More on the Foiled Terrorist Plot to Explode Airplanes

Officials: Plot suspects met alleged al Qaeda bomber

But officials, who say the plot displays signs of al Qaeda participation but who are still investigating that angle, do not know whether Rehman was involved in the plot.

On the political side, Arrests Bolster G.O.P. Bid To Claim Security as Issue

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said, "This latest plot demonstrates the need for the Bush administration and the Congress to change course in Iraq and ensure that we are taking all the steps necessary to protect Americans at home and across the world."

Always about politics, Harry? Newsflash: Purely defensive measures are an absolute guaranteed failure. If the terrorists keep trying, eventually they will succeed, and they seem to have a surplus of young religiously suicidal males, a combination that is much more difficult to defend against. There are two ways to try to get them to stop: Pay them off, which was tried by Carter and Reagan and Clinton (among others), and leads to more activity and encourages others to get into the terrorism game, or go in and clean them out, like our current president is trying to do. It may or may not work - it won't if Mr. Reid or the terrorists have anything to say about it - but there is at least the possibility it will work, and is therefore the option I support.



on the same point, via Carol Platt Liebau, Newt Gingrich in the Washington Post: The Only Option Is to Win.



via Chequer Board of Nights and Days, Gerald Baker in Times Online The first step towards defeating the terrorists: stop blaming ourselves



Sanity and reasoning are out there. But they don't get nearly as much media play. I was going to say "I wonder why?" but I don't think there is anyone out there who wonders why. The insanity is more spectacular, more bold, more fun. Why limit yourself with consistency or logic or historical precedent?



On the other hand, read this very rational, Alan Dershowitz article at Huff'n'Puff, and then read the comments until you can no longer stomach them. Dershowitz is not exactly your typical long fanged right-wing triumphalist, having considerably more in the way of leftist credentials than centrist or otherwise. Just go read it.



Getting back to the NY Times article,

"The issue is going to be discussed in the fall," this official said. "Are you saying if the Democrats talk about the war, we shouldn't? We will talk about the war, and we will talk about the consequences of the policies advocated by the Democrats."

Sauce for the goose. To quote Peter Lorre in The Raven, "You coward! You're defending yourself!" (nod to den Beste).



Republican strategists don't get it. The President does. Bush, on a Quick Trip From His Texas Ranch, Says Americans Are Safer Than Before Sept. 11. And then he goes back to living his life. Follow the president's example. All reasonable steps are being taken. Living in fear does nobody any good. Enjoy your life. It's the only one you've got. I'm not saying plan trips to Lebanon or Iraq, but there's no reason not to go about normal business.