Right-to-Life and the Tea Party Should Join Hands to Protect Innocents Like Terri Schiavo

Kevin Fobbs suggests that Right-to-Life and the Tea Party join forces to protect the life of innocents from "death panels" such as the one that took the life of Terri Schiavo in 2005:

Sarah Palin, the numerous Tea party patriots, and last summer's warnings of
potential unrepentant death panels taking hold of life-and-death medical
decisions stirred up a nation and brought focus to one of the most important
issues of our past decade. That is who determines our quality of life? What
about at the last stage of our life or even at its beginning? Should it be the
government, hospital staff, or anyone else beside ourselves? These
issues must be addressed in the new decade as well.

For example, it has been nearly five years since Terri Schindler Schiavo,
an innocent and helpless Florida woman was deprived of God's most precious and
enduring gift that he could give us and that is the breath of life. Terri's father Robert Schindler — who sadly passed away last August — once told me that Terri is one of God's angels now. Perhaps the lesson of her life was to not only show us how we must appreciate life each and every day but to understand to what lengths those among our leadership will do to snatch it away creating incredible personal wreckage in its wake....

So you can see the angst that many in the Tea Party movement last summer
might have had with the possibility of the government taking over health care
decisions regarding the quality of our lives and who deserves to live or die (and when this will happen!) A "death panel" by any other name might still well be a potential life-stripping bureaucracy....

you will see there are countless innocents like Terri facing the same unconcerned and unloving outsiders who want to make decisions about our lives and those of our loved ones.So perhaps now is the time for Right-to-Life to meet the American Tea Party with an understanding or appreciation of how important it is to say just a simple word.

"Stop"

Stop making decisions that will take away our right to a second, third, or fourth opinion, if it is necessary. Stop under-appreciating the life of a person by assigning a "one-size-fits-all quality of life measurement." Stop deciding that life is something pursued only until it becomes a difficulty for a family member who tires of caring, or a medical system and a government that says that "we don't want you to live because we don't want to afford it."...

If a Sarah Palin wants to stand firm in her belief to promote the idea that "death panels" may be skulking around the medical bureaucracy corner and therefore "let us be on the watch," then let's not admonish her or dismiss her because a 1,000 plus page congressional bill — largely unread by most of those in congress voting for it — says that it is not true....

So in 2010 and beyond if we need to have more Tea parties or more people like Sarah Palin standing up and going rogue, then so be it because it is not just an election or control of congress or the presidency that hangs in the balance but it is whether or not our children, our grandchildren, and our nation's future are put on life support until a medical panel decides the time and place when they will pull the plug.

Only God has that power.

Help the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation: http://www.terrisfight.org/, make this the decade of life beginning with Terri's Day 2010, which will be observed each
year on March 31, the anniversary of her death.

Stand up and stand strong!

Read the entire article here.

Sarah Palin's Opponents Dismiss Her At Their Peril

Candian Arthur Milnes recounts a conversation a Queens University student had during a visit with former prime minister Brian Mulroney:

It was October of 2008 and the student, a Barack Obama fan like most Canadians,made a dismissive comment to Mulroney, well-known as the Canadian prime minister who knew and still knows our neighbors best, about then Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The student continued.

"She's tough to take seriously, isn't she Mr. Mulroney?"

Mulroney looked directly at his young visitor from Kingston before
replying.

"I don't know Governor Palin," he said, "but I will tell you this. While it does look like Obama will win in a few weeks time, I'd hardly dismiss Palin if I were you. If there has been one winner for the Republicans
this year it has been her. I expect she'll be playing a major role in her party for some time to come."

Milnes continues:

This exchange was on my mind the other day as I walked into a bookstore and bought Palin's new memoir, "Going Rogue."

If truth be known, I've been a secret fan of Palin ever since the last American presidential campaign. While I share few of her beliefs, particularly about social matters, her meteoric rise has been fascinating to watch. She's touched about every third rail in American politics and one has to least admire the former Alaska governor's courage for doing so.

And this fall, as the pundits and professors arrogantly dismissed her again, countless Americans have been lining up to hear her message as she's embarked upon a book tour to places in Middle America the elites in New York City couldn't even spell. With the realities of office now wilting Obama's bloom, she's been given a second look by many millions of the so-called ordinary folks who live south of us.

Republicans, who have now lost the White House and the Congress, sure don't appear to have any other stars on the horizon. Like the chattering classes up here, they have been so busy dismissing Palin that she has snuck her success right by them.

