Maybe They Forgot About Richard Reid

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_12/021681.php

MAYBE THEY FORGOT ABOUT RICHARD REID.... Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) doesn't want Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to face criminal charge in a federal court. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge doesn't want Abdulmutallab to have legal rights.

I had the same thought Josh Marshall had about the search for elusive consistency.

Remember, the AbdulMutallab case is virtually identical to the Richard Reid "Shoe Bomber" case from December 2001 -- to an uncanny degree. Same explosive, (PETN), same MO (blowing up an airliner bound for the US), same failed attempt.

It's really about as close to identical cases and you get. And, of course, Reid was tried in civilian courts and is now serving a life sentence. Seemed to work fine in his case. And unless I'm misremembering, I don't remember anybody criticizing this approach at the time.

Most of the criticisms we're hearing are pretty silly. But that's where the buck stops. It happened. Obama's president. It's natural that the political opposition will try to pin it on him. But can we at least get some demagoguing that isn't so transparently ridiculous and easily refuted by pointing out the policy the accuser followed when they were in charge?

Right. The Reid and Abdulmutallab cases offer nearly identical circumstances -- same chemical, same target, same intended consequence, same month of the year, same twisted ideology. Reid was charged, convicted, sentenced, and locked up for life. Neither conservatives nor liberals whined about it. But if the Obama administration subjects Abdulmutallab to an identical process, Republicans are outraged? Either they're idiots or they think we are.

But let's take this one step further. In December 2001, Reid tried to blow up an airplane en route to the United States, intending to murder the Americans on board. In December 2009, Abdulmutallab tried to blow up an airplane en route to the United States, intending to murder the Americans on board. To hear several prominent far-right Republicans tell it, Abdulmutallab's attempt must be President Obama's fault -- as they see it, the suspected terrorist wouldn't have tried to commit mass murder were it not for the administration's policies. Failed attempt or not, the effort itself, Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) said, is evidence of the White House's "approach" being wrong.

For any grown-up, that's obviously insane. But taken at face value, doesn't that necessarily mean that Bush/Cheney policies were equally responsible for Reid's nearly identical terrorist plot? If Abdulmutallab's attempt is evidence of Obama's national security strategy being misguided, wouldn't Reid's attempt also be evidence of the Bush/Cheney strategy being equally misguided?

What's more, is there any evidence -- any at all -- that congressional Democrats attacked Bush/Cheney for Reid's failed attempt? I suspect there isn't, which is why it seems like the two parties simply aren't playing the same game.

—Steve Benen

[Cha]

1. They sure as hell don't have the memory of their mascot,

the Elephant.

[Bolo Boffin]

2. Thank you.

The Republican fearmongers are Al Qaeda's best asset in the United States.

[hfojvt]

3. impeach him already!!

sorry, reflexes.

Are you sure we can criticize Republicans on this board?


knr

[doc03]

4. Well I was under the understanding Bush kept us safe

for 7 years after the 9/11 attack. Richard Reid managed to get on the plane but the attack failed hence Bush kept us safe. Now here we are with the exact same circumstances and it's Obama's fault he got on the plane. If truth were told the Republicans are just pissed off it failed and they can't blame Obama for 300 deaths.

[enough]

5. It's all in the name. "Richard Reid" just doesn't have that juicy terrorist

mouth feel.

[Parker CA]

6. Oh, we all know that was just another terrorist attack BushCo inherited. nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. PETN can't be denoted by lighting a match

[RC]

8. We are the reason... We are doing it to ourselves.

As things stand now, if they are white European they are deemed to have mental problems. If darker complected, they are labeled a terrorist and stripped of all rights, as if they were animals. Making "THEM" non-human and therefore it is easier to kill "THEM" with impunity in their own country. This distention has got to stop.
Both the shoe bomber and the crotch bomber have mental problems. Deal with that why don't we.

We need to stop messing with other countries and making these of terrorists in the first place. Can you imagine the outcry if some other country were sending rockets and bomb on us, U.S.? Many countries have good reason to do so.