FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
So let's recap:
A man's father in Nigeria goes to the U.S. embassy warning that his son has "become radicalized," that he went to Yemen to be part of "some kind of jihad" and he's concerned his son might want to do us harm. This is called a clue.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/07/art.plane.window.jpg caption=""]
The man's son subsequently buys a ticket to the U.S., pays $3,000 cash... and has no luggage. These are more clues. But he's allowed to board a flight for Detroit and tries to blow it up.
The president now says U.S. intelligence officials had enough information to stop the suspect before he ever got on that plane... and that they knew that al Qaeda in Yemen wanted to attack the U.S. homeland; but once again they didn't connect the dots.
Also, turns out the top official in charge of analyzing terror threats - Michael Leiter - went on a ski vacation only two-days after the Christmas bombing attempt.
Then, a few days later, another man breaches security at Newark Airport - resulting in a version of a Keystone Cops movie. The terminal is locked down, thousands of people are stranded and have to be to be re-screened. But no one could find the guy because, among other things, the security cameras weren't working properly and hadn't been for several days.
The upshot of all this: The transportation security administration has taken full responsibility for the security breach and an officer has been re-assigned to non-screening duties after that fiasco. In other words, the guy who causes all the chaos at Newark Airport still has his job and so do all the officials in charge of protecting the flying public. And we pay their salaries.
Here’s my question to you: How safe do you feel when flying?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Shawn writes:
I fly all the time for work and statistically it is still much, much safer than driving a car. I am tired of this fear in the media and the government about this one guy’s failed attempt to blow up one flight out of 28,000 daily flights. I don't fear flying any more or any less because of this incident.
Matt from Flagstaff, Arizona writes:
I feel safer flying now than I did prior to 9/11. What concerns me is the intelligence community’s ability to connect the dots. The system is overwhelmed. It needs streamlining.
Amanda writes:
I don't feel safe at all anymore. If TSA can't keep their security cameras functioning properly, who's to say they'll be able to detect something hidden in some guy's bag?
Russell from Utah writes:
I feel perfectly safe still flying in the states. Yes, there were steps that were missed, and things that should have been done, but all in all air travel is still much safer than all other forms of transportation.
Joshua writes:
I don't feel safe flying. These people are paid to protect us and have failed a couple of times in a matter of weeks. I’d rather spend my time taking the train.
Daniel writes:
I fly weekly for 60% of the year and honestly feel VERY safe. I am more scared of drunk/intoxicated drivers than of terrorists - the odds of me dying at the hands of the former are FAR greater than the latter.
Peter from Stockbridge, Georgia writes:
Get a grip, Jack! It's still one HELL of a lot safer to fly then to drive!