I watched aghast this Sunday as one of the President's chief staffers said that the administration would certainly continue to send some Yemenis home from Guantanamo, on a 'case by case basis'. No excuses for anyone - Pres. Bush started this practice a few years ago, and several of them ended up back in the ranks of al Qaeda.

The (faulty) rationale was that to keep them detained would fuel more animosity toward the US and increase the number of terrorists and aggressive acts. That's like saying if we keep armed robbers in prison, then other potential armed robbers would be pushed over the edge to commit the crime! It's a tired and wrong argument.

I agree with your sentiments, poorpeddler. Ironically, I read two op-ed pieces in the NY Post on the train ride home tonight that addressed the issues. The first states how the current administration's conciliatory tone toward certain detainees and their host countries is an ineffective practice.

"A totalist rejection of the United States, this ideology will never lack for particular reasons to hate us... If we pull our troops from Afghanistan, they'll object to our missile strikes in Pakistan. If we stop the missile strikes, they'll object to our training of foreign militaries. If we stop that, they'll object that we have the temerity to maintain a blue-water navy. Nothing short of suicidal abdication will suffice."


In the second piece, for which I cannot yet find the link, the author discusses the methods used by Israeli airline El-Al at Ben Gurion airport. The focus is NOT on what is being carried on board (perfumes, soaps, etc.), but on WHO is trying to board the aircraft. He goes on to say that he is pulled aside by the security team every time because of the stamps on his passport, several of which are from terrorist-endorsing countries. As a reporter, he is required to disclose where he has been, who he has spoken with, and is subjected to body and baggage searches.

This methodology of acting on WHO (yes, profiling), how they answer questions, and their behaviors gives Ben Gurion's security a spotless record in thwarting terrorist attacks.

I don't think that your views are extreme at all, poor peddler. Your willingness to reveal them is.

Unfortunately, I fear that it will take another successful attack to wake us up to the reality of the danger that we face.

To understand my outrage you must first know I am a card carrying member of the ACLU and a liberal thinking Democratic voter. I’m no radical. My remedy maybe difficult for like-minded progressives to understand much less agree with but certainly my view must be expressed. For those who fear my view can be taken to the extreme I also have those fears. I have not though out all the ills my view my cause. I am not a think tank I am one concerned citizen.
The Christmas panty bomber is not the exception but a limb of a growing educated group of Islamist plotting unspeakable violence in the name of and certainly with the blessings of Allah. Educated and articulate Moslems are creating anxiety in many of us. Liberals like myself can no longer excuse these incidents with, if they only had opportunity things would be different. These lunatics have Master, and Engineering degrees and they can fly airplanes, can you? Let me be clear we must be forever vigilant for this distorted bigoted theology of meliorism will dome us if left unattended. There apparently is an inexhaustible supply of martyrs in the Muslim world who adhere to the doctrine of martyrdom. The timid remedy of the TSA is to screen citizen and travelers of 7 Moslem and 1 Christian country. They have got to be kidding! Is that it? Is that enough? Does not the TSA know that 36% of young adult British Moslems advocate the murder of apostates and support enslaving the west with Sharia law. What is going on here? Why only travelers to and from Moslem countries? What of the western countries? I suggest all Moslems seeking to travel on public transport be searched. If the American Moslem council is disturbed by my remedy let them examine the liturgy and actions of Moslems all over the world. I hear the cry of Muslims around the globe Islam is a peaceful religion. From the snippets I have read only the Jewish Old Testament is as violent. But I ask you when was the last time you heard of a Jew blowing himself up because god demands it?
As I monitor world events I notice it is not the atheist, Christian, Jew or Hindu killing the innocent and gaining paradise. Imams remain silent in fear of their own lives. I am no fan of religion and for those who want to belief in magic, talking snakes and witchcraft may you be forever free to do so. I draw a line when an ideology is determined to covert me or destroy me that I will not stand for. Flying is not a right guaranteed by our Bill of rights. And certainly entry to my country by foreigners is not guaranteed it is a privilege and for some the privilege has been abused.

We used to try to sneak into the movies and baseball games by walking backwards through the exit. Always got caught. Today, a guy gets through Newark Airport pretty much the same way and disappears. Feel safe?