A systematic failure? Really? You think so, you hapless America hater. This guy has got to go and now. He needs to resign at this point. He's an embarrassment to this country and the 52.6% of the morons that voted for him even more so. Where the hell is Biden lately? At least what he says doesn't have a filter. President Barely has filled the bill for being a classless, partisan windbag that has zero clue about what he is doing in the WH. He has zero qualifications. ZERO!!!; 12/29/09, 7:26 PM
The Drill SGT said...: edutcher said...
Sarge, I can't recall where or from whom I heard it, on Fox News, I believe, but that was the gist of what the commentator said. I used the word apparently because I wasn't 100% sure; I happily stand corrected.

The analyst may have used the term "Summary Execution" or "Summary Court Martial".

Not directly connected, but likely associated usage: in the American Army, a Summary Court Martial occurs at the Battalion Level, and has 1 Officer as the Judge and Jury, it is used for relatively minor offenses. My point being, there are no lawyers involved and justice is swift.; 12/29/09, 7:29 PM
vbspurs said...: I'm just arriving home and on turning on CNN, what do I find? A report on Campbell Brown saying that the terrorist's DAD MET WITH THE CIA, and that the CIA report sat unsifted on some desk for FIVE WEEKS.

I cannot tell you how outraged I am. Stupid, lazy, unconcerned Administration.

Cheers,
Victoria; 12/29/09, 7:29 PM
Humperdink said...: Can we dispense with the F bomb? It is getting tiresome Florida. Verb, adjective, noun, personal pronoun, it matters not. Go to a thesaurus please. Expand your vocabulary, do something. English composition course..... anything. Thank you.; 12/29/09, 7:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Obama is trying to get out in front of the intelligence community which is cutting him off at the fucking knees.

He should never have threatened to prosecute these folks. They're now out for him and it shows. This is the Washington Way.

They're leaking everything about how this terrorist was allowed, by explicit Obama Administration policy, to travel to the United States on a valid visa that should have been revoked August 19 by Hillary Clinton.

She may have deliberately let this guy into the country to make Obama un-re-electable. She's been noticeably absent from the papers. Hillary is in fucking hiding and you'll not notice her being quoted. Which means she's leaking info on background to her friends in the press.

He's stuck in Hawaii, poor thing. While back home, the intelligence community is fucking him right up the ass, holding background after background on this massive fuck-up of his.

Obama is a chump. He's too much of a political moron to realize how damaging it is for him to remain on vacation 4,000 miles away from where the action is.

Obama is in "react" mode.

Anyone who knows anything about leadership knows he's reacting, and knows how foolish that looks.

I see Hillary's fingerprints everywhere on this one.; 12/29/09, 7:33 PM
Anonymous said...: Was that better, Rick?; 12/29/09, 7:35 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Obama is in "react" mode.

Feinstein for DHS:

"I'd rather, in the interest of protecting people, overreact rather than underreact."

- Diane F; 12/29/09, 7:36 PM
Humperdink said...: A noble effort, but still systemic failure.; 12/29/09, 7:38 PM
Anonymous said...: Victoria:
If the choice is for a CIA agent to CYA or risk his/her personal life and fortune for this administration that has been gunning for him/her (I'm looking at you, Mr. AG Holder), what do you think they'd do?

Obama/Holder started this internecine battle. It won't end well.; 12/29/09, 7:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Florida: Agree with virtually everything you said, except Hillary. It seems she's been out of the loop since Obama stuck her into a strictly symbolic position; Secretary of Potemkin Village.; 12/29/09, 7:57 PM
vbspurs said...: Grrrr, HP. These last two blogposts on Althouse have made me so angry about Obama, I am barely able to keep my irritation in check.; 12/29/09, 8:00 PM
David said...: Well, this is better, credit where credit is due, etc. etc.

Now, let's do something.

Like:

1. Fire Janet.
2. Get someone in there who will kick ass from top to bottom and make Homeland Security work. (No, not Tom Ridge--not anyone with political ambitions.)
3. Send KSM back to military tribunals.
4. An aircraft carrier near Yemen and some ass kicking there.
5. A law defining anyone who tries to damage an American plane, or any plan en route to American territory, as an enemy combatant subject to military jurisdiction. No more lawyering up for terrorists in the judicial system.
6. More, not less, electronic intelligence even if it upsets the lefties.
7. President to speak the words "victory" and "war on terror" in public with actual conviction.
8. Win in Afganistan
9. If the Iranians don't give up the nuke program unleash the Israelis and help them in their important work.; 12/29/09, 8:01 PM
Big Mike said...: Nice of the man* to acknowledge what everybody else has recognized for days now.

