The System Worked? Kinda Sorta
But the system did kinda work. Kinda sorta. All the screening and restrictions and beefed-up security did force the undie-bomber to resort to a crude, and ultimately, unreliable detonator for his explosive/incendiary devise.
But as the declassified summary of a White House review noted there was a massive failure to “connect the dots.”
New York Post, Jan. 8, 2010
Ironically the redundancy between the The CIA and the NCTC which should have help ensure this didn’t fall through the cracks, didn’t work. As I said in my interview on the Fox News Channel Sunday, (which can be viewed in the Featured Video box on the LoD main page) it was sort of like watching two baseball outfielders allow an easy fly ball drop between them, each thinking the other was going to take the initiative.
This should have been and easy picture to draw, sort of like the elementary connect the dot puzzle you had as a kid where half the lines are drawn in for you, and you can already tell what it’s going to be.
But while I’m a big believer in accountability, I think we need to be careful before we start calling for heads to roll. The problem is “TMI”, too much information, and getting a handle on fixing the shortcomings will not be helped if the intelligence community has to worry too much about covering its posterior, instead of retooling the system.
Comments (3)
Of all the commentary about the lonely companionless dots, your "Two
Outfielder" metaphor is the perfect summation. Yesterday's NY Times had
excellent coverage of DOD's overwhelming abundance of Predator video, a
"goldmine" of data the size of the Rockies with more entrance shafts
than Tora Bora. No person can articulate the security-puzzle challenge
better than a genuine dot collector. And to that point, I thank you for
the recognition you gave them in your FOX interview, your dignified
tribute to the plots uncovered, the dots connected.
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Tony · 178 weeks ago
Being an intelligence professional with the US Army, I am familiar with
the scrutiny that comes to the Intelligence Community(IC) in the mist
of perceived intelligence failures as with the Umar Farouk Abdulmutalla
attempted terror attack. However, in defense of the IC, if defense is
needed, the intelligence was there. As reported on FOX News, the
information on Umar was available; it was “human” era, not a lack of
intelligence that allowed the information to not be placed where it
could be of use. US intelligence, unfortunately and perhaps deservingly,
receive most visibility when there are shortfalls in the intelligence
cycle, but considering the number of terror plots (e.g. physical, cyber,
etc) against the US on a daily bases, they are relatively out of sight.
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M.U.D.D. · 178 weeks ago
Murtha and threatening to deport the Navy is quite funny....go back to
swiftboating Bush and kerry, and it's Rowland's fault he didn't serve in
the military?
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