CBS - "Negroponte: We Are Safer Than Before 9/11"

[TomCADem]

Following Dick Cheney's and other Republican efforts to politicize the failed attempt to bomb a plane on Christmas Day with Fox gleefully quoting polls supporting the water boarding of the culprit, here is a surprisingly candid perspective from the former Director of National Intelligence under President George W. Bush:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/08/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6070998.shtml

The former Director of National Intelligence under President George W. Bush said today that President Obama has taken appropriate steps following the failed attempt to bomb a plane on Christmas Day and the intelligence failures that allowed suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board a Northwest Airlines jet.

On Thursday Mr. Obama directed the intelligence community to do a better job of "connecting the dots," saying, "Ultimately the buck stops with me. As president, I have a solemn responsibility to protect our nation and our people, and when the system fails, it is my responsibility."

The president announced a series of steps he says will help intelligence officials prevent breakdowns like the one on Christmas Day. CBS News White House correspondent Chip Reid reports the new measures include: assigning responsibility for investigating leads on high priority threats; wider and faster distribution of intelligence reports; strengthening the sharing of intelligence; and expanding the number people on watch lists - especially the no-fly list.

The White House also released a declassified a report on the Christmas Day bombing attempt.

"Well, I think it was good that he dealt with this so quickly, that they came up with this preliminary report so fast and that they've taken responsibility," John Negroponte, who also served as U.S. representative to the United Nations and as Ambassador to Iraq, said on CBS' "Early Show."

Negroponte said that Mr. Obama is "certainly moving comfortably into his commander in chief role."

"I think they've handled this situation well," he said. "Clearly something went seriously wrong in not getting this individual on the watch list that would have prevented him from getting on that aircraft."

[Zoeisright]

1. Yes, we are safer than before 9/11.

Now that Bush is gone, we are much safer. At least safer than we were 1/20/01 to 1/20/09.