Bah!

[pyat]

Janet Napolitano, the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security claimed, earlier this week, that "most" terrorists come from Canada, and furthermore believes that the 9/11 hijackers came from Canada.

Addressing a question on the different security challenges facing the U.S. on its borders with Canada and Mexico, Napolitano said terrorists entering America have come mostly from Canada.

"To the extent that terrorists have come into our country, or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it's been across the Canadian border," Napolitano told the CBC. Asked if she was referring to the 9/11 attackers, Napolitano replied: "Not just those, but others as well."

This is partial justification for the DHS policy to treat the Canadian border exactly the same as the Mexican border. You know, all that propaganda about the "world's longest undefended border" is pretty much drying up, I think.

Comments

[zorinlynx.livejournal.com]

What these people fail to realize is that ANYONE can be a terrorist. You frequently don't even know someone is a terrorist until they commit a terrorist act. Greater border security will create an illusion that things are safe, when they really aren't. It's like liquids in your airline carry-on. Security theater.

If anything, the US/Canada border should be more lax. Being able to freely travel across the border without hinderance would be awesome and would probably bring both our countries advantages far outweighing the disadvantages.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

It sure was awesome and advantageous for the DECADES UPON DECADES in which that was the case.

[rowyn]

I wanted to fly ’round the world to see what I’d be missing,
but I can’t get on the plane ’cause my shampoo could kill us all.

--Matthew Ebel, "Goodbye Planet Earth"

I don't have anything to say about this that's printable. >.<

Okay, one thing:

Why is that many of the things I hated most about a Republican administration, the Democrats can't get right either? Grrrrrrrrrrr.

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, the American federal government doesn't have the money or the competence to surround the country with bayonets and webcams. They just wish they did. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't anything recognizable as a "department of homeland security" in ten years.

[lee-in-limbo.livejournal.com]

Homeland Security is going to be doing its damnedest to justify its existence in the coming months, given that it was Dubya's administration and scare tactics that brought it into being. Homeland Security sees the writing on the wall, and will start inventing hobgoblins to convince people they are still necessary. I can't wait to hear they've been sent packing. Images of Officer Dibbler on the unemployment line fill me with such a warm glow.

Lee.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I suspect their recent release about Right-Wing Extremist Threat was really more of an attempt to justify it's existence, as you say. "Oooh, Obama's making friends with Iran! Quick, let's say people who didn't vote for him are a big threat!"

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

"People who didn't vote for Obama" does not equate to "Right Wing Extremists", though there is surely some overlap.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

I think you're parsing me oddly. :)

I don't mean that everyone who voted McCain is a right-wing extremist, nor even a significant percentage. But I can say with near certainty that just about 0% of right-wing extremists voted for Obama.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Then allow me a clarifying demonstrative pronoun:
"Oooh, Obama's making friends with Iran! Quick, let's say these people who didn't vote for him are a big threat!"

[momentrabbit.livejournal.com]

Yup. Tru dat. They've been ramping up the crap for the last couple of years - seizing and cloning laptops a couple years back grabbed my attention - and now they're desperate to appear relevant. Making up boogiemen. And screwing with friends, so they *really* have to go now. :P

[waiwode.livejournal.com]

Let's ignore for a second that every single identified 9/11 terrorist landed in a US airport and passed through US Customs.

You really can't expect her to know all the facts. And all that mandatory waterboarding has her saying anything she thinks we want to hear. She's desperate to stop the sudden physiological shock that some left-wing bleeding heart liberals have erroneously described as "not entirely dissimilar to torture." Her fear of the CBC Interrogation Squad is clear, it's stamped on her features, visible to us all.

What? She hasn't been waterboarded?

Oh.

Nevermind, then.

Doug.

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

Evidently Homeland Security is not a branch of Intelligence.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Okay, minor quibble. Napolitano didn't claim that "terrorists entering America have come mostly from Canada". She said they've "entered our country...across the Canadian border".

One phrasing suggests she considers Canadians potential terrorists; the other, that she suggests Canadian border patrol be beefed up.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, the second is the case. I wasn't suggesting she said that the 9/11 terrorists were Canadian citizens.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Oh, not quibbling with you. Just pointing out the odd phrasing in the original comment on Napolitano's remark. And how one might wonder at the somewhat misleading choice of words.

Or maybe that's a regionalism -- "come from" connoting "originate in" as opposed to "arrive via".

[slwatson.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, Obama will do something about that stupidity.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

He's said some stuff about doing so, so, hopefully!

[slwatson.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no shit. I just got my heart cracked by this idiotic border policy.

[redregon.livejournal.com]

can't we hold her to the same standards as Wikipedia?

Tagged: Weasel words and CITATION NEEDED!

[asqmh.livejournal.com]

OMG U TERRORIST!

UR WIFE PROLLY HAZ A BOMB IN HER RACK! (Those are dice-bombs, duh!)

::headdesk::

Sometimes I claim to be from mars; it gets fewer disparaging stares.