by Alana Semuels
HONOLULU -- Security and intelligence lapses allowed a suspected terrorist to board a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas Day, President Barack Obama said today, interrupting his vacation for the second day in a row to speak about the failed attempt to blow up the aircraft.
"A systemic failure has occurred, and I consider that totally unacceptable," Obama said.
The president said that he learned in the last 24 hours that information about the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had been passed to "a component of our U.S. intelligence community" weeks ago, but that the information was not effectively distributed, and the Nigerian man was not added to a no-fly list.
There were other lapses as well, Obama conceded.
"There were bits of information available within the intelligence community that could have and should have been pieced together,'' he said, but did not elaborate on what that information was.
The president, addressing reporters in Hawaii today, also said he has directed that preliminary findings from two reviews that he announced yesterday for air-travel screening and the terrorist watch-list system be provided to the White House by Thursday.
"We need to learn from this episode and act quickly to fix the flaws in our system," Obama said.
Obama took a few minutes to laud the people working in the intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security communities, and said that, as president, he would do everything in his power to make sure that they have the tools and resources necessary to do their jobs. But it is also his job, he said, to make sure that the systems were working effectively, and that those working in those fields are held accountable.
"There was a mix of human and systemic failures that contributed to this potentially catastrophic breach of security," the president said. "We need to learn from this episode and quickly fix the flaws in our system because our security is at stake and lives are at stake."
This hasn't been a relaxing vacation for the Obamas since their arrival in Hawaii on Christmas Eve. The attempted terror plot occurred on the family's first full day on vacation, and the president has been briefed at least six times a day while here, Acting National Security Council Chief of Staff Denis McDonough told reporters yesterday.
"The president has been engaged on this. He is leading the response effort," McDonough said.
Yesterday, after his speech to the nation, there was more drama in Hawaii after the president abruptly left a golf game to rush back to his vacation home in Kailua. An ambulance sped by soon after.
It was later revealed that the son of Eric Whitaker, one of the president's close friends and golfing buddies, had been injured in a beach accident. He was examined and released from the hospital.
Comments
So I guess obama realized his statement yesterday was a complete failure so he gives it another shot. Taped of course so the press can't ask any questions. I wonder how many takes it took for him to tape: "the system worked, the system didn't work and it's President Bush's fault". Another massive failure (aka 'solid B plus')
Posted by: Molly Kendell | December 29, 2009 5:33 PM
Conservatives just keep bashing Obama, use this latest terrorist failure, and watch your civil liberties be taken away.
Posted by: Jerry | December 29, 2009 5:43 PM
president panty waist must of left his teleprompter back in Washington D.C. so he had it flown in overnight to give a better speech today.
democrats are failures when it comes to national security...end of story!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 29, 2009 5:47 PM
Did the new poll numbers just come in? Finding out that people don't believe the garbage you were spewing yesterday or your political hack Janet?
"There was a mix of human and systemic failures that contributed to this potentially catastrophic breach of security," the president said.
Fear mongering now mr president or did the lib talking point about some lonely muslim setting his pants on fire not resonate with anyone but your diehard lefties?
Posted by: Hans | December 29, 2009 5:52 PM
I can't believe Right Wingers hate Obama so much that they are crossing their fingers and hoping that al-Qaeda successfully attacks Americans. They are gleefully keeping track of every tragedy that involves an insane Muslim going berzerk and killing non-Muslims. Still no article about that TeaBagger who stormed a Virginia Post Office and held 3 workers hostage? TeaBaggers Unite!
Posted by: TeaBaggers Unite! | December 29, 2009 5:55 PM
So much for Obama's statement yesterday that the "suspect" was an "isolated extremist." Seems like Al Queda poked that one full of holes by taking responsibility. But Obama still can't call this guy a terrorist...only a "suspect" who, incidentally, was caught in the act. Oh, did anyone read him his Miranda rights?
Posted by: McKinley | December 29, 2009 6:08 PM
Mark, by the White House's own admission Obama was NOT told about the terrorist attempt for three days after it occurred: Friday to Sunday. Then the administration said everything worked as it should. It allowed the terrorist to get lawyered up now. The folks are not too impressed by his actions following recent terrorist attacks. He has been disengaged, lax, care-free and out of the loop regarding these events. Now, they are playing catch up and damage control, with your sympathetic help, of course.
Posted by: John D, still right, as usual | December 29, 2009 6:20 PM
Yet again we find those little nuggets of information reside somewhere in the system but can't be retrieved until after the bombs go off.
SEC had memos detailing the Madoff Ponzi scheme and how it worked, and ignored them [OK, maybe some $$$ was paid by Bernie to someone to help them be ignored]....
9/11 hijackers or some of them were already in the system but information wasn't shared because CIA and FBI were having turf battles.....
Here, this guy was already identified but not on the no fly list.....
They need Larry [Page] and Sergei [Brin] to work out an algorithm to bring forh the nuggets....
Among other things
Posted by: ornery | December 29, 2009 6:30 PM
This sucks. Now big brother will have another excuse to take more of our freedoms. At the rate things are going we will need a passport to cross state lines.
Posted by: Vaughn | December 29, 2009 7:49 PM
This sucks. Now big brother will have another excuse to take more of our freedoms. At the rate things are going we will need a passport to cross state lines.
Posted by: Vaughn | December 29, 2009 7:49 PM
Nah, they'll just take more of your money...oh wait that is freedom. Here comes the "homeland security" tax, or ah er fee. That's it; it's not a tax if we call it a fee. Like the airlines still charging that "temporary" luggage charge because of high fuel prices...when was that, about 14 months ago.
Everybody has gotten the idea: "Never waste a good crisis." You can charge fees, stop giving out blankets and pillows, give fewer and fewer services all in the name of keeping you: safe, secure, protecting the planet, conservation, saving water, saving electricity, saving everything but your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (not the guarantee of health care or any other made up "right").
They keep it up, and they might actually find themselves in a real crisis soon.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | December 29, 2009 9:35 PM
Well, damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. No matter what is said or done some people will find fault instead of trying to unite and fix the problems/gaps in procedures. United we stand, divided we fall.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 30, 2009 7:16 AM
Overall, I give President Obumbles and Janet Napolitano both solid B plusses.
Well done Janey and Barry!
Posted by: Chris | December 30, 2009 9:01 AM
Very funny stuff:
Well, damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. No matter what is said or done some people will find fault instead of trying to unite and fix the problems/gaps in procedures. United we stand, divided we fall.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 30, 2009 7:16 AM
Monster, where were those sentiments from 2001-2008??
Posted by: John D, still right, as usual | December 30, 2009 10:09 AM
John D.
I did say "united we stand, divided we fall" many times during those years. You obviously just never read it. As usual you were too into you being right and less about finding solutions to our collective problems. We can never defeat our enemies if we are enemies to each other.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 30, 2009 6:43 PM
While Obama's on vacation does nobody keep them up to date on what's happening. I mean three days for statement from him. And his minion coming out and saying crazy stuff like the system worked just goes to show you the control he has. The reason I blame Obama for this failure is because I was in the military. The commanding officer is responsible for the people under him and I would hope this is a wake-up call to Obama that something needs to be done to straighten this out.
John D. since 9/11 naval ships have been flying a special flag, an old-time flag which says "Don't Tread On Us". Which I think is cool.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | December 31, 2009 9:12 AM