Terror attack foiled on Northwest Airlines flight

[KRonn]

Don't be a sucker Kronn - Shelf's question was a false dilemma fallacy.

The issue brought up is not limited to Yemen to begin with.

No it's not.  I genuinely don't know.  The US doesn't have forces in Yemen - though it has allegedly supported the Yemenese government in recent years.  I don't know if the US has sufficient forces in the region to capture and interrogate these guys in Yemen and if they did I would imagine that it would be a very high risk operation - it would, after all, be sending special ops guys into a terrorist base.  I'm not convinced that the reason we won't see that intelligence is just because the CIA won't do the interrogating.

I'm just not convinced by an article from a guy who I imagine is trying to sell his book 'Courting Disaster: How the CIA Kept America Safe and How Barack Obama Is Inviting the Next Attack'.

There are serious issues with Yemen - I'm not sure if, right now, what the options are and I'd be interested to find out, hence my question. 

I've never got involved in the whole detainee debate because it's too legalistic for me, I don't think I've got a grasp on it.  Generally in the arguments I've read I find grumbler more convincing. 

My points have always been that the US shouldn't institutionalise torture by legalising it under any circumstances, because the nature of government agencies is that precisely what constitutes an emergency is an ever-widening circle.  I'd add that I think if the ticking timebomb is there then surely that's worth risking your job over and that I think any court or court martial would be sympathetic (similarly I think responsibility should go as high as possible and it should be worth losing your ministerial car over before it's ordered).

The other thing I've always said is that Guantanamo is a monumental own goal and it should be shut down for that reason.

I'm somewhat asking too, about the Obama admin's policy on terrorist leaders. I'm not entirely sure. But it does seem that the push is more towards law enforcement than military handling, and I'm not convinced that's the best way, given this is more of a war than just law enforcement.
As for Gitmo, was it really that bad or did those opposing it create  so much a fuss over it that it became such an over blown story? It seems the correct venue for those captured on battlefields and such, as they shouldn't always be sent to civilian venues.

[Sheilbh]

I'm somewhat asking too, about the Obama admin's policy on terrorist leaders. I'm not entirely sure. But it does seem that the push is more towards law enforcement than military handling, and I'm not convinced that's the best way, given this is more of a war than just law enforcement.

Well surely it depends.  I think it's a false dichotomy that it's war or law enforcement.

As for Gitmo, was it really that bad or did those opposing it create  so much a fuss over it that it became such an over blown story?

Yes, it was that bad.  And I think that its badness needs to be understood outside the context of the American political debate between those who support it and those who oppose it creating a fuss and causing it to become an overblown story.  I think globally it and Abu Ghraib did more than anything else to trash America's image.  Not least because we live in an age of images and for me the orange boilersuits and the naked man and barking dog are ones that I think have wide dissemination and impact.

[CountDeMoney]

Not least because we live in an age of images and for me the orange boilersuits and the naked man and barking dog are ones that I think have wide dissemination and impact.

No, we live in an age of images where that sort of thing upsets European sensibilities, who've no stomach to do what it takes to get things done;  namely, making moonworshippers talk with panties on their heads.

[Richard Hakluyt]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

[AnchorClanker]

Indeed, the father had warned the US embassy about his concerns about the son... I wonder where the comms breakdown happened.

[Fate]

The breakdown occurred at the DNI. The Lagos embassy did its job in relaying the information.

[AnchorClanker]

The breakdown occurred at the DNI. The Lagos embassy did its job in relaying the information.

DNI doesn't handle data.  Just because Lagos transmitted the data doesn't mean State/INR did anything about it in Washington DC.  I've heard this song before.   

[Razgovory]

Indeed, the father had warned the US embassy about his concerns about the son... I wonder where the comms breakdown happened.

Probably some where between the CIA station chief's office and the telephone.

[Ed Anger]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

We made the finest flesh pyramid known to man since 1550.

[Razgovory]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

We made the finest flesh pyramid known to man since 1550.

You know, if it was women instead of little hairy men this might be a worthwhile goal.

[AnchorClanker]

Indeed, the father had warned the US embassy about his concerns about the son... I wonder where the comms breakdown happened.

I doubt this was send over CIA channels.  It probably went via State cable, and then who knows what happened.

Probably some where between the CIA station chief's office and the telephone.

[Ed Anger]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

We made the finest flesh pyramid known to man since 1550.

You know, if it was women instead of little hairy men this might be a worthwhile goal.

If I was younger, I'd make a go of it.

[Admiral Yi]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

What do we need to do to qualify for actually getting anything done?  We've zapped umpteen AQ mucky mucks in Pakistan, umpteen mad mullahs in Yemen, umpteen fedayeen freedom fighters in Iraq.

[derspiess]

No, we live in an age of images where that sort of thing upsets European sensibilities, who've no stomach to do what it takes to get things done;  namely, making moonworshippers talk with panties on their heads.

Don't forget the menstrual blood-- that stuff's like topical truth serum, apparently

[derspiess]

That argument would have more resonance if the USA had actually got anything done.

What do we need to do to qualify for actually getting anything done?  We've zapped umpteen AQ mucky mucks in Pakistan, umpteen mad mullahs in Yemen, umpteen fedayeen freedom fighters in Iraq.

Go back in time & prevent every terrorist attack from ever occurring.