Al Qaeda claims credit for the Christmas Day airliner attack, saying it’s retaliation for air strikes in Yemen in the past few weeks.
** DOCTOR WHO: THE ENDING IMPENDING. Even with a nearly immortal (okay, say his life span is 900 years) character, there are endings. Especially when he’s the (almost) title character of the longest running science fiction television series in the world. When there’s a new James Bond, we have to shrug off the development from a continuity standpoint. But the Doctor has a built-in explanation; he regenerates.
Doctor Who’s present incarnation of the Doctor, the tenth to date, is reaching “the end of his song,” as his psychic Ood friends say. There is “a darkness coming,” vaster still than great darknesses which have come before on this quite operatic space (and time) opera of a show. The show’s annual Christmas special has evolved into a two-part finale ending on New Year’s Day in Britain, and on the 2nd on BBC America. …
Yemen has emerged as a big staging area for Al Qaeda. Nidal Hasan, who shot 13 people to death last month at Fort Hood, was in contact with an American-born extremist religious figure in Yemen who is an Al Qaeda recruiter. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to bring down an airliner on Christmas Day over Detroit, says he received Al Qaeda training and explosives in Yemen.
MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK.
A very short week in presidential politics, and another essentially non-existent week in California politics. Due, of course, to the fact that New Year’s Day is on Friday.
President Barack Obama’s vacations thusfar are notably ill-fated. During his brief summer vacation, his friend Senator Ted Kennedy died, occasioning Obama to travel to Boston to deliver his eulogy. On Christmas Day, an Islamic extremist tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane descending into Detroit.
This incident has revealed some very significant holes in US security. These holes go back to the Bush/Cheney Administration. But Obama is the president now and it is up to him to solve the problem.
I don’t think people are going to be pleased with having to put away their books and laptops and sit quietly in their seats for the last hour of each flight on the working assumption that each of them could be a terrorist. I suspect that some aspects of Israeli El Al-style passenger profiling — it’s been over 40 years since an El Al flight was successfully attacked, and that event was prior to the imposition of the security procedures — may be on the verge of coming into vogue.
A 23-year old Nigerian man, a recent graduate of the elite University College London, tried to set off an explosive device strapped to his leg. It misfired, which is why no one was killed, and he was overwhelmed by passengers.
Obama has ordered a review of security procedures which placed Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a list of 550,000 people with suspected terrorist ties but not on the no-fly list of 4000 or so. And which allowed the 23-year old scion of one of Nigeria’s richest bankers to enter the US after he was barred from re-entering the UK. (British officials say his visa was denied on the basis that the school he said he wished to attend was fake, which they say is a typical ruse for Islamic extremists to gain entry.) And which also missed the fact that his father reported his fears about his son’s extremist religious views to both the US embassy in Abuja and to Nigerian security agencies. (That placed him in the big database, but not on a list of 18,000 to go through further airport security screening.)
The fact is that this fellow, who says he traveled to Yemen, which the Obama Adinistration knows is the newest Al Qaeda hotbed — and why are our troops increasingly deployed where Al Qaeda isn’t? — where he received training and explosives, fits the profile of a possible terrorist to a tee. As do all the people who have tried to take over aircraft in this decade.
Now it is not as though Obama is exactly ignoring the situation in Yemen, which is also the site of what appears to be something of a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. American aid to the already friendly government there has increased sharply and there have been two big air strikes against Al Qaeda cadre there in the past few weeks. One of those targeted the home of Anwar al-Awlaki, the New Mexico-born civil engineer-turned imam linked to Major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 and wounded 32 at Fort Hood, Texas. His relatives say al-Awlaki survived, but he has issued no statements himself.
Obaa is also monitoring other geopolitical crises, including the increasingly wild situation in Iran. This crisis was already boiling with the Iranian leadership’s zigzag intransigence on its nuclear program.
Now Iranian security forces are cracking down on insistent protesters. Several have been killed, including the nephew of the leading opposition presidential candidate. And several top opposition leaders have been arrested.