______________

*Or perhaps it's "The Man"; 12/29/09, 8:01 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/29/09, 8:10 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Obama's chickens are coming home to roost.; 12/29/09, 8:11 PM
victoria said...: Florida, are the only words you know start with the letter F? As if you weren't inarticulate enough to begin with.The verbal diarrhea that you explode on us from time to time is ignorant as well as uninformed. It is good to see your type of blogging back on the site. So easy a target, so worthwhile to slam. Let's go at it, Rick. Like child's play.

Vicki from Pasadena; 12/29/09, 8:13 PM
victoria said...: Allmost all, I'd think long and hard about agreeing with anything that Florida says.

Vicki; 12/29/09, 8:14 PM
victoria said...: Ann, please remove the picture of Ann Althouse from the blog.It will give children and adults nightmares. Scary woman.

Vicki; 12/29/09, 8:17 PM
blake said...: There was a systemic failure, but it goes back a lot farther than Christmas.; 12/29/09, 8:21 PM
Unknown said...: Sarge, it may have been Ralph Peters (not sure, this was a while ago). I've heard the phrase, summary court martial, and it may have been in that context. Sorry if my memory was a little off.

I agree with you on DiFi. From what I've heard over the years, she did a fairly good job as mayor in SanFran.

Flo, have to agree with Ali on Hilla being in a symbolic position, and one where she isn't in a position to influence much. You're probably right in terms of how she's loving this mess, given that it's looking like she's going to come out of this relatively unscathed.; 12/29/09, 8:22 PM
vbspurs said...: If someone came to my blog to insult my photo, I'd give them such a verbal bollicking they wouldn't be able to show their stupid head for a good long while.; 12/29/09, 8:23 PM
miller said...: Pretty soon he will send Yemen a strongly worded letter.; 12/29/09, 8:25 PM
The Drill SGT said...: BTW folks

Vicki<>Victoria; 12/29/09, 8:25 PM
Harry Mellon said...: Damn. There seems to be too many victorias here.

Wasn that a movie with Audrey Hepburns.; 12/29/09, 8:28 PM
Zachary Sire said...: "I believe the title was, 'Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.'"; 12/29/09, 8:30 PM
DaddyO said...: Let me see if I can simmer down the language a bit so the bluenoses aren't offended (even though our hostess uses the f word on occasion).

Obama is trying to get out in front of the intelligence community which is cutting him off at the waxed knees.

He should never have threatened to prosecute these folks. They're now out for him and it shows. This is the Washington Way.

They're leaking everything about how this terrorist was allowed, by explicit Obama Administration policy, to travel to the United States on a valid visa that should have been revoked August 19 by Hillary Clinton.

She may have deliberately let this guy into the country to make Obama un-re-electable. She's been noticeably absent from the papers. Hillary is in The Rose Law Firm basement hiding and you'll not notice her being quoted. Which means she's leaking info on background to her friends in the press.

He's stuck in Hawaii, poor thing. While back home, the intelligence community is administering his annual colonoscopy right up the ass, holding background after background on this massive polyop of his.

Obama is a chump. He's too much of a political moron to realize how damaging it is for him to remain on vacation 4,000 miles away from where the action is.

Obama is in "react" mode.

Anyone who knows anything about leadership knows he's reacting, and knows how foolish that looks.

I see Hillary's fingerprints everywhere on this one.

Fixed. Happy now?; 12/29/09, 8:35 PM
Sprezzatura said...: ZPS,

Any favorite songs for 2009? The tubes missed your end of year music picks this year.; 12/29/09, 8:37 PM
MT Mellon said...: Hi there Harry!

