Napolitano says "the system worked"

[bik0]

I beg to differ. It seems there were plenty of warning signs why this guy should have been flagged for either the no-fly list or extra screening. Mutallab's dad warned the U.S. Embassy a month ago that his son was determined to conduct some act of "jihad". Mutallab paid for a one-way ticket with cash and had no luggage. Our intelligence agencies admitted they knew of Mutallab's contacts with terrorists two years ago.

How many red flags does it take for Homeland Security to do it's job?

All the measures they're taking now with staying in your seat, no blankets etc. are just a smokescreen. The real issue is the system that tracks and warns the TSA when some suspected terrorist tries to fly.

[Bolo Boffin]

1. Slight problem there with your quote of Napolitano:

The system has worked really very, very smoothly over the course of the past several days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/us/28terror.html

[bik0]

5. My point is that when she was asked if there was a security failure

on Meet the Press she sidestepped the question and emphasized the reaction of the passengers and how they notified all the airlines of a possible threat. She later stated they would be reviewing procedures for maintaining the database that tracks those with terrorist ties. She wouldn't admit that it was a failure that this guy made it on the plane with explosives. It's probably the same procedures used under Bush and as usual, there's no proactive change until something like this happens.

[Mz Pip]

2. The only thing that "worked"

was the passengers' response. The rest, not so much.

Extra screening, the kind where you have to go behind the screen with a person of the same sex and get felt up - that might have been the system working.

[Winterblues]

16. You do know that the "explosive" he had could not be set off without a blasting cap don't you?

There is no way anyone could get through screening with a blasting cap. All the explosive could do without concusion is burn... I would say the screening system worked. Even though it was not in America a lot of people here still want to blame America for some sort of failure..

[KansDem]

17. I've always wondered about that...

...the kind where you have to go behind the screen with a person of the same sex and get felt up...

Couldn't someone request a feeler-upper of the opposite sex? I mean, I don't get out much these days...:(

[timeforpeace]

3. Jasper worked. And we all learned that we may have to respond like him to save ourselves.

[LisaL]

9. Because detonator failed.

[metapunditedgy]

10. Source for that info? n/t

[timeforpeace]

4. And by the way, what's it going to look like if the system ever doesn't "work"?

[metapunditedgy]

6. So I'm already getting right-wing talking points emails saying this same stuff.

I'm tired of talking points. They ring very hollow.

[Skittles]

7. why are repukes asking more questions about this than they did about 9/11?

fucking hypocrites

[metapunditedgy]

8. There have been a lot of right-wing talking points coming out lately

that don't wait for the full story, screw up the facts, and get debunked in a few days. Meanwhile, the short attention-span crowd has already moved on. They wake up angry every day and can't remember exactly why, I think.

Disclaimer: it could turn out that things really were botched in this case, but we don't know that yet.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. "The system works. The system called ........

...... Rec I Pro Citeeeee" (Big Mama Morton, ca 1925)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRGUEbqZo3A&feature=related

[Fuzz]

12. Stupid response, but typical of a government official who's responsible for this shit.

There's nothing that is fool-proof, and admitting it is political suicide.

[slackmaster]

13. Under the current system people are expected to take responsibility for their own safety

So she's right.

[ladjf]

14. In yesterday's TV interview of Napolitano by Candy Crowley,

Napolitano showed herself to be a world class idiot. She made a steady stream of incredibly stupid
and incorrect remarks.

[peaches2003]

15. Agree JN was a total idiot yesterday

She should have been fired yesterday afternoon for saying what she did on the Sunday morning shows and embarrassing the Administration. She can't even figure out the system did NOT work, so she can't run Homeland Security. Today she has totally changed her story and said her remarks on Sunday WERE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT! What context? I heard her interview and it was very clear what she said. She said the system worked because no one died. Right, you idiot. No one died because the detonator didn't go off and a passenger risked his life. The system, Janet, is not to allow someone like this guy (and there were plenty of warnings including his own family) NOT TO GET ON THE PLANE TO BEGIN WITH!!! So her answer is now no bathroom visits and no blankets?! This woman is a fucking idiot.

[bik0]

18. Don't forget the backup system - emergency personnel will be notified by smoke signals

of the exploding airliner when it hits the ground.