Michael Ramirez for December 30, 2009

OBarmey Fife!

As talented as Ramirez is , he has a weakness in drawing faces..

Ms Napolitano said “the system worked,” then said the comment was out of context and “the system failed.” In what context did the system work?

Okay, one more time- WHICH government failed- guy got on a plane in Nigeria, then Amsterdam. On 9/11 we WERE warned and they all got on planes IN the U.S. heading for destinations IN the U.S.

Please advise when TSA agents wear wooden shoes?

All of this is making the terrorist very, very happy.

Let Americans be Americans, give us the facts, and let us decide what we should do, instead of letting a bunch of idiots running around sceaming “Theyr’e Everywhere, Everywhere, be very, very afraid” panic everyone.

ok dtroutma, Here we go again, tell me the source of the 9/11 warnings you suggest were made. ( I shall put words in your mouth before you say them. Hows THAT for predictability huh? ) Nothing was done in the previous eight YEARS after the first attempt at bringing down the twin towers, but you would suggest that this wealth of knowledge was indeed passed on by the Clinton administration but that ‘aw shucks’ President Bush and his cronies just were too obtuse to get the message, right? It is splitting hairs for me to mention that ‘getting on planes in the US’ (for TRANSFERS from other countries) is not quite the same as ‘getting on planes in the US where the flight ORIGINATED, ) As for your dismissive ‘one more time’ YOU have the power here dtroutma. YOU tell me where the ball was dropped when the father of Umar Abdulmutallab went to the US embassy to express his concerns that his son might be involved with al-qaida. President Obama said in part … “that the intelligence community had bits of information….that should have been pieced together that would have triggered “red flags”” Yes, a bit such as the chucklehead’s NAME for Godsake! As by now you surely know I have my own opinions, but YOU tell me what country should be held accountable for this breach. By the way, what do you have against wooden shoes? You might get A.C.D. upset with you if you say anything bad about eco-UNfriendly sabots! ;)

Shortly after 9/11, US started to require all airlines flying into the US to provide specific information about all passengers - some time prior to the take off, so that the US authorities can review and stop anyone on a no-fly list or otherwise undesirable - before boarding the plane.

US authorities had a plethora of information indicating that the guy is up to no good, and failed to stop him, or even inform the Dutch authorities … .

With respect to the rabid leftists’ intellectually dishonest ranting about Bush’s failure to stop the 9/11:

The intelligence, even with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight was too vague and general to be actionable.

That said however, the CIA was aware of several of the Atta team members, and became aware of them entering the US, and even studying at a flight school in Florida. At least one CIA agent attempted, but was prevented by CIA attorneys from conveying the intel to the FBI.

You see, the Democrat party, fuming from the CIA’s involvement in the overthrow of their pal Allende, abused the weakened Nixon presidency and enacted a host of laws that neutered the CIA and erected an impermeable wall between the CIA and the US - including the FBI. Because of those failures, as ascertained by the 9/11 commission, Homeland Security Department was created, of which current head is Janet Napolitano, who is eminently qualified to be a dog catcher, maybe.

It used to be held, that one is being foolish at his or her own peril.

The American left is being foolish at our - collective peril.

I’d be more impressed with this cartoon and its commentary if Amsterdam were not in Europe.

And Barney Bush was so much better?

The dems will be in the majority for awhile so, please, for your own safety flee to the boarders now. Let the lefties finish the destruction, you can return and rebuild a nation of your liking later.

for the first time the top banana is a banana

The dudes from the first WTC attack are still in prison. FBI, CIA, and others had information about 9/11, but many agencies had “action authority” taken away at the onset of the Bush administration. Aside from the warnings Clinton’s people passed on, FAA/Military communication links and again “authority to act” was taken away by Bush/Cheney policy. That kept an intercept from happening in a timely manner when it did “hit the fan”. Homeland Security added 33 agencies or directors to FURTHER HAMPER inter-agency communications, which is exactly what happened on the Christmas situation, and yes, some people did seem to “blow it”, but the lack of communication IS a problem Obama wants to see changed. It can be done, but still will NOT be perfect, as neither are humans, computer programs, or “wishes” will ever be perfect.

The 9/11 Commission Report was issued in 2004. Many of its recommendations have not been implemented for the past five years. Four years under Bush, one under Obama. There have been three heads of Homeland Security since then. To blame everything on Obama and Napolitano is disingenuous. There is much blame to be shared.

And, fwiw, I think there was a failure on this recent attempt, lack of intelligence sharing and acting on the intelligence we had when we received it. His visa could have pulled, or something similar that would have subjected him to more intense screening. And it seems a failure at the airport based upon behavior screening — one-way ticket, cash only, no baggage.

BCS: “And it seems a failure at the airport based upon behavior screening — one-way ticket, cash only, no baggage.”

I thought that odd. How on earth doesn’t that trigger an alarm? I just travelled with just a backpack on a 2 hour flight, that may be normal. But an international flight of over 8 hours? I heard the Dutch shrug it off and thought bollocks.

omQR, appreciate the information, thanks

and another of my comments gone, one which BCS responded to…

omQR, yes, you’re right, it was removed and I think you gave us information and quotes from Dutch officials …. nothing that should be flagged or removed

weird stuff going on

Actually, didn’t this guy get past the Dutch security, not the US one?

How is your dang health care plan going to take care of the bills we owe and cant pay because your thiefing corrupt lifestyle steals from our paychecks to pay some other overtaxed citizen to go kill some foriegner 6000 miles away…

<=========Following my guidelines for “safer” security and they still managed to get through. Shame on you Obama. Remember what i said for the second time. You can’t get fooled again.