The mobile phone network in Tehran has been shut down, as have various transit stations there and in other parts of the country.
With his diplomatic initiatives not bearing fruit, Obama is now less constrained on Iran’s internal politics. The White House has strongly denounced the Iranian crackdown.
Obama does have some good news. His approval rating is back over 50% and holding steady.
And retail sales rebounded somewhat from the lows of last year’s Christmas season, up 3.6% from the year before during the period from November 1st through December 24th.
Thirty years ago yesterday, after thousands of Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan, Soviet commandos executed Operation Storm-333. This was a special operation to storm the presidential palace and install a new government. The Soviet spetsnaz killed the president of Afghanistan, his son, his entourage, and over 200 Afghan troops defending him. Video courtesy of Russia Today.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Hawaii today.
He has no scheduled public events, though he is expected to speak on the terrorist attack over Detroit.
The Obamas are staying in a private residence in Kailua on the Windward side of Oahu during their 10-day vacation in the president’s home state. Kailua is a 30-minute drive from downtown Honolulu.
The time in Hawaii is two hours earlier than that in California. It is GMT -10.
Obama will receive his daily intelligence and economic briefings there this morning.
Obama is also monitoring geopolitical crises in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen.
He will speak later today on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year old Nigerian who says he is part of Al Qaeda and who tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane descending into Detroit on Christmas Day.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is out of state with First Lady Maria Shriver and the family.
He has no scheduled public events.
** THE COMMON THREADS OF AVATAR. Is Avatar the future of cinema? Probably. There has to be something to draw people away from their computers and home entertainment centers, and with television series now generally at least as good as if not better than feature films, there are fewer reasons to drive to a theater. But you’ll never see anything at home like Avatar, which nonetheless holds common thematic threads going back to the beginning of the director’s career. … From my December 22nd essay.
** COPENHAGEN BLUES: OBAMA’S WEAK HAND ON CLIMATE, AND THE CALIFORNIA OPTION. As he prepares to go to Copenhagen for the deeply troubled UN climate change summit, President Barack Obama does so with a weak hand. He has no enacted legislation to brandish, no binding agreements on big greenhouse gas cuts with some of the biggest polluters, and no big financing to aid the developing world of poorer nations.
Aside from that, it’s really great.
Obama has cobbled together some impressive looking cards. But starting from the zero point that was bequeathed him by the Bush/Cheney Administration, and with far less congressional support than many imagine, he’s nowhere near ready to sign a new Copenhagen Protocol, were one to emerge, which it will not. … From my December 16th column.
** OBAMA’S LINCOLNESQUE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. Who expected, two months ago when the surprise award was announced, that President Barack Obama, in accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, would deliver a speech that in many respects is about the ethics of war? …
But Obama’s emergence as more the liberal warrior than the reflexive dove surprises me not in the least, for I was paying close attention to what the president said and wrote before and during his campaign. … From my December 11th column.
** HOW JERRY BROWN CLEARED THE DEMOCRATIC FIELD FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. How did former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown clear the Democratic field for governor of California over half a year before next year’s primary election? Without even announcing his candidacy for governor? Let’s count the ways as we set the stage for one of the biggest races in America next year.
Most California political experts did not expect this result. The state’s much diminished press corps anticipated a big primary fight. Nor was Jerry Brown expected to be the easy winner. In fact, a site run by well-known state Democratic consultants put up an online poll in early 2007 to gauge early insider support for possible candidates. And, amusingly, neglected to include Brown. Despite the fact that the two-term former governor, two-time Democratic presidential runner-up, and two-time mayor of rugged Oakland had just won the biggest victory of any contested statewide race. Bigger even than Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s landslide 17-point romp over his Democratic challenger. … From my December 9th column.
** BARACK OBAMA’S WAR: 10 KEY THINGS TO KNOW. … From my December 4th column.
** NORTH BY NORTHWEST‘S 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION: ENDURING APPEAL AND THE MAD MEN FACTOR. … From my December 2nd essay.