How they hangin?; 12/29/09, 8:37 PM
MT Mellon said...: You hear too CB?; 12/29/09, 8:38 PM
DaddyO said...: I'm not talking to you, Harry, not after what you said about my wife at Christmas dinner.; 12/29/09, 8:38 PM
Harry Mellon said...: Boy that aint nutin she didn hear at the rodeo.; 12/29/09, 8:42 PM
MT Mellon said...: Dang Harry, I missed that. What'd you say anyways?; 12/29/09, 8:44 PM
Harry Mellon said...: I just said that she looked like she been ridden hard and put away wet.

Course bein hitched to Carl Bob she surely aint been wet in long whiles.; 12/29/09, 8:45 PM
DaddyO said...: Am I going to have to tell you about that again? That was not Dennis Rodman you saw her with. That was just a co-worker form Dollywood who is a tall guy with a lot of tattoos.; 12/29/09, 8:47 PM
DaddyO said...: Harry, stop that shit. We all know that you're older and had a different mama that the rest of us because Daddy's first wife died, but you need to work harder at fitting in.

You went to Vassar, so start acting like it.; 12/29/09, 8:49 PM
Harry Mellon said...: I thought the tall fella with all the tats was your wife?; 12/29/09, 8:50 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Nice to see that the R hack commenters here are falling in line w/ the hackery of their leaders.; 12/29/09, 8:51 PM
DaddyO said...: That was Janet Reno. She comes to Dollywood for the winter tree-lighting events.; 12/29/09, 8:53 PM
DaddyO said...: That's it. I'm going to bed.; 12/29/09, 8:54 PM
Patm said...: 9/11 happened 8 months into Bush's presidency, and never, not once, did Bush imply that the disaster was in any way shape or form the fault of his predecessor or his predecessor's policies, even though Clinton basically ignored regular al qaeda attacks on us embassies, naval vessels, etc. Bush correctly noted that the terror attacks were the fault of the terrorist, not Clinton.

The press, and left, of course, blamed BUSH for it.

This happens 11-12 months on Obama's watch and somehow, it's all Bush's fault.

I am beginning to hate these fuckers.; 12/29/09, 8:54 PM
Harry Mellon said...: Sure I went to Vassar. It was a lot of fun. Plenty of poontang. Except that I had to compete with Hill for most of it. Damn that girl was a saucy minx.; 12/29/09, 8:55 PM
Harry Mellon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/29/09, 8:55 PM
Harry Mellon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/29/09, 8:56 PM
Patm said...: And one more thing. 9/11 happened, and it was catastrophic and nothing like it had ever happened before on our soil, so it was unprecedented, but nothing remotely like it happened again on Bush's watch - he made sure of it.

This happened on Obama's watch, AFTER 9/11 happened. There is no reason for this to have happened. it's not like it was unthinkable.; 12/29/09, 8:57 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Bad cut and paste. I'm new to macs.

This should work.; 12/29/09, 8:57 PM
Matthew Noto said...: Yeah, Florida...I'm a native Brooklynite and even I don't use the f-word that many times in a paragraph.

Otherwise, you were (almost) spot on.

First Repubs screamed that it was the 'intelligence community' sticking it to W (the 'misinformation' on Iraqi nukes and WMDs), now it's pretty much the same 'intelligence community' sticking it to Obama with report they failed to follow up on, according to Lefties?

Make up your mind: Either the 'intelligence community' is deliberately trying to shape American policy for it's own ends, regardless of who is in office (I shudder!) -- or it's methods, means, and personnel make it completely disfunctional. Being that intelligence is part of an expensive Federal bureaucracy with no mandate to do little more than present educated guesswork as 'fact', I'd say it's simply one more Federal monstrosity that needs a good top-to-bottom clean up. Which this Administration will never do.

Because many of those plum intelligence jobs are political appointments, after all.

Let's face it, Homeland Security was a really bad idea based on the old Wall Street maxim that when things get screwed up, re-write the org chart and designate a new fallguy.

That's why it couldn't respond to Katrina, btw; it wasn't designed to do anything but give people the impression that someone was taking care of national security (defined in terms of terrorism) in a serious way. That's why it also failed on Christmas Day; it's real good at finding knitting needles, nail clippers, shampoo and cigarette lighters on people who are (grudgingly) co-operating, but it sucks at finding actual TERRORISTS.

Because DHS and TSA are not designed to actually look for those, you see.