As the old Canadian conservative John Diefenbaker used to say when under attack by the Canadian versions of the U.S. sophisticates now dining out on Palin, "Everybody is against me - except the people." In the run-up to the 1957 election that saw Diefenbaker and his party end 22 years of Liberal Party rule in Canada, a junior cabinet minister in the about-to-be-defeated Liberal government told a journalist that he was glad that the Canadian election had yet not been held that year. Had that happened, he intoned at a cocktail party in our capital, democracy would not have been served as his Liberals would have won every seat in our Parliament!

Diefenbaker, who wasn't much for cocktail parties, faculty clubs or the fine-dining set anyway, did indeed win the election the Liberal had not been worried about and went on to rule Canada for almost six years as prime minister.

He goes on to recount other examples and ends with this astute observation:

Dismissing Palin is far too easy.
Her opponents do so at their peril.

Read the entire article here.

Sarah Palin: The Shadow President. Obama: State-Run Media’s Favorite Harvard Elitist.

Several reactions to Sarah Palin’s facebook post. Many from a great resource: Doug Brady of Conservatives 4 Palin.

Chris Cillizza at WaPo:

We've noted before in this space that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is using Facebook to serve as a sort of shadow president, a constant counter to President Obama on nearly every issue. Palin's latest missive came late Tuesday when she decried Obama's approach to terrorism as "fatally flawed" because the administration sees the issue through a law enforcement lens rather than a national security one. Palin's Facebook riffs allow her to speak directly to those who share her worldview without having to wade through questions from the news media seeking deeper answers to the complex problems she is addressing. The goal? Perhaps to install Palin as the obvious foil to the current president thereby giving her the right of first refusal when the 2012 Republican presidential primary fight comes around.

Another Black Conservative:

From the moment Janet Napolitano came out with her clown statement that the “system worked”, you just knew Sarah Palin was going to have something to say about how this administration handles terror.

In typical no nonsense fashion Palin points out the emptiness of Obama’s latest statements and calls out the various absurdities of treating terror suspects as common criminals.

How is it that Palin, who the left would have us believe is a hayseed, can in three simple paragraphs so clearly state who are enemy is, the threat that they pose and the correct way to deal with them, meanwhile the supposed “intellectual giant” Obama needs days and days and days to state the obvious that the system failed?

Mark Noonan:

This shows a clear sighted grasp of what we’re up against and likely reflects the fact that Sarah Palin has had far more real world and executive experience than Obama has - even after Obama has been in office for nearly a year. Obama needs to wake up from the leftist delusions about why terrorists do what they do. He also needs to lay aside ivory tower concepts of how terrorists should be treated when captured. If he doesn’t change, very soon, then the cost of his policies will be paid for in blood.

We made a horrendous mistake in November of 2008 and we can only partially undo it in 2010 - for the most part, we’re stuck with our foolishness until January 20th, 2013. Let this be a lesson to those who complain that this or that GOP candidate isn’t conservative “enough” - true, always better to have a true-blue conservative, but better a RINO than a liberal Democrat. Lives are at stake, and we can’t mess around and hope to put it all back together again later.

Blog Stella Pundit:

When the really hard times hit this year – and oh, they will – Americans will find no reassuring strength or warmth in the newly royalist White House. And in their pain and despair, they will turn to the motherly dynamo from Alaska, Sarah Palin, who spends Christmas with her family serving a community dinner in her hometown of Wasilla. Sarah Palin, who always lovingly mentions the troops and their family’s sacrifice everywhere she goes. Sarah Palin, the Alaskan fox with a servant’s heart and a lion’s strength.

By the time the election of 2012 rolls around, it will merely confirm what is already well-established in the people’s minds and hearts: President Sarah Palin.

Hillbuzz:

Whether Democrats or the MSM realize it or not, a Resistance Movement is forming in this country. Regular citizens are starting to band together in preparation to do what political leaders and those in government are too stupid to do: resist this current president’s desperate slouch towards socialism and his fey, effete, ludicrously naive approach to Muslim terrorists.

Islam wants to destroy the West.

Islam is not a religion: it is a political, commercial, ideological, and criminal organization disguised as a religion so that it can use Liberals within our own borders as Fifth Column enablers of its attacks upon US interests.

The Resistance needs a leader, and we hope Governor Palin stands up in 2010 and becomes that woman, so in 2012 she can become our president.

Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit:

Sarah Palin schools the state-run media’s favorite Harvard elitist. From her Facebook page Sarah Palin lectures Obama on his lack of comprehension

Lisa Graas:

Governor Palin's firm, reasoned approach to combating terrorism ranks among her greatest strengths and her latest statement bears this out more clearly than ever. She is concise in her analysis and offers "no nonsense" language that cuts clearly through the obscurities in rhetoric commonly offered by President Obama.

Combating terrorism is arguably the weightiest issue falling within the realm of the President's responsibilities toward the American people. For this reason, this particular statement by Governor Palin could be among her most important ever.

[...]

It is comforting to me to know that Sarah Palin understands this threat and offers a clear and prominent voice in America's public discourse as President Obama sleeps at the wheel. Governor Palin is right to say that his approach to terrorism is "fatally flawed". In other words, any plan that is not based on an understanding of the problem outlined above is bound to fail.

It's clear that America made a huge mistake in November 2008. Hopefully the country will get through the remaining three years of Obama's tenure despite his reckless disregard for the safety of its citizens. I'm reminded of Governor Palin's prophetic warning at her RNC speech:

Al-Qaida terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights?

Stephanie Condon for CBS:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin railed against President Obama today, saying "his fundamental approach to terrorism is fatally flawed" and that "the real nature of the terrorist threat requires a commander-in-chief, not a constitutional law professor."

The same day the president met with his national security team to discuss the security reviews he ordered after the alleged attempt to blow up a plane on Christmas Day, Palin posted a note on Facebook criticizing the administration's response to the event.

[...]

Palin fails to address the fact that the Bush administration prosecuted "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, an al Qaeda operative, in civilian court, and he is now serving a life term in maximum-security prison.

WHY DOES THE LEFT KEEP BRING UP THIS POINT? The response is the same, if it is Richard Reid or the Christmas Day bomber the same mistake was made. Which was allowing them to lawyer up and than clam up.

Original Post:
Governor Palin 4 President

President Obama To Sarah Palin: Where You Lead I Will Follow!

As most know by now, Sarah Palin slapped Barack Obama down just about as hard as one can metaphorically slap someone down over his complete and total failure to do his job of keeping America safe.

While we have a lot more to say on this subject coming forth, I just had to comment today on just how hard Sarah Palin is now pushing back on Obama and his inability to handle his job as Commander-in-Chief.

But first, a reminder of the smack down:

It’s War, not a Crime Spree

President Obama’s meeting with his top national security advisers does nothing to change the fact that his fundamental approach to terrorism is fatally flawed. We are at war with radical Islamic extremists and treating this threat as a law enforcement issue is dangerous for our nation’s security. That’s what happened in the 1990s and we saw the result on September 11, 2001. This is a war on terror not an "overseas contingency operation." Acts of terrorism are just that, not "man caused disasters." The system did not work. Abdulmutallab was a child of privilege radicalized and trained by organized jihadists, not an "isolated extremist" who traveled to a land of "crushing poverty." He is an enemy of the United States, not just another criminal defendant.

It simply makes no sense to treat an al Qaeda-trained operative willing to die in the course of massacring hundreds of people as a common criminal. Reports indicate that Abdulmutallab stated there were many more like him in Yemen but that he stopped talking once he was read his Miranda rights. President Obama’s advisers lamely claim Abdulmutallab might be willing to agree to a plea bargain – pretty doubtful you can cut a deal with a suicide bomber.

John Brennan, the President’s top counterterrorism adviser, bizarrely claimed "there are no downsides or upsides" to treating terrorists as enemy combatants. That is absurd. There is a very serious downside to treating them as criminals: terrorists invoke their "right" to remain silent and stop talking. Terrorists don’t tell us where they were trained, what they were trained in, who they were trained by, and who they were trained with. Giving foreign-born, foreign-trained terrorists the right to remain silent does nothing to keep Americans safe from terrorist threats. It only gives our enemies access to courtrooms where they can publicly grandstand, and to defense attorneys who can manipulate the legal process to gain access to classified information.

President Obama was right to change his policy and decide to send no more detainees to Yemen where they can be free to rejoin their war on America. Now he must back off his reckless plan to close Guantanamo, begin treating terrorists as wartime enemies not suspects alleged to have committed crimes, and recognize that the real nature of the terrorist threat requires a commander-in-chief, not a constitutional law professor.

