Bomb

As the storm of accusations from the usual RWS™ is gathering, (although they're having to talk with their mouths full, as they try to compare the oil spill to Katrina and look for a way to convince their no-need-to-convince-them audience of teabaggers that it's all Obama's fault -- or worse --) let me point out once again what the bomb in Times Square tells us.

1) Preventing all such attacks is impossible.

2) As demonstrated by the events -- including the arrest of a suspect hours later -- following the failed blast, our best defense is (yes, John Kerry was right!) law enforcement. Police work. Intelligence gathering. Proper surveillance. Invading places doesn't protect us from this kind of stuff; in fact, as has been made very clear to me, the Iraq debacle made it more likely. Nor will Ronald Reagan's amyloid-addled missile shield stop guys like this.

3) When the successful attack happens, assuming it's on Obama's watch, while many people rally to a meaningful response, Fox "news" and the RWS™ will do everything they can to multiply the effect by attempting to finish taking the government down.

The rest of us -- people actually interested in seeing our country succeed -- need to think about what can be done. I don't believe our efforts in Iraq ever have or will make us safer. To the extent that our presence in Afghanistan might lessen the chances of Pakistani nukes getting into terrorist hands, an argument can be made for staying. I have no idea. But it ought to be very clear that the end-organ in all this is at home. That's where efforts have the most bang, as it were. That, and continuing to try to improve our image abroad: every person that thinks less badly of us is one that might, someday, provide important information.

It's gonna happen. Not everyone is as incompetent as the Times Square guy, underpants guy, shoe guy. And when it does, as the RWS™ and Fox "news" spend their wind railing at Obama, let's hope the resources are there to act as swiftly as the NY cops, the FBI, NSA, whoever, did this time. In fact, let's demand that enough money be allocated to this sort of defense, as opposed to the Department of Defense, to make it happen. Heck, let's go all the way: let's really do the right thing and agree to pay for it!!

Stick that in your teabag and dip it!