And that has little to do with intelligence.; 12/29/09, 8:57 PM
Harry Mellon said...: Sorry I been drinkin.; 12/29/09, 8:58 PM
Sprezzatura said...: DIdn't work. Oh well.; 12/29/09, 8:59 PM
Zachary Sire said...: 1jpb, god...I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been a good music fan this year. But off the top of my head, and a quick scan through my iTunes:

Folding Chair, from Regina Spektor's "Far."

Anonanimal, from Andrew Bird's "Noble Beast."

Kelly Clarkson's last album was satisfying pop.

Poker Face was inescapable.

The Way It Used To Be, from Pet Shop Boys' "Yes" (the whole album is phenomenal).

...and Wilco's self-titled release was wonderful. The duet with Feist was just perfect: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYhQ2ReEyvQ; 12/29/09, 9:01 PM
MT Mellon said...: You guys are as mean as you ever was. Some things just dont change.; 12/29/09, 9:02 PM
MT Mellon said...: Say how come this lady makes us type in all these words to say a comment anyways?; 12/29/09, 9:03 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Pat,

I like that you seem to be proud of your foolishness.

You didn't hear Bush folks point the finger at Clinton. Ha ha ha. Bt the way if I was less of a dolt w/ this new mac you could follow my previous link to see how the Rs are already using the Christmas attack to raise money. That's tasteful.

Your comments exude earnestness and sincerity, which is why they're so fascinating. The self-dellsuion is epic.; 12/29/09, 9:05 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: If someone came to my blog to insult my photo, I'd give them such a verbal bollicking they wouldn't be able to show their stupid head for a good long while

@vpspurs

Victoria from Pasadena (which explains quite a lot)is a bitter harridan who won't let her husband buy books he wants and probably makes him pee sitting down. /wink (you think we forgot?) So don't expect much from her in the range of intelligent adult conversation or common courtesy.

And.... Harry (hairy) Mellon's avatar is scaring me.; 12/29/09, 9:08 PM
Penny said...: " vbspurs said...

Grrrr, HP. These last two blogposts on Althouse have made me so angry about Obama, I am barely able to keep my irritation in check."

So I guess you're a very loud OINKER on old McDonald's farm, victoria?

Me? I still 'baa'.

Of course my mind could be changed if pigs get special favors...on the, um... "farm".; 12/29/09, 9:09 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: White House only recently nominated candidates for two federal agencies.

Two federal agencies charged with keeping potential terrorists off airplanes and out of the country have been without their top leaders for nearly a year.

It took the Obama administration more than eight months to nominate anyone to lead the Transportation Security Administration and the Customs and Border Protection agency.; 12/29/09, 9:10 PM
Harry Mellon said...: You know you love a hairy man missy.; 12/29/09, 9:11 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Thanks ZPS.; 12/29/09, 9:11 PM
BJM said...: I agree Napolitano should go but Gibbs used the same phrase which tells us that Napolitano only parroted what she was told to say.

Today Obama tried to throw a Hail Mary backwards to Bush and missed. So someone has to take the fall and Janet's looking good for it.; 12/29/09, 9:16 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: You know you love a hairy man missy

Umm. Not especially, however I really did love my pet poodle who had a lovely curly coat. We did have to take her to the groomer every other month. She could sit, stay and fetch. You?

Hair is too high maintenance.

You might want to check out the other 73 profiles that share your love of shaving. Veeery interesting.; 12/29/09, 9:18 PM
Matthew Noto said...: 1jpb,

Yeah, Clinton was so good on the National Security/Terorism thing that Sandy Berger had to try to steal and destroy the documents, related to it, right? And Osama Bin Laden was arrested those five, or eight or eleven times Sudan or Somalia or Saudi Arabia offered him up, right, becasue Clinton, among all men, was the only one who knew he was a dire threat?

Seems strange to me that you can claim 'your guy' had it right when you a) didn't take the guy who hit us on 9/11 when three other countries BEGGED you to, and b) when your Nat'l Security guy has to risk criminal prosecution to destroy documents related to your sterling anti-terrorism efforts, doesn't it?

Let's not refight the Clinton-Bush-Who-Screwed-Up-More campaign, because that's old hat. You could just as well blame Carter for not showing the Ayatollah the door, or Reagan for not responding to 241 dead Marines.

