Learning From the Christmas Day Attempt to Blow Up the Northwest Airliner
Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2010
by Carolyn Tytler
I don't belong to the FBI, the CIA or the Canadian equivalents of these noble agencies. I am an ordinary citizen watching with interest the passing parade of global events.
The attempted attack on the Detroit-bound Northwest airliner on Christmas Day, 2009, has important lessons for those who have the will and the wit to ponder the immediate and the long-term implications of the alleged crime of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
A. The war on terror is still being waged. Despite President Obama's optimistic words to the contrary, attempting to blow up an aircraft with 290 people aboard is, without doubt, an act of terror. Until the enemy and his issues are dealt with, the safety and security of the nations and people of the free world cannot be assured.
B. Air travel is dangerous. Umar was on a watch list. American authorities had been warned by the youth's own father that he was involved in jihadist activities and might pose a threat to American interests. He had been denied a visa to enter Britain. Yet this young man was allowed to board planes at two different airports, Nigeria and Amsterdam, the second of which would ultimately take him to America. He used cash to purchase his ticket; he had only a carry-on case, yet no alarm bells were sounded.
C. Anyone who must fly, should stay alert. The would-be bomber was subdued by a fellow passenger. a Dutch video producer and director, Jasper Schuringa, assisted by crew members. There were no air marshals or other law enforcement officers aboard to apprehend him.
D. The alleged action of one man, Umar, and a botched action at that, has succeeded in throwing the major airports of the world into a frenzy. Delays, line-ups, increased security measures are plaguing travellers around the globe. Men and women are being subjected to embarrassing "pat-down" searches to make sure they have no concealed bombs or weapons. Expensive technology, known as full-body scanners, which can see right through clothing, are being ordered and installed in many airports.
E. The range and the influence of Al Qaeda appears to be growing. Yemen is a new front in the war on terror. In that country, Umar was allegedly taking language lessons, but he was in fact being trained and equipped for his mission of terror. After capture, he reportedly told FBI agents that there were more in Yemen just like him, training for attacks against America.
F.. One young, inexperienced, and incompetent would-be terrorist has had an amazing effect on the confidence, convenience and peace of mind of travellers around the world. Without a single person having been harmed, except himself, he has caused almost as much international furor as if his effort had been successful.
President Obama has ordered a surge of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan by the end of May, 2010. This will bring the total number of American forces to 100,000, yet victory, and even significant progress is proving to be elusive. There were twice as many deaths in battle this past year as in the previous one. American advisers and officials expect the next year will probably be even more lethal.
Is there perhaps a lesson to be learned from recent events in the war on terror? The presence of superior numbers of combatants and more sophisticated weapons may not always be assurances of victory.
It might be a better strategy to send small, highly-trained teams of special forces, such as the Navy Seals, to infiltrate enemy camps, strike swiftly to assassinate al Quaeda leaders and their henchmen, then escape with the help of previously-arranged routes and vehicles. This would leave enemy camps in a state of confusion and impotence.
American and other NATO forces could return to their respective countries to concentrate on the much-needed areas of homeland security and the threat of home-grown terrorism.
However, no one has sought my opinion. I don't belong to the FBI, the CIA or the Canadian equivalents of these noble agencies. I am an ordinary citizen watching with interest the passing parade of global events.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Maybe it's time the powers that be start doing more listening to ordinary citizens. Personally I don't believe there are enough armed forces in the world to combat the present threat from radical Islamists. It only seems to encourage them, give them more reason to keep doing what they are doing. This war cannot be fought successfully in the same manner other wars have been fought. It's high time we learn that and adjust accordingly. I also don't believe increased airport security is going to make us any safer. The lack of communication between agencies, as well as attention to the information they had at hand led to this near tragedy, as it did on 9/11/01.
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