They sure do seem to have this one nailed down pretty quickly. I'm surprised. And assuming there were some retaliation, I am not wishing for Obama, and or our intelligence people, to fail. That said, this does open up the subject of retaliation for debate, does it not? It does appear as though they meant to bring the plane down, but failed. My guess is Obama doesn't respond with more than rhetoric. But that's a guess.
The plot to blow up an American passenger jet over Detroit was organized and launched by al Qaeda leaders in Yemen who apparently sewed bomb materials into the suspect's underwear before sending him on his mission, federal authorities tell ABC News.
Investigators say the suspect had more than 80 grams of PETN, a compound related to nitro-glycerin used by the military. The so-called shoe bomber, Richard Reid, had only about 50 grams in his failed attempt in 2001 to blow up a U.S.-bound jet. Yesterday's bomb failed because the detonator may have been too small or was not in "proper contact" with the explosive material, investigators told ABC News.
"My guess is Obama doesn't respond with more than rhetoric."
Or another apology.
Posted by: Peter | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 04:49 PM
Obeyone to Yemen; "ooooohhh...you guys....oooo..OK we're sorry your bomb didn't work. We promise this will not happen again. Please contact Janet Noplanatallo so she can provide you with highly secret technical papers to help you try again. Meet her at the Nogalas, AZ border any time, any day.
No country should be without the same ability of one country to destroy another country....so please be our friend...we want to help you kill us."
Posted by: Vincent | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 07:24 PM
No asprin factories in this guys future, I think. There are plenty of distractions (jobs, stimulus, health care) that won't require projecting American power. The people that a strike might actually placate are already too opposed to him for any action by him to garner any favor.
Posted by: John Jones | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 08:15 PM
He might try something but my guess is that he will completely screw up what ever it is he tries. He will try to micromanage the whole operation down to the last detail. Then in the middle of things he will change his mind and... Kaboom! the whole thing will go to hell in a handbasket. At which point the fearless f@ck will blame the military. You can bank on it.
Posted by: southdakotaboy | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 08:38 PM
It is all Obama's fault.
Everything is Obama's fault.
Posted by: Reagan | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 09:00 PM
SDboy,
The military has learned (as in the pirate turkey shoot) to ignore what Obama says, as far as micromanaging, and to just pull the trigger.
Posted by: John Jones | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 09:19 PM
I sure hope so John, I sure hope so!
Posted by: southdakotaboy | Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 10:18 PM
We shall see. What happened there was the magic mix of dudes that viewed mission over promotion and by doing so, with the media coverage, and had the administration over a pickle barrel.
Things like that will (should) come up more and more as these wars drag on.
Posted by: John Jones | Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 01:08 AM
Islamic terrorism? What Islamic terrorism?
Shhh, the MSM says, we mustn't upset The Once's mathematically perfect brain waves with talk of Islamic terrorism, as he contemplates how to bring "social justice" to the world.
Posted by: betw | Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 07:29 AM