Pilots association brings President Obama back down to earth

President Obama tried to look a little more presidential by playing a little fast and loose with the truth. And the Allied Pilots Association called him on it.

Here’s what the President said in his comments about the would-be Christmas airline bomber:

First, I directed that we take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the traveling public. We made sure that all flights still in the air were secure and could land safely. We immediately enhanced screening and security procedures for all flights, domestic and international. We added federal air marshals to flights entering and leaving the United States. And we’re working closely in this country, federal, state and local law enforcement, with our international partners.

Not so fast there, buckeroo. Turns out the Allied Pilots Association thinks the president is taking off on, shall we say, flights of fancy. They disputed his comments in an official statement:

The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, says most airborne flight crews weren’t notified of the Christmas Day terrorist attack on a Northwest Airlines A330. The group is calling for changes after what it describes as “communications failures” left the majority of airborne flight crews in the dark about the attempted bombing. In a message to members, the APA’s security committee said the Transportation Security Administration specifically told airlines to notify only the crews of airborne westbound trans-Atlantic flights of the attack on the Northwest flight on approach to Detroit. “The TSA should have mandated that information about this security event be passed on to all airborne flights,” says the message, which was passed to AVweb by a reader. The note says American complied with the directive but the APA says the airline should have told all of its in-flight crews of the incident “so that all of our captains would have been aware of the threat and could have made the proper adjustments to their in-flight security procedures.” The APA says it noted other communications failures in the chain of events.

The APA claims the initial notification of the incident came from the FAA and that the first direct contact between the airline and the TSA was about 12 hours after Umar Farouk Abdulmatallab allegedly injected an ignition substance into a package of PETN explosive sewn into his underwear. “Clearly, we have seen a large-scale communications breakdown concerning this terrorist event,” the note says. The APA says it has contacted the House Committee on Homeland Security with an eye toward making it policy that all airborne flight crews be notified immediately when there are serious security threats (Level 3 or Level 4). “It is essential in times like these that we act swiftly to ensure our crews are prepared to thwart any terrorist attack,” the association said.

Bottom line: The TSA only notified flights westbound for the United States, but no flights originating in the Unites States nor elsewhere.

In effect, it left hundreds of pilots flying blind. Because, apparently Janet Napolitano has already forgotten that homegrown terrorists like the Fort Hood shooter are out there.

Consider it more evidence that “the system worked.”

Source: National Review

This post was last modified on January 26, 2021

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  • Say, anyone see a pattern developing here?

    Obama's Envoy "Rashad Hussain" to Islamic Bloc Admits Controversial Statements About Supporter of Terror Group.

    Next, On Dec. 16, President Barack Obama's signed an executive order "Designating INTERPOL as a public international organization entitled to enjoy certain priileges, exemptions, and immunities." Why?

    Next, we have the three Navy SEALs who face assault charges for capturing one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq. Why?

    Next, The White House is not responding to questions about House Minority Leader John Boehner's (R.-Ohio) renewed call for the resignation of Harry Knox, a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Knox is the director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's most prominent homosexual rights group.

    Next, President Obama appointed Ron Bloom, "Manufacturing Czar" who cites Chairman Mao as a political guide.

    Next, President Obama appointed Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director. She stated in an address to high school students this past June that Chairman Mao Tse-tung was one of the two "philosophers" she most often turns to.

    Next, WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christian faith leaders stunned by reports that President Obama would have an ornament of the image of Mao Zedong hanging on the White House Christmas tree.

    Next, Valerie Jarrett helped to hire Van Jones, the self admitted Communist.

    Next, Valerie Jarrett also recruited Cass Sunstein into the administration. Obama appointed Sunstein as "regulatory czar" to direct the White House Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. You remember, this is the guy who wants to establish legal 'rights' for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts.

    Next, it's John Brennan, President Obama’s national security deputy, thinks Gitmo jihadi recidivism is “not that bad.”

    Next, Obama's relationship with Anti-Israel activism people like Rob Malley (Foreign Policy Advisor). Malley is the Director of the Middle East/North Africa Program at the International Crisis Group (ICG). Malley's Camp David propaganda has also become fodder for Palestinians, Arab rejectionists, and anti-Israel activists across the world.

    Next, Obama just met with the leaders of a collection of Jewish groups, ostensibly to quell their concerns about his approach towards Israel. Barely two weeks later, he gives The Medal of Freedom to Mary Robinson, an enemy of Israel AND the host and mastermind of the Durban Conference (anti-Semitic, anti-Israel). By bestowing of the Medal of Freedom on Mary Robinson it is a slap in the face to the pro-Israel community.

    Next, George Soros a man who has made clear his goal is to break the close bonds between America and Israel; a man who has also been a key financial backer of President Obama's; Soros is a funder of the ICG through his Open Society Institute; Other members of the Board include Zbigniew Brzezinski (whose anti-Israel credentials are impeccable) and Wesley Clark (who called US support for Israel during the Hezbollah War a "serious mistake".

    Next, Daniel Kurtzer another State Department official, blamed the Israeli response to terror attacks for "the radicalization of those Palestinians to violence". He does not characterize the perpetrators as terrorists but as "guerillas". accepts a false premise: that the Palestinian problem is the core of the conflict in the Middle East.

