Christmas Tree Plot an Inside Job

Jena McNeill / November 29, 2010

On Friday, a Somali-born man attempted to blow up a van full of explosives at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. The FBI, however, had supplied him with a fake bomb and was able to arrest him immediately as part of a well-orchestrated string operation.

Kudos to the FBI for taking this plot down. Similarly to the recent D.C. Metro plot, the public was never in any danger—and that, of course, is a good thing.

What isn’t a good thing, however, is the recent focus on throwing security measures at airports. This isn’t the right way to tackle terrorism. Terrorists have proven—and this plot is one example—that they don’t just stage attacks against airports. America has an endless array of potential targets, each with their own vulnerabilities. Protecting every potential target or trying to child-proof America is unsustainable. (more…)