Who Is Running the Asylum?

It has been over a month since I last discussed terrorism from the viewpoint of the Obama Administration and the failure of the intelligence community to take appropriate action in the case of the Christmas Day bomber, often referred to as the Underwear Bomber. In this past month we have learned so much more which has the citizens of this great nation wondering who is really in charge and why we get the impression that the crazies are running the asylum.

The administration because of political and media pressure has revealed that after the Christmas Day bomber was taken into custody in Detroit, he was questioned by the FBI for a period of fifty (50) minutes. Keep in mind that surely, Mr. Abdulmutallab had to be in extreme pain as a result of the failed attempt and that brings into question the efforts and validity of anything learned during those minutes. We also know that after that short questioning, Mr. Abdulmutallab was advised of his Miranda rights and immediately clammed up. He has been under security watch at a hospital ever since.

When I question who is in charge, too much cow manure has been thrown around to let the issue go without commentary. On Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, one week ago, Robert Gibbs, the Press Secretary for the White House appeared to dance around the question (TWICE) if the President knew about the decision to read the "CrotchBomber" his rights. Finally, after weeks of questioning by various media sources, the Attorney General Eric Holder
made the statement "I made the decision to charge Mr. Abdulmutallab with federal crimes, and to seek his detention in connection with those charges, with the knowledge of, and with no objection from, all other relevant departments of the government." But wait a second, that idea of "no objection and other relevant departments just doesn't ring true.

On January 20th, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator Jeff Sessions asked who in the "upper echelons" were involved in the Mirandizing decision?

* FBI Director Mueller testified he was not consulted.
* Director of National Intelligence, Dennis Blair testified that he was not consulted.
* Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano testified that she was not consulted.
* National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter testified that he was not consulted.
If none of these people were consulted, there is only one other person. As important as Erik Holder may think he is, he would not have done this on his own. The AG may be the fall guy in this decision but I am inclined to believe the President made the call.

This past Wednesday, Mr. Holder in a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that he took full responsibility for the decision and stated that "the wide-spread experience of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI is that many defendents will talk and cooperate once they have been advised of their right to remain silent".

We now have been told as if by magic that in fact, Mr. Abdulmutallab is telling all he knows and cooperating fully. In my opinion, this will give the White House justification for not turning him over to military authorities and I would make a further prediction that his "cooperation" will lead to a deal (a plea bargain) that will save him from the death penalty and perhaps even a
life sentence.