    Next, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. Beginning with her embrace of the impotent euphemism "man-caused disasters" to the hit job on conservatives and veterans that she was forced to apologize for, to her assertion that crossing the border illegally, "isn’t a crime per se", to her claim that 9/11 terrorists came in through the Canadian border, Ja-No has confirmed time and again that she’s as effective as HS Sect as she was as Governor at stopping the invasion in her home state (Arizona).

    Next, Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Georgetown University says it covered over the monogram “IHS”--symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ—because it was inscribed on a pediment on the stage where President Obama spoke at the university on Tuesday and the White House had asked Georgetown to cover up all signs and symbols there. Why?

    Next, Eric Holder has been busy. H.R. 2159, the Disarming American Citizens Act allowing anti-gun Attorney General Eric Holder to revoke the Second Amendment rights of ANY American he chooses based on pure “suspicion”; A new so-called “Assault Weapons” Ban, H.R. 45, the “Catch-All” Obama Gun Control Bill, and The U.N.’s so-called “Small Arms Treaty,” which would confiscate and destroy ALL “unauthorized” civilian firearms and set the stage for INTERNATIONAL gun confiscation.

    Next, Copenhagen was all about controlling the world's energy sources, then being able to dictate how that energy will be distributed -- and taxed. "Hopenhagen" was perhaps the most concrete step toward a one-world bureaucratic regime in recent history. This would have allowed the EPA to regulate it --
    read that 'tax it' and 'outlaw it' -- under the Clean Air Act.

    Next, President Obama Appoints John Holdren as Science Advisor. In 1977 Dr. Holdren and his colleagues Paul and Anne Ehrlich published the book Ecoscience. In it, Holdren and his co-authors endorse the serious consideration of radical measures to reduce the human population. The measures include: • People who “contribute to social deterioration” (i.e. undesirables) “can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility” — in other words, be compelled to have abortions or be sterilized. • Women — particularly women of insufficient means due to poverty, nationality, marital status, or youth — could be forced to abort their children and undergo sterilization. • Undesirable populations could be sterilized by infertility drugs intentionally put into drinking water or in food. • • A transnational “Planetary Regime” and a transnational police force should be assembled to enforce population control.
    This guy is nuts!

    Next, Air Force Retracted Invitation for Conservative Leader to Speak at Prayer Luncheon After He Criticized Obama's Position on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Dr. William Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in New York City condemned the action – and called for an investigation. “The decision to silence Tony Perkins, an ordained minister and Marine veteran, represents political correctness at a dangerous level,” Perkins, meanwhile, said the real issue isn’t that he was disinvited to an event – it’s about political correctness in the military on homosexuality.

    Next, Obama administration official, speaking on background Friday to a group of reporters, characterized the Fort Hood shooting as "an act of terrorism," the first time an administration official has used that term in describing the massacre. The acknowledgement was stunning given the criticism from conservatives over the administration's reluctance to call the incident an act of terror. Asked repeatedly about the relationship between Hasan and extremists in Yemen, the administration official declined to make that direct link. It has been reported widely that Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical American cleric living in Yemen whose influence also was cited in the attempted Christmas day bombing, exchanged multiple e-mails with Hasan.

  • The frightening thing about this is AQ has a history of multiple simultaneous attacks. If there had actually been several of these bombing attempts happening within several hours of each, and this had been the first one, almost every single aircraft pilot would have been unprepared.

    • That is an incredibly scary thought. If they were plans of simultaneous attacks at the announcment of the first one failing perhaps they didnt do it thinking the security would be tight and everyone would be on the lookout stands that it wasnt like that which is a big problem.

  • TSA screeners , on the average, are given a 12 hours crash course on checking passengers through security checkpoints. Most are high school graduates, ex security cops. The whole system is a joke. Thanks to Union influence, Administration incompetance, and just plain ignorance that Islamic terrorists want to kill Americans, we will continute to have breaches in our security. Could it be that we have (Rev. Sharpton's) Interloafers in the White House.

  • "First, I directed that we take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the traveling public." Oh really? Did he do this before or after his Christmas day workout at the gym wihtout his kids, or before or after his Christmas day golf game without his kids?

  • So basically Obama told us what he/administration/Napolitano et al didn't do but what he/they SHOULD HAVE DONE so we could feel safe about things they never did under the guise that they did do it.

    Uhm...

  • Just watch which shell contains the pea and win $20. What a lot of political hot air, protect us? These buffoons have an agenda and protection of the tax payer is not one of them, underwear bomber is caught by civilians, of course given all the free money grubbing lawyers he needs complements of the tax payers, Why is he not in military custody? What exactly will another hundred full body scanners do except provide some cheap thrills for the idiots of TSA “who were baggage handlers at one time and thanks to the magic of federal employment became a critical defense in our security” scans that alter the very DNA of those being “protected” what happens next when the terrorist inject one of their members with small pox or any number of highly transferable diseases? And they fly to major airports and just keep transferring or simply walk around exposing others, than what, full body suits? Or perhaps the use of the proposed behavioral team stationed throughout the airports in conjunction with their new machines that peer into the deep recesses of the mind? All this choreographed nonsense to deprive rights, and have the population so sick of intrusion into their lives, identify theft, body scans, camera’s on the corners, on the roads in the work place, until the government gets what it wants, national identify chips, “of course demanded by the people that are so eloquently lead towards this solutions” than if there is decent, simply turn of the chip, no more money, food, identify and certainly NO FREEDOM