It is absolutely ridiculous, infuriating and disgusting that a Hispanic grandmother in Miami on her way to Houston has to empty out her suitcase and be subjected to this nonsense. Or a black businessman in Denver. Or a white bricklayer in London. How about targeting people who have more than a .0005% percent of being a terrorist and leaving everyone else alone?

1) Drudgereport.com reports that the arrested people are of Pakistani descent. But we're spending hundreds of billions on Iraq and Afghanistan, and picking a fight with Syria and Iran. How strange.

2) Bush now is using the nonsensical term "islamic fascists" in his speeches. I think it's a sign of desperation.

I think the Dems should totally politicize this -- it's so easy to turn it against Bush.

The threat was announced against intercontinental -- not transcontinental -- flights.

As a famous German once said:

"...the common people don't want war. [But] the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and [for] exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country"

It was guy named Goering, Herman Goering. He apparently knew what he was talking about. He founded the Gestapo.

Rob

It is particularly galling that Cheney today said something about how unfortunate it is that Lieberman (that great fighter of terrorism) should have been pushed out in the Democratic Primary. All too convenient. These plotters, discovered by the Brits, were probably planning for a 9/11 or October attack. So it sure is a good thing that Lieberman and Bush led us to invade Iraq, and supported Israel in invading Lebanon. We are winning the hearts and minds of the Muslim community all right!

I particularlly hate when people believe that we started a war on terrorism after 9-11. Quite frankly we have been at "war" with terrorism since terrorism was invented. If this administration wasn't at war with terrorism before 9-11 then that was their problem and eventually harmed the country.

Clinton's team was sure working hard against terrorism and even warned these numbskulls about it. Of course their advice went unheaded because of the hubris and contrary nature of this administration. "We know everything" and "if Clinton did it it must be wrong" are the two guiding principles of this administration.

Next time someone says that is "pre 9-11 thinking" make sure they never make that mistake again. Tell them you've been against terrorism your whole life, and you're glad they joined the fight after 9-11 but you sure wish they had been against it before then. Kind of sad that more people haven't called these right-wingnuts on this.

Those who are trying to turn this incident into political gain should remember that the British police stopped the terrorists. There is no political gain to be had here. Terrorism still is a threat, the situation in Iraq is steadily worsening, and the conflict in Lebanon continues. Those who seek political gain on either side need to stop claiming that every incident supports their position and look very carefully at the entire situation. If we could bring peace to the Middle East, that would be cause to claim a political victory. Give the credit for stopping the bombing where it is due, the police not the politicians.

This is a great summary.

I love reading your long daily (approximately) posts over at Unclaimed Territory, but over here the style has been frequent and shorter posts. Is there any way you can emulate Tim while you're doing this guest gig?

and they didn't elevate the terror alert? Well I guess there was no point in panicing people because everything was under control. You see we knew about the attempted attack and we were in complete control of events, so completely in fact that we aren't even sure why we're telling you about it now, except to prove to our critics that there really are terrorists in the world, and we know where they are and what they are doing at all times. We have complete control of the situation, but of course the situation could get out of control, and when it does we will elevate the terror alert, but events will never get out of control as long as we are in office. We may even consider a subterror alert, to alert you when we are going to raise the terror alert, but that would only happen if something we didn't know about was happening. Get it?

Sad to say, political gain for the Republican Party is the core to American foreign policy under this administration. In a nutshell, Rovian strategy comes down to: You're either with us or against us. Apparently Israel is with us, therefore their actions against the country of Lebanon may proceed unchecked. In Iraq, the insurgents are against us and we must stay the course despite an active and esclating civil war that puts our soldiers squarely between warring factions. Today, Bush calls the folks behind the foiled plot in London: Islamic fascists. Translation: Islamic peoples of every ethnic stripe are against us; Anti-war Democrats are against us; Critics of Bush throughout the world are against us; Those who do not support the actions of Israel are against us and on and on it goes. The enemies of Republicans are legend. Its warmongering, fearmongering, and the politics of polarization not for the benefit of the citizens of the United States and the peoples of this earth but for the benefit of the Republican Party.

And the first time ever that anyone has used that quote in reference to today's world events. Pure genius!

P.S. LeCastor, I'm not sure what is so strange about the term "Islamic Fascists"

One of the many definitions of fascism: "Fascism is also typified by totalitarian attempts to impose state control over all aspects of life: political, social, cultural, and economic."

If that doesn't describe those who would create a world that grovels at the feet of Allah and lives by the Koran, then what does? And these people ARE Islamic, aren't they?

You should pick your criticisms a little more carefully.