The System Worked Great…Until It Didn’t

Janet Napolitano.  Talk of the blogosphere today.  A Department of Homeland Security Secretary to inspire confidence…in the enemy.

Here’s a short summary, since it’s been discussed to death in other places.  Someone tried to blow up a Detroit flight using explosive in his underwear.  The only reason he didn’t succeed was due to a brave passenger and a faulty detonator.  In other words, dumb luck.

According to Janet Napolitano, the  bombing was stopped because the system worked.  And today, she said it failed miserably.  Aren’t you glad this woman is watching out for you?  Or do you get the sinking feeling that someday, you’re going to see a news report like this…

An airline spokemen has said that the TSA’s new random underwear inspection policy has hurt the airline industry.

“In these rough times, we’re finding it hard to stay afloat.  The TSA is not helping matters any with its new random underwear inspection policy.”

The Department of Homeland Security defends the decision to put this policy in place.  “We believe that the security of the American people depends upon our ability to react to the ever-changing terrorist threat.  No avenue of attack can be overlooked.”

But critics charge that the policy only irritates passengers, who now use other means of transit to get where they want to go in increasing numbers.  Complaints of corruption and threats of lawsuits due to privacy issues have risen dramatically in the seven months this policy has been in effect.

Furthermore, a high profile incident involving a TSA guard being beaten by an umbrella-wielding grandmother of six has put more pressure on the administration to amend this latest security policy.

No, this report is not remotely real.  Yet.

Filed under: Commentary and Opinion on December 28th, 2009 No Comments