- Sarah Palin

The title of her note is dead on, of course, but for me, the last line is the stuff legends and blog hits are made of!

I wonder if she went back and forth between "constitutional law professor" and "community organizer" in her head?

Either way, this is a scathing attack on Obama and an indictment on his lack of experience and skill to be either President or Commander-in-Chief.

The more I hear Sarah speak (or read her writings) the more I think of the Great Ronald Reagan and how he used one liners to simply destroy his opponents. Some were funny, like his crack to Walter Mondale about age, and some were just powerful, like "Mr. Gorbachev, tear...down...this...wall!"







Sure miss the Gipper!

Sarah’s latest hits that sweet spot just as well as Reagan used to. And she’s had Obama’s number since day one. She famously proclaimed at the 2008 RNC convention, as she was accepting her nomination as the GOP’s vice presidential candidate:

Before I became Governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

A great jab, but what many may have missed is the fact the Obama campaign actively sought to frame her as "just" a small town mayor. They were going out of their way to never mention the fact that she was the Governor of our largest state!

Another great moment in her 2008 speech, one that has turned out to be incredibly prophetic, especially on terrorism, is this:

This is a man [Barack Obama] who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he’s talking about his own campaign.

But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed … when the roar of the crowd fades away … when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot – what exactly is our opponent’s plan?

What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?

The answer is to make government bigger … take more of your money … give you more orders from Washington … and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it.

BOOM! Taste my nightstick!

Besides the great visuals in her speech, Sarah was dead on when it comes to how Barack Obama is working out as President. Sadly, everything she predicted is coming true.

Obama has notoriously dithered after every terrorist attack we have seen on American soil since he has taken office: Fort Dix, New Jersey, where a crazed Muslim terrorist attacked a recruiting office, Fort Hood, Texas, where a terrorist, and possible al Qaeda "sleeper" murdered our troops, to the Eunuchbomber on Christmas Day, Obama his been down right pathetic in his response.

So clueless is Obama that neither he, nor his CIA Director Leon Panetta, or even Panetta’s deputy director, Stephen Kappes, saw the need to return from their vacations to deal with terror attacks world wide. Remember, the CIA just lost one of it’s most strategic posts and seven very valuable officers when an al Qaeda "double agent" just waltzed into headquarters and blew himself and everyone else up.

So far, that’s three counts of terrorist attacks on American soil on Obama’s watch, as well as one incredibly major attack on us abroad. The three domestic attacks are the first since 9/11.

Obviously, Sarah is right, Obama and his clueless kumbaya approach to terrorism, coupled with his insistence to treat terrorists like someone who just robbed the corner liqueur store is gonna get a whole lot of Americans killed!

It’s war, not a crime spree!

-Sarah Palin

So, with that in mind, the nation listened to yet another incoherent drone from our clueless " constitutional law professor-in-chief" on Thursday. As in most cases, Obama talked a lot, but said basically nothing, something he does better than any man either living or dead.

I’m listening to this train wreck of a speech unfold, and out popped this gem from Obama’s teleprompter to my ears:

Over the past two weeks, we've been reminded again of the challenge we face in protecting our country against a foe that is bent on our destruction. And while passions and politics can often obscure the hard work before us, let's be clear about what this moment demands. We are at war. We are at war against al Qaeda, a far-reaching network of violence and hatred that attacked us on 9/11, that killed nearly 3,000 innocent people, and that is plotting to strike us again. And we will do whatever it takes to defeat them.

Sadly, one has to get twenty-six paragraphs into a thirty-three paragraph speech(including the "thank you" at the end) before one finds the revelation that we are, indeed, at war! Even sadder, this bit of basic truth is buried in the middle of the paragraph!

Baby steps, I guess.

Now this doesn’t sound like much, but for Obama and his 1960's hippy rejects running things, this is a marked change. This marks one of the first times Obama has actually referred to the war on terrorism, as war! That simply boggles the mind!

This is a guy whose Homeland Security Director, Janet "The System Worked" Napolitano dropped the "war on terror" language, as it might offend, in favor of "overseas contingency operation" and "terror attack" under Janet has become a "man-caused disaster"

Seems to me that "man-caused disaster" is a great description of the entire democrat/communist party in general and the Obama presidency in particular.

Obama is a guy who is giving Miranda rights to terrorists.

So, let’s recap:

January 5, 2010: Sarah Palin: "It’s war, not a crime spree."

January 7, 2010: Barack Obama: "We are at war."