The issue is how the political elite (of both parties)view the problem of terrorism. One sees it as a law enforcement issue, easily solved with dialogue and probably midnight basketball("there are no truly bad boys...")
and the other thinks it'll be fixed with the installation of democracy, by force, upon a culture which has no clue just what that is ("Inside every Afghan/Iraqi is an American just dying to get out...").

This is no longer a Republican-versus-Democrat issue, because the lives of Conservatives and Liberals are both at risk. It's an American concern, and it's apparent that politician of either stripe don't know how to react to it.

Personally, I opt for a carefully-planned program of genocide, but I was always was a linear thinker...; 12/29/09, 9:18 PM
Harry Mellon said...: I know. We have a club.; 12/29/09, 9:19 PM
Harry Mellon said...: I dont sit or stay so well. But I can tell you one thing, I wont roll over and play dead like Carl Bob does to his missus every night.; 12/29/09, 9:21 PM
Lou said...: If it is 'unacceptable', what will be done, by who and by when? What resultant changes should we anticipate and who is accountable/responsible for the resultant changes/impact? Without answers to the above, which I don't expect, this is just hot air.; 12/29/09, 9:26 PM
Patm said...: I wonder if this incredibly huge and scary looking scar on Obama's head has anything to do with his always feeling so tired? Not that we can see his medical records.

http://209.157.64.200/focus/chat/2411666/posts?page=1; 12/29/09, 9:27 PM
AST said...: Let's just admit it. Our government is brain dead. We should just declare the whole D.C. area an asylum and start over in some state where people still have some sense. How about Wyoming?; 12/29/09, 9:28 PM
David said...: "this incredibly huge and scary looking scar on Obama's head"

You saw it too?

I have felt for over a year that O is not a well man. There is a reason he does not make his medical history public and it's not modesty.; 12/29/09, 9:37 PM
Mian said...: I've just spent the last hour happily reading all these comments, which were entertaining to say the least.

I'd recommend it to others:
if UFA (Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab -- definitely needs an acronym) had spent his leisure hours perusing the comments in the Althouse blog instead of surfing jihadi sites then he wouldn't have wanted to strap inflammable explosives to his baitsem in the first place --crisis averted and Obama enjoys his mahi mahi without consternation.; 12/29/09, 9:44 PM
MadisonMan said...: What a completely bizarre string of comments.; 12/29/09, 9:44 PM
Michael Haz said...: That scar may be from when George Soros implanted the electronic control module.; 12/29/09, 10:08 PM
john said...: MM - you mean the Melon family, or Victoria from Pasadina aka Maxine?; 12/29/09, 10:20 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey, MM, I don't know about you , but I look for entertainment where I can find it.

Obama may have his Potteresque scar, but Hillary has the Invisibility Cloak.

You'll occasionally see her skulking around the halls until they're BEGGING her to run in '12.

We've had our first African-American President. Next time, we'll have our first woman President.

No matter who's elected.; 12/29/09, 10:43 PM
Penny said...: "Hey, MM, I don't know about you , but I look for entertainment where I can find it."

tsk, tsk, Theo. The "entertainment" seems to have found "U2"!

See how that works, honey?; 12/29/09, 11:51 PM
former law student said...: CIA report sat unsifted on some desk for FIVE WEEKS.

Obama's nominee to head the TSA has been waiting for Senate confirmation for THREE MONTHS and counting.

Agencies work better when there's someone to lead them.

Tell Senator DeMint (R-Stupidia) to release his hold on Southers' nomination NOW.; 12/30/09, 12:39 AM
miller said...: Of course, TSA *has* a leader - albeit temporary - who can lead them until the permanent leader is confirmed.

DeMint's objection is that Obama's nominee is more interested in unionizing the workers than in having them check baggage.

Of course you knew that, but you wanted to score an invalid point.

No goal.; 12/30/09, 2:03 AM
Gabriel Hanna said...: @fls:Tell Senator DeMint (R-Stupidia) to release his hold on Southers' nomination NOW.

60 Democratic Senators and it's a Republican's fault that a Democratic President can't get a Cabinet post filled?

Are you embarrassed by being such a transparent hack?

