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Obama: Yeah, looks like AQ to me
HotAir ^ | January 2, 2010 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 01/02/2010 8:43:05 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter

Barack Obama used his weekly address to acknowledge what everyone already knows — that the botched terrorist attack on Northwest 253 on Christmas Day was an al-Qaeda operation. However, despite the fact that everyone also knows that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab came from a wealthy family in Nigeria and studied at an expensive university in London, Obama made sure to lay the blame on Yemen’s “crushing poverty”: President Barack Obama laid blame Saturday on an al-Qaida affiliate for a Christmas Day terrorist attack that has prompted a top-to-bottom review of how the nation’s intelligence agencies failed to prevent the botched bombing aboard a Detroit-bound airliner. In his most direct public language to date, the president described the path through Yemen of 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian accused of trying to destroy Northwest Flight 253. The president also emphasized that the United States would continue its partnerships with friendly countries — citing Yemen, in particular — to fight terrorists and extremist groups around the globe. … “We’re learning more about the suspect,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address that the White House released on Saturday as the president vacationed in Hawaii. “We know that he traveled to Yemen, a country grappling with crushing poverty and deadly insurgencies. It appears that he joined an affiliate of al-Qaida, and that this group — al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula — trained him, equipped him with those explosives and directed him to attack that plane headed for America,” the president said. Yes, Yemen is a country with crushing poverty — and that has as much relevance to the attack as the fact that Yemen also sits across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia, another failed state with burgeoning terrorist networks. AQ exists in Yemen because its status as a failed state allows the terrorists to operate with near-impunity, along with a certain amount of official sympathy. The latter can be seen from their catch-and-release program for terrorists, the exact same program on which Obama proposed to rely in order to empty Gitmo of its Yemeni detainees. But “crushing poverty” had about as much to do with this attack as Christmas, which is to say only coincidence. Abdulmutallab lived a life of privilege. His father ran Nigeria’s Central Bank, and he had access to the best education money could buy. Instead, he got sucked into radical Islam and decided to dedicate his life to murdering others, and not out of any sense of hunger for food, but from the hunger of deadly malice that ate at his soul. Fighting terrorism is tough enough without remaining married to mythology. Many regions of the world suffer from “crushing poverty,” and yet all of the large-scale international terrorism these days comes from radical Islam, and its leaders and foot soldiers seem to come more from Abdulmutallab’s background than otherwise. Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that Obama’s pre-Christmas Homeland Security briefing never mentioned Yemen as a potential threat: President Barack Obama received a high-level briefing only three days before Christmas about possible holiday-period terrorist threats against the US, Newsweek has learned. The briefing was centered on a written report, produced by US intelligence agencies, entitled “Key Homeland Threats”, a senior US official said. The senior Administration official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said that nowhere in this document was there any mention of Yemen, whose Al-Qaeda affiliate is now believed to have been behind the unsuccessful Christmas Day attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to bring down a transatlantic airliner with a bomb hidden in his underpants. However, the official declined to disclose any other information about the substance of the briefing, including what kind of specific warnings, if any, the President was given about possibly holiday attacks and whether Yemen came up during oral discussions. None at all? Hadn’t the administration just assisted Yemen in bombing a meeting in AQ that killed as many as 30 terrorist leaders? Wouldn’t Obama have at least asked about Yemen as a potential threat? And doesn’t this sound very, very familiar?


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bho44; bhogwot; flight253; muslim; nationalsecurityfail; nonss; nss; obama; terror
Here is another columnist exposing Obama's incompetence.
1 posted on 01/02/2010 8:43:06 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

WOW “an al-Qaeda operation”? What a smart guy we have in the Oval office. sarc/


2 posted on 01/02/2010 8:46:48 AM PST by RC2
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

Barack Obama used his weekly address to acknowledge what everyone already knows — that the botched terrorist attack on Northwest 253 on Christmas Day was an al-Qaeda operation. However, despite the fact that everyone also knows that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab came from a wealthy family in Nigeria and studied at an expensive university in London, Obama made sure to lay the blame on Yemen’s “crushing poverty”:

President Barack Obama laid blame Saturday on an al-Qaida affiliate for a Christmas Day terrorist attack that has prompted a top-to-bottom review of how the nation’s intelligence agencies failed to prevent the botched bombing aboard a Detroit-bound airliner.

In his most direct public language to date, the president described the path through Yemen of 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian accused of trying to destroy Northwest Flight 253. The president also emphasized that the United States would continue its partnerships with friendly countries — citing Yemen, in particular — to fight terrorists and extremist groups around the globe.

