One has to wonder how time-consuming, infuriating, and thoroughly invasive airport security will have to become in order to protect the traveling public. Yet as I watched, listened and read about the near impossibility of protecting people against explosive devices which can be hidden in underwear—or body cavities—I began to think that, maybe, our focus is completely misdirected.
First, trying to protect air travelers is a defensive measure, and airports are the last line of defense. Perhaps the first line of defense is telling countries now receiving American taxpayers dollars to combat terror that every attempted terrorist attack emanating from inside their borders will result in one or two penalties: a reduction in that aid, and/or a suspension of flights to American airports for a specific period of time. Nothing focuses the mind like self-interest—or money.
Second, and a heavy lift for an administration so "concerned" about terror that no one will be fired for the latest debacle: anyone, including American citizens, attempting to attack a jetliner, or any other form of public transportation will automatically be considered an "enemy combatant" with no Constitutional rights and no hope whatsoever of getting a civil trial.
Third, make it crystal clear to the world that our respect for a country's national sovereignty will no longer apply if we are attacked by terrorists whose activities originate in that country. Translation: we reserve the right to put an investigative, or military presence on the ground wherever U.S. interests are threatened. Any country which disagrees will incur the penalties referred to in article one above.
Fourth, America will reserve the right to surveil every mosque and madrassa in the United States, and those imams advocating the overthrow of our government will be subject to prosecution if they are American citizens—and subject to deportation if they are not. If we can arrest people who threaten the life of president, we can arrest people who threaten all of us.
Fifth, any non-citizen Muslim cleric currently allowed to proselytize in any prison in America will be removed, and all citizen clerics will be subjected to ongoing reviews. It is pure insanity that we allow prisoners to be radicalized right under our noses, lest we be charged with intolerance.
Sixth, another heavy lift for liberals and the Obama administration: in the same manner Wall Street changes its evaluation of a stock from "buy" to "neutral," the United States changes its politically correct view of Islam as a "religion of peace"—coupled with the "majority of Muslims are on our side"—to one of "actions speak louder than words." It is long past time where assumptions about the "true nature" of Islam give way to the realities of Islam. As I have said many times before, the Muslim majority is on no one's side. They are in wait-and-see mode, and will back the stronger horse when such becomes apparent.
Seventh, intelligent, and unabashed airport profiling with a focus on both behavior and ethnicity. We can't ignore the reality that terrorist wannabes are overwhelmingly young Muslim males (ethnicity), nor can we ignore people acting strangely (behavior). What we can ignore are people who insist political correctness should trump common sense and passenger safety. The Israelis apparently have an effective system. What do they know that we don't? It behooves us to find out.
Eighth, an expansion of the air marshal program. Maybe an armed guard on every flight is impossible, but we can certainly up the percentage.
Ninth, a no-brainer for everyone with a clue: kill terrorists wherever and whenever we get the opportunity. Kill lots of them, and stop pretending that people willing to strap on dynamite suits, who profess to "love death more than we love life" can be "rehabilitated" by some form of appeasement, therapy—or apologetic groveling.
Perfect solutions? Hardly. But if we are at "war," as even our dewy-eyed president was forced to admit, then the extraordinary as opposed to the ordinary, becomes part of the equation. Proactive, outside-box-thinking replaces reactive conventional wisdom. I make no claim of expertise, but it's time to think about solutions, no matter how imperfect.
For those obsessed with rights to the point of suicide, a perusal of American history will reveal that we have alternatively tightened and loosened our interpretation of rights with respect to war and peace. For example, habeas corpus was suspended by Abraham Lincoln in response to the Civil War. It was subsequently reinstated.
One last thing. It's long past time that someone in Washington, D.C. stated the obvious: we're the good guys, trying to defeat the bad guys. It's amazing how such a basic understanding of war gets mangled by elitist, PC-worshipping intellectuals for whom choosing sides is tantamount to jingoistic bigotry.
Perhaps someone should remind these folks that an "imperfect America" beats the hell out of a worldwide Islamic caliphate.
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