The British police claim to have uncovered a plot to blow up twenty or more aircrafts in mid flight. "Overnight police have arrested a number of people in London," a deliberately vague statement from the police announced. Flights from Britain to the United States face especially stringent security screening, which will result in lengthy delays. Does this mean some of the conspirators remain at large? As described, the terrorist conspiracy closely resembles Operation Bojinka, a complex terrorist endeavor in the mid-'90s aimed at blowing up numerous airplanes in flight. It's more than a decade later, and terrorists apparently remain transfixed on this old plan. Lack of imagination? An amazing amount of patience? A little bit of both?

UPDATE: The initial reports of a terrorist plot involving more than twenty planes has been scaled down to 6-10 planes. Rather than "a number" of arrests, the UK now states it has "21" under arrest in connection with the plot. Stateside, the color alerts are not only back, but raised to "red"--the highest level.

The religion of peace strikes again.

Damn. Now we'll have 24 hr coverage of this for the next few days.

Apparently these were homegrown terrorists.

We really need a moratorium on immigration while we totally rework the system. If not, then it's just a matter of time before homegrown terrorists of a certain religious persuasion start being active here.

So, now we're on "Red Alert" (whatever the F that means). Does that mean that our Border Patrol and Immigration watchers are on Red Alert as well?

If we don't get control of our own immigration problems, won't matter how many carry on bags or background checks they do.

And, PLEASE, let's drop the PC crap and start profiling.

The question is: why are we not always on Red Alert? Do the powers that be always have to wait for something to happen to get their antennas up?

What's up with the number 11? 11 Egyptians students just went missing, they just caught two guys in MI with 11,000 in cash, September 11, etc. There are more the truly interested, but it's freakin' weird.

Obi Juan

You are rignt. It would make much more sense to secure the homeland before we start going abroad to fight terrorists.

The american left has been up to their same old tricks, claiming this incident,is nothing more than a plot to help Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate. The tin-foil hat wearing leftist nuts were spewing their conspiracy theories all over today's talk shows.
Some things never change.

I happen to live on, or rather very near the southern border where the President visited earlier this year.
Since the President's visit we've had a steady parade of Congressmen and governors coming down to "get a handle" on border issues.
They fly down, then drive to the border, followed by a gaggle of reporters. They step out of their SUV into the 110 degree heat, spend five minutes shaking hands with a few border patrol, then hop back in their SUV, back to the airport, and fly out. I've yet to see a visit that lasted longer than two hours.
Nothing is being done, everyone just wants their photo op so it looks like they're doing something.
To show you how effective our border policing is, just in our particular sector they're catching roughly 10,000 people a month. Those are only the people trying to cross, not the people already here. They don't know how many people they miss, I've seen some estimates as high as double the number they are catching.
Should this country be hit with another terrorist attack I'll be amazed if they didn't come here by way of the southern or northern border.

Opus, I understand your frustration and agree generally with your concerns. However, I don't think the fact that the politicians show up, look around, and leave means that "nothing is being done". What exactly do we expect them to do? Go "Rambo" on the border, or blow the illegals back like Superman with their mighty hot-air breath?

There are a lot of very smart people looking at this problem. And it's a problem that been allowed to fester for 30 years (really more). It can't be fixed overnight. What really bugs me is that THIS what the US Government's real business is: Defense of the country, and creating an open marketplace. Not the other silly activities that the Federal Government is constantly getting involved in.

Homer,

I expect them to start being more vocal about getting something done. Unfortunately both parties, IMO, are too afraid of alienating hispanics and the businesses that have made themselves dependent on illegal aliens.
Neither party takes the problem seriously.