Didn’t they already start? The only reason more people aren’t dead in Stockholm was the incompetence of the bomber, who inadvertently killed himself after the first blast without killing anyone else. The difference is that the Stockholm 12/11 bomber looks less like a larger plot than what the Iraqis say they have uncovered with their own intel. CNN reports on the rumors of coordinated attacks against the West — and the paucity of details about them:
Should we do anything differently, as the CNN anchor suggests? We need to take it seriously and keep our eyes open for suspicious activity. We tend to rely on the authorities to do all the protecting, but security is a collaborative effort. The recent intrusive searches by TSA may well be a response to last year’s attack attempt, but we can ill afford the us-versus-them mentality towards our own security apparatus that those patdowns have produced. We need effective security protocols aimed at catching terrorists, not at satisfying some sort of bean-counting CYA that wastes resources on non-threats, both for better efficiency and to keep the American public partnered on national security.
And if we get through Christmas with no incidents, we also need to remember that it may not have been because the threat was non-existent, but because it was foiled quietly through forward action that prevented an attempt from taking place. I wouldn’t mind finding that in my Christmas stocking in nine days, no matter who leads the administration that provides it.
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