“We’re learning more about the suspect,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address that the White House released on Saturday as the president vacationed in Hawaii.

“We know that he traveled to Yemen, a country grappling with crushing poverty and deadly insurgencies. It appears that he joined an affiliate of al-Qaida, and that this group — al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula — trained him, equipped him with those explosives and directed him to attack that plane headed for America,” the president said.

Yes, Yemen is a country with crushing poverty — and that has as much relevance to the attack as the fact that Yemen also sits across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia, another failed state with burgeoning terrorist networks. AQ exists in Yemen because its status as a failed state allows the terrorists to operate with near-impunity, along with a certain amount of official sympathy. The latter can be seen from their catch-and-release program for terrorists, the exact same program on which Obama proposed to rely in order to empty Gitmo of its Yemeni detainees.

But “crushing poverty” had about as much to do with this attack as Christmas, which is to say only coincidence. Abdulmutallab lived a life of privilege. His father ran Nigeria’s Central Bank, and he had access to the best education money could buy. Instead, he got sucked into radical Islam and decided to dedicate his life to murdering others, and not out of any sense of hunger for food, but from the hunger of deadly malice that ate at his soul.

Fighting terrorism is tough enough without remaining married to mythology. Many regions of the world suffer from “crushing poverty,” and yet all of the large-scale international terrorism these days comes from radical Islam, and its leaders and foot soldiers seem to come more from Abdulmutallab’s background than otherwise.

Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that Obama’s pre-Christmas Homeland Security briefing never mentioned Yemen as a potential threat:
President Barack Obama received a high-level briefing only three days before Christmas about possible holiday-period terrorist threats against the US, Newsweek has learned. The briefing was centered on a written report, produced by US intelligence agencies, entitled “Key Homeland Threats”, a senior US official said.

The senior Administration official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said that nowhere in this document was there any mention of Yemen, whose Al-Qaeda affiliate is now believed to have been behind the unsuccessful Christmas Day attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to bring down a transatlantic airliner with a bomb hidden in his underpants. However, the official declined to disclose any other information about the substance of the briefing, including what kind of specific warnings, if any, the President was given about possibly holiday attacks and whether Yemen came up during oral discussions.

None at all? Hadn’t the administration just assisted Yemen in bombing a meeting in AQ that killed as many as 30 terrorist leaders? Wouldn’t Obama have at least asked about Yemen as a potential threat?

And doesn’t this sound very, very familiar


3 posted on 01/02/2010 8:47:00 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

(shivers) He makes me proud as an American! (shivers)


4 posted on 01/02/2010 8:50:23 AM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
Paragraphs are your friend.

Here is a salient point out of all this:

President Barack Obama received a high-level briefing only three days before Christmas about possible holiday-period terrorist threats against the US, Newsweek has learned. The briefing was centered on a written report, produced by US intelligence agencies, entitled “Key Homeland Threats”, a senior US official said.

The senior Administration official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said that nowhere in this document was there any mention of Yemen, whose Al-Qaeda affiliate is now believed to have been behind the unsuccessful Christmas Day attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to bring down a transatlantic airliner with a bomb hidden in his underpants.

Yemen has been in the news for weeks. I believe Obama just recently remarked on Yemen and their attacks on AQ sites. How can it be that an intelligence briefing would not include Yemen in the analysis? How could it be that those briefing Obama wouldn't see that Yemen data got into the report, even had there not been actionable data?

This is a big item. Let's see what play it gets in the MSM (Yeah, I know...).

5 posted on 01/02/2010 8:52:59 AM PST by bcsco (Hey, GOP: The American Indians found out what happens when you don't control immigration...)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
Obama made sure to lay the blame on Yemen’s “crushing poverty

Folks, that's code for "let's give them US taxpayer money."

6 posted on 01/02/2010 8:58:49 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

WOW and it only took Lord Sauron Obama 7 days to figure this out, WOW he really is smart. It took me about 45 seconds.


7 posted on 01/02/2010 9:01:54 AM PST by stockpirate (Dec. 24, 2009, the day liberty in America died to applause in the US Senate. Republicans helped)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

I just got this from a friend and wish I had written it

I’d call it: THE THINGS THAT DONT MATTER

The Fundamental Transformation of America

When Obama wrote a book and said he was mentored as a youth by Frank, (Frank Marshall Davis) an avowed Communist, people said it didn’t matter.

When it was discovered that his grandparents, were strong socialist, sent Obama’s mother to a socialist school, introduced Frank Marshall Davis to young Obama, People said it didn’t matter.

When people found out that he was enrolled as a Muslim child in school and his father and step father were both Muslims, people said it didn’t matter.

