by Michael Muskal
With congressional election-strategizing already under way, Republicans today seized on airline security and the broader threat of terrorism as issues that could help them define their 2010 campaigns.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian who spent time in Yemen, has been charged with trying to blow up a jetliner en route from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day. His device burned him instead, and he eventually was subdued by passengers before the airliner landed safely.
Republicans have lost no time in identifying the political implications, staking out a position in calling for tougher action and faulting the Obama administration.
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said today on CBS' The Early Show that the Obama administration needs to do better in talking to the American people about terrorism, an issue that won't be going away.
This was a continuation of his attack that began Sunday, when he told Fox News Sunday that "the threat to the United States is real. I think this administration has downplayed it."
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) also again took to the airways this morning, arguing that Abdulmutallab should be tried by a military tribunal rather than a civilian court. King, the leading Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, spoke on NBC's Today show, after appearing on television throughout the weekend and calling for better security at airports.
Read more about the challenge for Obama and the GOP as well in DC Now.
Comments
Since the dysfunctional and illegitimate GOP has nothing else to offer, let's play the fear card. One can just imagine these buffoons parading across FoxNoise crying about Obama downplaying this threat. The greatest terrorist attack took place under the administion of boy George Bush, the Supreme Court elected President. Even though Bush was forewarned, his administration ignored the impending attacks. While they were occurring, he sat in a school room reading My Pet Goat. As far as I'm concerned, this Mr. Hoekstra and King are unpatriotic and can sleep under their beds if they feel safer there.
Posted by: Doug R. | December 29, 2009 11:34 AM
Let's see how the BO has handled terrorism this year:
July 1 - Little Rock Arkansas - Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, an American Muslim opened fire on a U.S. military recruiting office. Private William Long was killed and Private Quinton Ezeagwula was wounded
November 5 - Fort Hood - Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 13 people were killed and 43 were injured.
December 25 - Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempts to detonate an explosive on an aircraft enroute from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Three terrorist attacks on this country in less than a year.
I wonder if BO will start taking these "Man-Caused Disasters" seriously.
DoogieR,
What should have President Bush done differently in those seven minutes?
Here is what your 2004 Presidential canidate did on 9-11 - he couldn't think for at least 40 minutes - he froze.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1190931/posts
Posted by: Terry | December 29, 2009 11:59 AM
Too bad the 2008 election isn't now. McCain is looking awfully good compared to an "alleged" president who thinks an airplane terrorist is "an alleged isolated extremist." So isolated that Al Queda announces he's one of theirs. Obama and his minions still call international terrorism "man-made disasters." Sure, and a garbage dump is really a rose garden. The real culprits in this tragi-comedy? All of those who voted for Obama.
Posted by: Garrick | December 29, 2009 12:56 PM
Unfortunately for the GOP, with news that two AlQuaeda guys who helped plan this were released in 2007, and the white house made mistakes in 2008... well, it looks like GWB must have ignored another security brief. Wonder what this one said?
Posted by: kravitz | December 29, 2009 1:11 PM
Oh please all of you neocons and your BS rhetorical scare tactics! 911 happened on your watch!! Previous administrations failed as well but the bottom line is that the worst attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor happend ON YOUR WATCH!
Terry, what do you want Obama to do bomb the mid west??? Homegrown isolated incidents dont compare to what happened from Bush's lack of interest in the warnings he was presented prior to 911!!! And yes we all know Clinton didnt do anything either so give it a rest already! BUSH = 911 PERIOD!!!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | December 29, 2009 1:22 PM
Scottie,
Hasan had come to the attention of federal authorities at least six months before the attacks, because of internet postings he appeared to have made discussing suicide bombings and other threats. Federal officials were aware that Hasan had attempted to contact Al Qaeda. According to ABC News, Hasan wrote "I can't wait to join you in the afterlife". He should have been pullled from duty.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was trained by two terrorists that were realized from Gitmo (yes under the Bush adminstration). Remember Gitmo? The place the left abhored. The place the left wants to close down. These terrorists that the left say should not be held indefinitiely. These two particular terrorists went from being waterboarded at Gitmo to using Water Colors at a Art Therapy Rehab class in Saudi Arabia. After a few months of paint-by-numbers, they returned to Yemen and trained future terrorists. NIce policy of the left.
Once again, 9-11 happened on Bush's watch after Clinton neglected fighting back against terrorist attacks for years.
If you were president in August, 2001, what would have done?
Posted by: Terry | December 29, 2009 2:05 PM
I understand that members of the Obama administration are indicating that the reason for the failings of federal law enforcement relating to the Fort Hood massacre and the attempted airplane bombing in Michigan should rest on the shoulders of the Bush administration.
The Fort Hood massacre took place 9 months after Barack Obama was sworn in as president and the attempted airplane bombing took place 11 months after his inaguration.
If the individuals making this claim are correct then I take it that they also are blaming the Clinton administration for 9/11 as it took place 7 months after George W. Bush was sworn in!
Posted by: Pat H | December 29, 2009 2:35 PM
Terry: so now you think Obama is Superman and he should have been all those places to stop bad stuff from happening?
Garrick: There are those who will use this as a recruiting tool even though they had nothing to do with it...they will take credit anyway.
I have said it before...we need to use this as a way to find out where the rest of the holes are in our procedures devised I remind you--under the Bush administration and fill them and move on.
Maybe Terry and Garrick can volunteer their terrorism expertise and fix all problems and potential problems that could ever happen because they can predict every possible terrorist scenario? Of course it will be done free of charge.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 29, 2009 3:48 PM
Then there is Sen Chrissy "Friend of Angelo" Dodd, who removed $4,500,000 from "Aviation Security'' under the heading "Transportation Security Administration'', the amount for screening operations and the amount for explosives detection systems and the amount for the purchase and installation of explosives detection systems and transferred that to his buddies at the Firefighters Union
Posted by: Terry | December 29, 2009 4:01 PM
Why don't the vile filth that pollutes the Republican Party just come out and admit it. You are rooting for al-Qaeda to be successful. You people disgust me.
Posted by: sensible | December 29, 2009 5:09 PM
The real culprits in this tragi-comedy? All of those who voted for Obama.
Posted by: Garrick | December 29, 2009 12:56 PM
Thankfully we have "great" Americans who are willing to reach a conclusion before all facts are in. These "patriots" are the reason for our disaster in Iraq and failure in Afghanistan. Knee jerk fear motivates like nothing else. Al Qaeda would claim anything if it worked for their agenda....gosh...who does that sound like? al gop...together at last.
Posted by: bill r. | December 29, 2009 5:20 PM
Lochnessy,
Three terrorist attacks in his first year. I do think bells and whistles were going off regarding Fort Hood and the rcent airline terror plot, but as BO even stated - balls were dropped. IS it his fault directly? No. But there s/b some accountability from the people that were placed in charge.
My expertise would be to start profiling and throw the PC crap out the window.
BillyR,
"Knee jerk fear motivates like nothing else" - That kneejerk fear got us the Stimulus, Cap and Trade, and Health Care "Reform". The next generation will get the bill.
Unsensible,
Sort of like the libs rooting for al Qaeda in Afghanistan during the Bush years and the terrorists in Iraq during the Bush years. As a matter of fact, it was current Senate Majority leader joyfully proclaiming "the war (in Iraq) is lost"
Posted by: Terry | December 29, 2009 6:03 PM