Let me count the ways: a) Obama could put up a DIFFERENT candidate, not subject to the hold;

b) the rest of the Democrat controlled committee could overrule this one guy with a "hold", which isn't even a real Senate rule, or give the guy whatever it is he wants;

c) former law student can continue to whine about Republicans when there are supermajorities of Democrats in both houses and a Democrat President.

Let me offer you a clue, fls--YOU ARE NOT IN OPPOSITION. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.

The more Democrats act like you, the more obvious it is that they are unfit to govern, and the more likely they'll be out in 2010 or 2012.

As for you, even if your concern for Democrats didn't stop you from this sort of pathetic hackery, self-respect I should think would.; 12/30/09, 3:26 AM
Fred4Pres said...: You know something Mr. President, I also think that is a systemic failure. Thank you for admitting it and taking responsibility (sort of).

You realize of course, Mr. President, now you have to fix it.; 12/30/09, 7:28 AM
rhhardin said...: Obama doesn't have very bright speech writers.

"Systemic" means more that the system itself was the cause, than that the system failed to operate correctly.

The "of or related to" meaning is an illiterate extension.

A word he heard somewhere and thought sounded smart.; 12/30/09, 7:35 AM
Anonymous said...: Let's play pretend:

"As I’ve watched the events of the last few days it is clear once again that President Obama is trying to pretend we are not at war. He seems to think if he has a low key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gives terrorists the rights of Americans, lets them lawyer up and reads them their Miranda rights, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if we bring the mastermind of 9/11 to New York, give him a lawyer and trial in civilian court, we won’t be at war.

He seems to think if he closes Guantanamo and releases the hard-core al Qaeda trained terrorists still there, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gets rid of the words, ‘war on terror,’ we won’t be at war. But we are at war and when President Obama pretends we aren’t, it makes us less safe." - Dick Cheney; 12/30/09, 7:40 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Heck of a job, Barry.

- M Dowd

Note to B+. When you lose Herbert on the economy and Dowd on civil liberties versus security, both in the NYT, you gotta get your game on.; 12/30/09, 7:41 AM
AllenS said...: When he gets done with his golf game, there will be midnight basketball for Barry to concentrate on.; 12/30/09, 7:43 AM
master cylinder said...: Dream on Gabriel, you think everyone hates Obama cuz you read Rasmussen and this blog. Get out a little more and you'll see that he is doing fine. You Repubs keep doing what you're doing.; 12/30/09, 7:47 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Fred4Pres said...
You know something Mr. President, I also think that is a systemic failure. Thank you for admitting it and taking responsibility (sort of).

I detected a lot of "bush is to blame in the B+ finger pointing. when 9/11 happened, folks blamed Bush, though he'd been in office for 8 months. Obama campaigned on improving airline security. He had a plan for everything, yet after 11 months, he wants to blame Bush again.

Compare B+'s "taking responsibility with Reagan's:

"First, let me say I take full responsibility for my own actions and for those of my administration. As angry as I may be about activities undertaken without my knowledge, I am still accountable for those activities. As disappointed as I may be in some who served me, I'm still the one who must answer to the American people for this behavior."

- R Reagan; 12/30/09, 7:56 AM
KCFleming said...: "...you'll see that he is doing fine."

Well then, master cylinder, you have nothing to worry about.

Time to double down on the as-yet-unread the health care bill and more TSA no-toilet-use-in-the-last-hour rules.; 12/30/09, 7:58 AM
AllenS said...: Here's a statement Obama made while taking calls on New Hampshire Public Radio on Nov. 21, 2007: “I truly believe that the day I’m inaugurated, that not only does the country look at itself differently, but the world looks at America differently. If I’m reaching out to the Muslim world, they understand that I’ve lived in a Muslim country and I may be a Christian, but I also can understand their point of view."

Hard to believe that the Muslim world didn't get the message.; 12/30/09, 8:05 AM
Tank said...: Good quote there Drill. Reagan used the word "I" there a couple of times.

O likes to use that word. Did he use it like Reagan did?

O and friends are still blaming Bush for anything possible.; 12/30/09, 8:31 AM
Arturius said...: Hard to believe that the Muslim world didn't get the message.