When he wrote in another book he authored â??I will stand with them (Muslims) should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.â? people said it didn’t matter..

When he admittedly, in his book, said he chose Marxist friends and professors in college, people said it didn’t matter.

When he traveled to Pakistan , after college on an unknown national passport, people said it didn’t matter..

When he sought the endorsement of the Marxist party in 1996 as he ran for the Illinois Senate, people said it doesn’t matter.

When he sat in a Chicago Church for twenty years and listened to a preacher spew hatred for America and preach black liberation theology, people said it didn’t matter.

When an independent Washington organization, that tracks senate voting records, gave him the distinctive title as the “most liberal senator”, people said it didn’t matter.

When the Palestinians in Gaza , set up a fund raising telethon to raise money for his election campaign, people said it didn’t matter.

When his voting record supported gun control, people said it didn’t matter.

When he refused to disclose who donated money to his election campaign, as other candidates had done, people said it didn’t matter.

When he received endorsements from people like Louis Farrakhan and Mummar Kadaffi and Hugo Chavez, people said it didn’t matter.

When it was pointed out that he was a total, newcomer and had absolutely no experience at anything except community organizing, people said it didn’t matter.

When he chose friends and acquaintances such as Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn who were revolutionary radicals, people said it didn’t matter..

When his voting record in the Illinois senate and in the U.S. Senate came into question, people said it didn’t matter.

When he refused to wear a flag, lapel pin and did so only after a public outcry, people said it didn’t matter.

When people started treating him as a Messiah and children in schools were taught to sing his praises, people said it didn’t matter.

When he stood with his hands over his groin area for the playing of the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, people said it didn’t matter.

When he surrounded himself in the White house with advisors who were pro gun control, pro abortion, pro homosexual marriage and wanting to curtail freedom of speech to silence the opposition people said it didn’t matter.

When he aired his views on abortion, homosexuality and a host of other issues, people said it didn’t matter.

When he said he favors sex education in Kindergarten, including homosexual indoctrination, people said it didn’t matter.

When his background was either scrubbed or hidden and nothing could be found about him, people said it didn’t matter.

When the place of his birth was called into question, and he refused to produce a birth certificate, people said it didn’t matter.

When he had an association in Chicago with Tony Rezco, a man of questionable character, who is now in prison and had helped Obama to a sweet deal on the purchase of his home, people said it didn’t matter.

When it became known that George Soros, a multi-billionaire Marxist, spent a ton of money to get him elected, people said it didn’t matter.

When he started appointing czars that were radicals, revolutionaries, and even avowed Marxist/Communist, people said it didn’t matter.

When he stood before the nation and told us that his intentions were to “fundamentally transform this nation” into something else, people said it didn’t matter.

When it became known that he had trained ACORN workers in Chicago and served as an attorney for ACORN, people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed a cabinet members and several advisors who were tax cheats and socialist, people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed a science czar, John Holdren, who believes in forced abortions, mass sterilizations and seizing babies from teen mothers, people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Cass Sunstein as regulatory czar and he believes in “Explicit Consent”, harvesting human organs with out family consent, and to allow animals to be represented in court, while banning all hunting, people said it didn’t matter..

When he appointed Kevin Jennings, a homosexual, and organizer of a group called gay, lesbian, straight, Education network, as safe school czar and it became known that he had a history of bad advice to teenagers, people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Mark Lloyd as diversity czar and he believed in curtailing free speech, taking from one and giving to another to spread the wealth and admires Hugo Chavez, people said it didn’t matter.

When Valerie Jarrett was selected as Obama’s senior White House advisor and she is an avowed Socialist, people said it didn’t matter.

When Anita Dunn, White House Communications director said Mao Tse Tung was her favorite philosopher and the person she turned to most for inspiration, people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Carol Browner as global warming czar, and she is a well known socialist working on Cap and trade as the nations largest tax, people said it doesn’t matter.

When he appointed Van Jones, an ex-con and avowed Communist as green energy czar, who since had to resign when this was made known, people said it didn’t matter.

When Tom Daschle, Obama’s pick for health and human services secretary could not be confirmed, because he was a tax cheat, people said it didn’t matter.

When as president of the United States , he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , people said it didn’t matter.

When he traveled around the world criticizing America and never once talking of her greatness, people said it didn’t matter.

When his actions concerning the middle-east seemed to support the Palestinians over Israel , our long time friend, People said it doesn’t matter.

When he took American tax dollars to resettle thousands of Palestinians from Gaza to the United States , people said it doesn’t matter.

