Congressman King gets it right

Like many of you, I had a Christmas Day that wasn’t completely filled with merry joy and ho-ho-ho. I got flipping mad when I learned of the botched terror attempt on Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian man with links to Al Qaeda, had explosive materials sewn into his underpants and was able to board an international flight. This after his own father warned the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria that his son could be a national security threat.

It gets worse. His name was on the counter-terrorism watch list, yet he was able to walk right through security without a single piece of luggage and board the plane.

He then attempted to light a firecracker in his pants. This man had a visa, issued less than two years ago, well after 9/11. I hate to think about what would have happened had it not been for Jasper Schuringa, the brave Dutch man who risked his life to thwart the explosives.

After flip-flopping several times, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted that our system had vulnerabilities. How is it possible that she hasn’t already resigned?

This isn’t a law enforcement issue. When are President Obama and his administration going to realize that this incident is part of our ongoing war on terror? This war is more important than bailouts or executive pay or health care reform, and must not be taken lightly.

So far, I’ve been less than impressed with Obama’s lackluster response. Was this incident solely his fault? Of course not, but contrary to Napolitano, the system failed and someone needs to be held accountable.

Our local Republican congressman, Peter King, should be commended and applauded. You may not always agree with the outspoken congressman, but he has taken a bold stand and offered up real solutions for reform.

Ironically, King was once Newsday’s daily target. It now appears he’s become the newspaper’s favorite son! In a recent article titled “A LI battler takes on terror,” King listed 10 recommendations for the Obama administration in its war on terror. They’re worth repeating, and should be taken under serious advisement.