** HEADS SHOULD ROLL OVER OBAMA STATE DINNER SECURITY BREACH. … From my November 27th column.
** TONY BLAIR’S CAUTIONARY TALE FOR OBAMA. … From my November 24th column.
** MAD MEN: THREE SEASONS ON AND LOOKING FORWARD. … From my November 21st essay.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti. While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in two wars in the region, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Based in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, Al Jazeera is very influential and more than a bit controversial. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** SCHWARZENEGGER’S CALIFORNIA. Here is my series of five columns on the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times in debate last fall, prior to the global economic meltdown, with Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times reporter/editor Bill Boyarsky, whose columns are also included. Among them is what I’m sure is the first piece examining Schwarzenegger’s legacy as governor of California. Since he will actually be governor of California until 2011. No technology known to be disruptive to the space/time continuum was used in its preparation. You can listen to my recent video webchat with Schwarzenegger here.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $78 per barrel.
This is up about $44 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity.
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| Comments (37) |
Good news video on Yemen.
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
Darn right there!!!!
Bradley: I don’t think people are going to be pleased with having to put away their books and laptops and sit quietly in their seats for the last hour of each flight on the working assumption that each of them could be a terrorist. I suspect that Israeli El Al-style passenger profiling — it’s been over 40 years since an El Al flight was successfully attacked, and that event was prior to the imposition of the security procedures — may be on the verge of coming into vogue.
I don’t see why this terrorist got no more attention than me.
Those Russians were very ruthless.
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 9:14 am
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
It’s too bad it’s not good news.
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 8:57 am
Good news video on Yemen.
Barack will straighten this out.
Truth Teller says:
December 28, 2009 at 10:10 am
I don’t see why this terrorist got no more attention than me.
Ethnicity and religion can’t be the only basis for “passenger profiling.” That won’t fly right.
Speaking of flying right, this site is really stable now.
It’s honest, at least. I wonder if Soviet apologists will keep on apologizing… lol
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 9:14 am
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
We’ll soon have 100,000 troops, and 100,000 contractors, in Afghanistan, so it’s all good…
Capitol Boy says:
December 28, 2009 at 10:28 am
It’s too bad it’s not good news.
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 8:57 am
Good news video on Yemen.
Why do we have a list of 550,000 people with suspected terrorist ties if it’s not used to screen them at the airport?! WTF?!
Here is a bit of holiday cheer courtesy of Ken Levine’s blog, of a friend’s holiday display–
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_isUvlzkZPIQ/SxfqGDktKFI/AAAAAAAAFlU/vTDjdAW8Q_c/s1600-h/Toluca+Lake+In+Lights-SM.jpg
P.S. – one year Ken’s frined took down the decorations on Dec. 26 and had an irate call from the neighbor across the street (you can’t make up ths stuff):
TINA: Why did you take down your Christmas decorations? Are you INSANE?
KEVIN: Um, Christmas is over.
TINA: Yes, but I have a big New Year’s Eve party every year and one of the big attractions is that everybody likes to look at your decorations. And now you’ve RUINED MY PARTY!
ouch, I mean “friend took down…”
Below is a link to the full post on what happened. You’ll note I clipped what I quoted to not include the foul language, per Mr. Bradey’s adminitions abbout this being a family friendly blog…
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2009/12/when-not-to-take-down-your-christmas.html
lol
Nice piece on our friend, the Doctor. Of course, some folks are still trying to cope with Jon Pertwee no longer doing the role…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:10dr19.jpg
Doctor WHO?
By the way, remember those promises last week by the Republicans that the health care bill approaching final passage would cause a mass upwelling of popular mass discontent? I’ve seen no signs of the tea party types etc. doing anything while Congressmembers are back in the districts for the holiday recess. Seems to be a fizzle. I guess the Reps were talking through their hats. Or only afterward discovered to their dismay even health care industry stooges would rather celebrate the season than attend more phony rallies…
At least it’s not the Eagles.
Dana says:
December 28, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Nice piece on our friend, the Doctor. Of course, some folks are still trying to cope with Jon Pertwee no longer doing the role…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:10dr19.jpg
Indeed.