When he upset the Europeans by removing plans for a missile defense system against the Russians, People said it doesn’t matter.

When he played politics in Afghanistan by not sending troops the Field Commanders said we had to have to win, people said it didn’t matter.

When he started spending us into a debt that was so big we could not pay it off, people said it didn’t matter.

When he took a huge spending bill under the guise of stimulus and used it to pay off organizations, unions and individuals that got him elected, people said it didn’t matter.

When he took over insurance companies, car companies, banks, etc. people said it didn’t matter.

When he took away student loans from the banks and put it through the government, people said it didn’t matter.

When he designed plans to take over the health care system and put it under government control, people said it didn’t matter.

When he set into motion a plan to take over the control of all energy in the United States through Cap and Trade, people said it didn’t matter.

When he finally completed his transformation of America into a Socialist State , people finally woke up......... but it was too late.

Any one of these things, in and of themselves does not really matter. But.... when you add them up one by one you get a phenomenal score that points to the fact that our Obama is determined to make America over into a Marxist/Socialist society. All of the items in the preceding paragraphs have been put into place. All can be documented very easily. Before you disavow this, do an internet search. The last paragraph alone is not yet cast in stone. You and I will write that paragraph.. Will it read as above or will it be a more happy ending for most of America ? Personally, I like happy endings.

If you are an Obama Supporter, please do not be angry with me because I think your president is a socialist but there are too many facts supporting this. If you seek the truth you will be richer for it. Don’t just belittle the opposition. Search for the truth. I did. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Constitutionalist, Libertarians and what have you, we all need to pull together. We all must pull together or watch the demise of a society that we all love and cherish. If you are a religious person, pray for our nation.

Never before in the history of America have we been confronted with problems so huge that the very existence of our country is in jeopardy. Don’t rely on most television news and what you read in the newspapers for the truth. Search the internet. Yes, there is a lot of bad information, lies and distortions there too but you are smart enough to spot the fallacies. Newspapers are a dying breed. They are currently seeking a bailout from the government. Do you really think they are about to print the truth? Obama praises all the television news networks except Fox who he has waged war against. There must be a reason... He does not call them down on any specifics, just a general battle against them. If they lie, he should call them out on it but he doesn’t. Please, find the truth, it will set you free.

Our biggest enemy is not China , Russia , Iran ; no, our biggest enemy is a contingent of politicians in Washington DC .


8 posted on 01/02/2010 9:15:59 AM PST by RaceBannon (OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE IS SHOVEL READY...FOR SENIORS!!:: NObama. Not my president.)
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To: RaceBannon
Wow, good job.

I'd post something clever but I can't stop shaking my head in complete amazement that this man is still in office, or was ever even elected.

WTF is wrong with this Country?

WAKE UP!!

9 posted on 01/02/2010 9:42:53 AM PST by Las Vegas Ron ("Because without America, there is no free world" - Canada Free Press - MSM where are you?)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
Captain Zer0, after observing numerous duck feathers scattered about, hearing loud duck quacks and stepping in large piles of duck poop, comes to an obvious conclusion. Way to go, Sherlock.
10 posted on 01/02/2010 9:44:50 AM PST by JPG (Al Gore, the several million degree man.)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

The islamist in Chief speaketh....


11 posted on 01/02/2010 9:52:58 AM PST by onedoug
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

It is interesting that to liberals everything is about money..too much or too little.

They can not seem to understand passion for a cause or a drive to succeed.


12 posted on 01/02/2010 9:56:25 AM PST by RnMomof7
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To: Las Vegas Ron

There is no waking up from this.


13 posted on 01/02/2010 10:01:12 AM PST by deadrock (Liberty is a bitch that needs to be bedded on a mattress of cadavers.)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

I am not kidding with this response. I believe I have more savy to be the POTUS than this clown.

95% of Freeper’s could do better!


14 posted on 01/02/2010 10:55:52 AM PST by mmanager (It is time to prune the tree.)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

Crushing poverty in Yemen has no relevance to Obama’s inattention, and dismantling, of National Security Structures. The bomber was a wealthy, privileged man from Nigeria rather than crushy povey Yemen. Obama tactic, misdirection!


15 posted on 01/02/2010 11:19:38 AM PST by ricks_place
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To: Presbyterian Reporter; Jet Jaguar; NorwegianViking; ExTexasRedhead; HollyB; FromLori; ...
The list, ping

let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list...

16 posted on 01/02/2010 6:51:01 PM PST by Nachum (The complete Obama list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

17 posted on 01/02/2010 7:57:15 PM PST by Diogenesis ("Those who go below the surface do so at their peril" - Oscar Wilde)
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