Oh I think they got the message. Just not the one Obama thought he was trying to convey.; 12/30/09, 8:32 AM
AllenS said...: Yeah, you're right, Arturius. I noticed this from my quote: "... but I also can understand their point of view."

And what point of view would that be, Obama?; 12/30/09, 8:36 AM
Arturius said...: O and friends are still blaming Bush for anything possible.

As long as they continue to get mileage out of it expect it to continue and plenty of his acolytes will go right along with it. After all these are the same individuals who hold a huge majority in the House and Senate and with a straight face blame an emaciated GOP for 'obstructionism.'; 12/30/09, 8:37 AM
KCFleming said...: " I’ve lived in a Muslim country and I may be a Christian, but I also can understand their point of view."

Mebbe he can explain their loving-death-more-than-we-love-life thingy to us.; 12/30/09, 8:37 AM
Tank said...: Drill

I read that Reagan quote again.

That dude looks better and better to me. I still have reservations about some things he did or did not do, but his stature grows and grows. Not that he made no mistakes, but HE was a guy you felt was looking out for you.; 12/30/09, 8:38 AM
former law student said...: So, a systemic failure caused by Senate procedure. And Republicans fear unions more than terrorists.

Good to know.; 12/30/09, 8:43 AM
Arturius said...: And Republicans fear unions more than terrorists.

I seem to recall Ms. Napolitano who is a Democrat, fearing disenchanted white, military veterans more than Muslim terrorists.

Suffice to say that idiocy is bi-partisan.; 12/30/09, 8:52 AM
Arturius said...: I'll confess that I am not an expert on Senate rules and procedure but I find it remarkable that one lone GOP Senator can block a Cabinet nomination.

Then again I'm not a big fan of the Senate anyway.; 12/30/09, 8:54 AM
The Drill SGT said...: rdkraus said...
That dude looks better and better to me

like Truman

Honest guys, not rocket scientists, but they understood where the buck stopped and weren't afraid to take responsibility.; 12/30/09, 8:58 AM
X said...: fls, why do they need a union? can't the government be trusted to treat its employees fairly?; 12/30/09, 9:11 AM
vbspurs said...: And what point of view would that be, Obama?

That he's the Inside Man.

Cheers,
Victoria; 12/30/09, 9:28 AM
AllenS said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/30/09, 9:30 AM
vbspurs said...: Rdkraus wrote:

That dude looks better and better to me. I still have reservations about some things he did or did not do, but his stature grows and grows. Not that he made no mistakes, but HE was a guy you felt was looking out for you.

I read Drill Sgt's Reagan quote a few times, and each time, I marvelled at how he can say so much about HIMSELF, and it comes out as something he's saying about AMERICA.

I don't think there is a single politician today who comes close to doing that, which is a political talent of the highest order.

Although, and here I want to introduce you to a guy who is running against Governor Charlie Crist for the Senate seat, I have to say, Marco Rubio comes close to Reagan's spirit.

Look at this video and see if you conservatives don't get a chill up your spines.

A neighbour of mine, who voted for Kerry in '00 and Bush in '04, said when she read about Obama in Newsweek years before the election, she knew he was going to be President one day. I scoffed inwardly when I heard that.

Gotta tell you, when I look at this video, I get the same feeling about Marco Rubio...the possible first Hispanic president of the United States. Looooong way to go though.

Cheers,
Victoria; 12/30/09, 9:35 AM
Gabriel Hanna said...: @fls:So, a systemic failure caused by Senate procedure. And Republicans fear unions more than terrorists.

Smart, fls, double down.

Too bad that with supermajorities in both houses the Democrats have no influence whatever over Senate procedures, and the Democratic President has no power to nominate anyone else.

You're governing now. You can't blame the other guys anymore. You got everything you need. Pass whatever bills you like. They can't be filibustered or voted down or vetoed. So why isn't anything happening?; 12/30/09, 9:41 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: So, a systemic failure caused by Senate procedure.

You're saying that if Mr. Whatshisname had been on the job at TSA, this never would've happened? All we need to do is confirm this superstar bureaucrat and all will be right with airport security?

Please, that's absurd even by your standards. You need to raise your game.; 12/30/09, 9:41 AM
Chef Mojo said...: And fls, doesn't unionizing TSA imply that they can strike? And what happens then?

fls, this is one of your more idiotic lines of reasoning. Government security and infrastructure agencies should not be unionized. Period. The potential harm to national security and the economy through work actions is to great a risk. Reagan understood this, which is why he took down PATCO swiftly and without mercy.