A regular Sherlock Holmes this Obama fellow.

Sarah is right, we need a Commander-in-Chief, not a constitutional law professor.

This is rapidly becoming a pattern. Obama "acting stupidly" followed by Sarah Palin taking him to the woodshed, followed by Obama then forced to react.

In honor of Obama’s realization that we are indeed at war with al Qaeda, once Sarah reminded him, I ‘d like to dedicate this song for Mr Obama to Sarah Palin.

Palin talks about Facebook note

Sean Hannity interviewed former Governor Sarah Palin on his radio show on Wednesday and Palin had the opportunity to briefly address some of the same issues she pointed out in a recent Facebook note.

"What we need to do is start with a commander in chief who understands and acknowledges the evil in these Islamic extremist beliefs," Palin said.

Palin stood firm and reminded everyone that these extreme Islamists are willing to kill innocent people, citing the terrorist attack at Fort Hood and the underwear bomber--events that might not immediately be recognized as terrorist attacks. Palin said, "We must be committed to victory in this war in defeating those who are hellbent on defeating us and America."

Palin launched her Facebook missile at the Obama administration and didn't hold back any punches stating how Obama's national security is fatally flawed. Palin elaborated on that in the interview and reminded Americans that we can't give up and back off on our criticism. "Politically how we can correct some of the errors that have been made in this lack of acknowledgement of what the war on terror actually means," Palin said, "is we can fire our public servants who don't get it."

Listen to the interview below to hear what else the former Governor had to say on such issues as her reaction to the Christmas Eve vote, death panels, sweetheart deals, and how true change can occur in 2010. . .






Follow @PalinExaminer on Twitter and on Facebook.

Interview with Cathy Maples Winner of Sarah Palin Dinner Experience

In September 2009, Ride2Recovery auctioned a dinner experience with Todd and Sarah Palin, the proceeds of which benefit the organization's wounded warrior efforts. Cathy Maples, President, R & D Electronics was the winning bidder. Precise scheduling arrangements cannot be discussed; however, Ms. Maples is looking forward to dining with Governor Palin.

R & D is a Native American Woman-Owned 8(a) company, supplying electronic assemblies, distribution and control boxes, electro-mechanical assemblies, and optics to the United States government and its prime contractors for over 30 years. The company won Lockheed Martin's ESBA Supplier Award, and Cathy Maples can be seen in this photo receiving the trophy:



Nicole Champion (left), ESBA STAR Program and Jan Tingle (center), PSP Program coordinator, present the ESBA Star Supplier trophy to Cathy Maples, President of R & D Electronics, Inc.

Following is the complete transcript of an interview of Cathy Maples by Ron Devito, Editor and Publisher, US for Palin.

Devito: Tell me a little about yourself.

Maples: I am a 53-year-old female and I own my business. I went to work in the shop for R & D Electronics, straight out of High School and attended College at night. I worked my way up in the company and in 1993 was afforded the opportunity to buy majority interest in R & D. After writing an extensive plan for the bank; a loan was approved which allowed me to become majority shareholder at R & D. I have spent 18+ hours a lot of days because I didn’t have the resources to hire additional people to help. My passion is to lead my small business to further success by providing jobs, funding for our local schools and support to my community. I have two handsome grandsons who I spend a lot of time with now and I am trying to get them involved in participating and helping our country get back on the right track.

Devito: "How did you learn about the Ride 2 Recovery auction of the Dinner Experience with Gov. Palin?"

Maples: I heard the Ride 2 Recovery auction advertised on TV. I then went to the internet and did further research on it.

Devito: What prompted you to bid?

Maples: Again, my grandsons are at a formative stage in life and I wanted them to experience being around someone in politics that wanted what is best for the United States in lieu of politics as usual.

Devito: What is your personal connection to wounded veterans?

Maples: My brother spent 20+ years in the Army, he served in Viet Nam where he contracted Leukemia from Agent Orange (We lost him to Leukemia). I have a nephew in the Army now and had two other brothers who served in the Army. I work closely with defense contractors and have seen firsthand the patriotism of some of these men who serve our country. I have seen tears in the eyes of colonel’s when they have talked about our soldiers in the field and the equipment and support these guys need to perform their job.

Devito: Though the principal purpose of a dinner such as this is to help wounded veterans, you will be in Gov. Palin’s company for up to four hours….please elaborate on your opinion and support of her.