The greenery is painted …
> Dana says:
December 28, 2009 at 4:51 pm (Edit)
By the way, remember those promises last week by the Republicans that the health care bill approaching final passage would cause a mass upwelling of popular mass discontent? I’ve seen no signs of the tea party types etc. doing anything while Congressmembers are back in the districts for the holiday recess. Seems to be a fizzle. I guess the Reps were talking through their hats. Or only afterward discovered to their dismay even health care industry stooges would rather celebrate the season than attend more phony rallies…
Ah, yes, Pertwee.
> Dana says:
December 28, 2009 at 4:35 pm (Edit)
Nice piece on our friend, the Doctor. Of course, some folks are still trying to cope with Jon Pertwee no longer doing the role…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:10dr19.jpg
Can’t please everybody …
> Dana says:
December 28, 2009 at 2:48 pm (Edit)
Here is a bit of holiday cheer courtesy of Ken Levine’s blog, of a friend’s holiday display–
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_isUvlzkZPIQ/SxfqGDktKFI/AAAAAAAAFlU/vTDjdAW8Q_c/s1600-h/Toluca+Lake+In+Lights-SM.jpg
P.S. – one year Ken’s frined took down the decorations on Dec. 26 and had an irate call from the neighbor across the street (you can’t make up ths stuff):
TINA: Why did you take down your Christmas decorations? Are you INSANE?
KEVIN: Um, Christmas is over.
TINA: Yes, but I have a big New Year’s Eve party every year and one of the big attractions is that everybody likes to look at your decorations. And now you’ve RUINED MY PARTY!
It’s sheer luck this guy was on that unused list.
> Brasky says:
December 28, 2009 at 11:44 am (Edit)
Why do we have a list of 550,000 people with suspected terrorist ties if it’s not used to screen them at the airport?! WTF?!
Hittin’ em where they ain’t.
> Jack Aubrey says:
December 28, 2009 at 11:26 am (Edit)
We’ll soon have 100,000 troops, and 100,000 contractors, in Afghanistan, so it’s all good…
Capitol Boy says:
December 28, 2009 at 10:28 am
It’s too bad it’s not good news.
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 8:57 am
Good news video on Yemen.
Why not?
> Jack Aubrey says:
December 28, 2009 at 11:25 am (Edit)
It’s honest, at least. I wonder if Soviet apologists will keep on apologizing… lol
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 9:14 am
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
That’s right.
> Jack Aubrey says:
December 28, 2009 at 11:22 am (Edit)
Ethnicity and religion can’t be the only basis for “passenger profiling.” That won’t fly right.
It’s bizarre.
> Truth Teller says:
December 28, 2009 at 10:10 am (Edit)
I don’t see why this terrorist got no more attention than me.
Yep.
> Capitol Boy says:
December 28, 2009 at 10:27 am (Edit)
Those Russians were very ruthless.
Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 9:14 am
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
It’s pretty straightforward.
> Jonas Blane says:
December 28, 2009 at 9:14 am (Edit)
Great Russia Today video on the killing of the President of Afghanistan and his defenders.
The lesson is that the terrorists are to be beaten.
What new video today?
Add in age, exposure to Western society, recent travel to a hot spot such as Yemen and the profile starts to come into focus.
Oh, and a phone call from dad ought to alert people!!!!!!!
I think Obama could have scored some points with the people by firing someone (Napolitano, Panetta) over this. I know that’s not his “no drama Obama” style, but occasionally acting like Reagan or John Wayne might help him connect with people a little more.
>BB: That’s right.
>> Jack Aubrey says:
December 28, 2009 at 11:22 am (Edit)
Ethnicity and religion can’t be the only basis for “passenger profiling.” That won’t fly right.
Yes. That second point is a little off, however.
Pakistan terror and the Nevada governor in deep crisis.
> Jonas Blane says:
December 29, 2009 at 8:13 am (Edit)
What new video today?
Hi, first I want to say awesome blog. I don’t always agree with your blogposts but it’s always a great read.
Keep up the nice work.