Nice catch

Let me begin by congratulating the local, federal, Trinidadian, and Interpol agents involved in sniffing out the plot to bomb JFK Airport and a jet-fuel line running through Queens. Nice catch, boys and girls. Whatever stage this twisted little plan had reached, we should all be grateful to the law enforcement officials who helped prevent it.

What's interesting to me, though, is that this potential terrorist act seems to have been foiled by good old-fashioned police work. Diligent. Patient. Coordinated. The kind of actual law enforcement responsible societies use when confronting isolated gangs of thugs who want to commit spectacular criminal acts.

Which, after all, is the way in which we should have been responding to terrorism all along.

I didn't see any mention of the crucial role played by warrantless wiretapping in breaking this case. (You know, 'cause when we're fightin' terror, there's no time to bother with the blessing of some activist court.)

I didn't find any indication that torture was a key element in obtaining information about the co-conspirators or the readiness of the plan. (You know, 'cause when we're fightin' terror, it's necessary to stoop to the same level as our enemy.)

I didn't notice any mention of how we were never in any real danger anyway, given the way this Administration's Homeland Security measures have already "secured" airports, fuel depots, chemical plants, ports and borders. (You know, 'cause when we're fightin' terror, no need to bother with domestic security as long as "they're" over there.)

And I didn't hear any hollow drums being beaten for the pre-emptive invasion of Trinidad or Guyana to ensure our safety as only Republicans can. (You know, 'cause when we're fightin' terror, it's important to confront it wherever it surfaces - whether there's oil there or not.)

It occurs to me, in fact, that there hasn't been one instance cited by the incompetents in Washington where illegal spying, "alternative" interrogation, their purportedly impeccable state of preparedness, or massive military engagement and occupation has actually foiled an imminent terrorist plot. Including this one.

And wouldn't you think that if any of those shameful tenets of King George's Court had had any positive result whatsoever, they'd have been trumpeted from the rafters and splayed across our newspapers with 72-point type? Especially by a group whose arms are sore from patting themselves on the back for fictional successes?!

So kudos, once again, to those who stopped this particular gang of fanatics in the early planning stages. It's well beyond time that our President and his lackeys took some notes on how this fight should really be fought.