Maples: I like that she is for smaller government, less taxes and the government being on the side of the people. She understands that the Senators, Congressional people, and the President are hired by the people to work for the people (I don’t believe some in Washington are aware of that any longer, they belittle the opinions of the voters). I believe she would listen to the people who elected her and want what is best for our country in lieu of politics as usual in Washington.

Devito: You thought well enough of Gov. Palin to want to dine with her….post-dinner….what are your hopes or plans as they relate to Gov. Palin and your support of her?

Maples: I would love to see her in the White House in 2012. If we continue spending another three years plus four more years at the rate we have the last 12 months, I am afraid the United States as we have known it will no longer exist. I don’t like my grandchildren already being in debt for the current generation to frivolously spend on the pork barrel projects and on other projects that have no meaning. If government would back off, lower taxes and revert back to the way business was done under President Reagan we could have a full recovery.

Devito: Same question as directly above, but related to wounded veterans, Ride 2 Recovery, or other organizations such as Wounded Warrior Project, Fisher House, Homes for our Soldiers, etc.

Maples: Again, I fully support our veterans through my prayers and through monetary consideration. I am thankful for the freedom I enjoy every day and I know it is because a veteran fought and sacrificed for it. I think it is very important that all soldiers know they have our support and feel honored to tell all I see in my business travels how thankful I am for their service to our wonderful country. I have donated to Wounded Warrior and Ride 2 Recovery. I have approached soldiers in the airport while traveling and thanked them for their service to our country and the freedoms we enjoy because they fought for our country to be free.

Devito: Anything else you wish to add?

Maples: It is time to take America back. The hope and what little change is going to be left after paying for bigger government is not going to work. I want Americans to send a message to Washington and not re-elect the people who voted against what the people wanted, and used back door deals such as the one in Nebraska and Louisiana. The votes Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu cast was not for a changed policy on health care, but a deal that would benefit their state only. I liked McCain’s platform, "Country First," but it is evident with the current administration that it is certainly not Country First.

Prior Coverage:

Cathy Maples Wins Sarah Palin Dinner

A private dinner with Sarah and Todd, sometimes you may not be the winner on eBay!

Sarah Palin Announces Charity Dinner

Ride to Recovery, Wounded Warriors eBay auction!

Ride2Recovery Charity Auction: Dinner for 5 with Todd and Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin: It's War, Not a Crime Spree

Complete transcript of Governor Palin's Facebook Note:

It’s War, not a Crime Spree

Today at 3:39pm EST

President Obama’s meeting with his top national security advisers does nothing to change the fact that his fundamental approach to terrorism is fatally flawed. We are at war with radical Islamic extremists and treating this threat as a law enforcement issue is dangerous for our nation’s security. That’s what happened in the 1990s and we saw the result on September 11, 2001. This is a war on terror not an “overseas contingency operation.” Acts of terrorism are just that, not “man caused disasters.” The system did not work. Abdulmutallab was a child of privilege radicalized and trained by organized jihadists, not an “isolated extremist” who traveled to a land of “crushing poverty.” He is an enemy of the United States, not just another criminal defendant.

It simply makes no sense to treat an al Qaeda-trained operative willing to die in the course of massacring hundreds of people as a common criminal. Reports indicate that Abdulmutallab stated there were many more like him in Yemen but that he stopped talking once he was read his Miranda rights. President Obama’s advisers lamely claim Abdulmutallab might be willing to agree to a plea bargain – pretty doubtful you can cut a deal with a suicide bomber. John Brennan, the President’s top counterterrorism adviser, bizarrely claimed “there are no downsides or upsides” to treating terrorists as enemy combatants. That is absurd. There is a very serious downside to treating them as criminals: terrorists invoke their “right” to remain silent and stop talking. Terrorists don’t tell us where they were trained, what they were trained in, who they were trained by, and who they were trained with. Giving foreign-born, foreign-trained terrorists the right to remain silent does nothing to keep Americans safe from terrorist threats. It only gives our enemies access to courtrooms where they can publicly grandstand, and to defense attorneys who can manipulate the legal process to gain access to classified information.

President Obama was right to change his policy and decide to send no more detainees to Yemen where they can be free to rejoin their war on America. Now he must back off his reckless plan to close Guantanamo, begin treating terrorists as wartime enemies not suspects alleged to have committed crimes, and recognize that the real nature of the terrorist threat requires a commander-in-chief, not a constitutional law professor.

- Sarah Palin