Actually, it's fls who believes in unionizing at the expense of security and at the risk of lives. Once Ωbama removes Souther's nomination and puts up someone who is more concerned with security than unionizing, then we'll be moving in the right direction.

Agencies work better when there's someone to lead them.

That's just about the stupidest thing I've seen you write here. Truly worthy of Jeremy. Only a true believer of statism could come up with a statement so totally moronic.

Here's a clue, fls. Agency heads don't run their departments. The permanent bureaucracy in place does.; 12/30/09, 9:47 AM
vbspurs said...: Once Ωbama

HEE. But don't you mean -- Ωbamα?; 12/30/09, 9:49 AM
former law student said...: Agency heads don't run their departments. The permanent bureaucracy in place does.

So why the slams at Obama and Napolitano? The TSA's failure was the failure of their bureaucracy alone.

And naming a director of the TSA does not equal unionizing it. It's just Republican paranoia talking.; 12/30/09, 10:01 AM
Arturius said...: So why the slams at Obama and Napolitano?

Well I don't blame Obama for the inept underwear bomber but I do call into question his seriousness of dealing with Muslim extremism. I also question his intelligence in appointing a director to Homeland Security who thinks our biggest threat is disenchanted white military veterans or then goes on national news telling us the system worked only to re-state how the system didn't work.

Hardly an image of competence.; 12/30/09, 10:10 AM
Chef Mojo said...: fls said:

And naming a director of the TSA does not equal unionizing it. It's just Republican paranoia talking.

Um. No it isn't, fls, and you know it. Souther has repeatedly refused to answer questions as to whether he would recommend TSA unionization. His written answer to DeMint simply stated he would consult with employee (unions!) and industry groups before reaching a decision.

Really, what's to decide? You either are in favor of unionizing the group or you're not. Just answer the Senator's damn question. It's Souther that's making an issue of unionization by not honestly answering the question, not DeMint.; 12/30/09, 10:20 AM
Michael said...: The President in his languid fashion proposed Souther back in September. That would be 8 months or so after the President was sworn in and 10 since his election. The house got around to putting him up for a vote last month, November. The lack of urgency displayed by the timeline cannot be undone by laying the blame at Demint's door. Further, it should be noted that the TSA had nothing whatsoever to do with the Detroit near incident. With or without a leader the TSA had no hand in the success or failure of that event.

The TSA should be a part of the NEA since it is theatre.

I say let them get a union and let them go on strike. Have you ever had a look at these people? This is one large lot of sad sacks assembled, for the most part, to reduce the welfare role and give them a job they can actually do: which is pretend to stare at a screen.

Souther is incompetent and has no place in a post pertaining to security. These are all very unserious people.; 12/30/09, 10:22 AM
Chef Mojo said...: fls said:

So why the slams at Obama and Napolitano? The TSA's failure was the failure of their bureaucracy alone.

And that's like permanent bureaucracies love to toil in anonymity. The leadership, as it should, gets to take the responsibility and the fall. It's perfectly correct to slam Ωbama and Napolitano as hard as I can, because they are quite satisfied with the perception that they are in charge and will take responsibility. Except, of course, when it actually becomes time to do exactly that. Then the spin starts from apologists such as yourself blaming the Republicans for holding up the nomination of the TSA head since September.

Well, fls, if it was so fucking important to have a new head of TSA, why did Ωbama wait NINE months into his administration to nominate Souther?; 12/30/09, 10:31 AM
chickelit said...: "Ωbama"

I love the symbolism: alpha and omega, bad luck (upside down horseshoe), and a symbol of resistance. Whoever coined it should get a medal.; 12/30/09, 11:17 AM
Paddy O said...: "which explains quite a lot"

Hey!; 12/30/09, 11:34 AM
Paddy O said...: But don't you mean -- Ωbamα?

Does this mean he's moving us eternally backwards?; 12/30/09, 11:35 AM
chickelit said...: Does this mean he's moving us eternally backwards?

That sounds too Great Gatsbyesque; 12/30/09, 11:43 AM