The Bomber That Almost Got Away

Does it seem like our national security policy relies more on dumb luck than skill these days?

(Faisal) Shahzad (a registered Democrat, by the way-HC), who had been the subject of a huge manhunt, almost made it out of the country on a Emirates flight to Dubai, with a planned connection onward to Pakistan, according to the officials.

"He appeared real close to getting away," one federal official said. "The plane was buttoned up. Backed away from the jetway."

Authorities said that despite the manhunt, his passport had not been flagged and he was able to buy a ticket with cash and clear airport security.

FBI agents discovered Shahzad's car parked in a short-term lot at JFK airport Monday evening and searched for his name on airline passenger manifests.

The flight had begun to taxi for takeoff when FBI agents ordered it to return to the gate where Shahzad and two others were taken into custody. The other two were later released, authorities said.

The bomb didn't go off apparently because the guy set the alarm clock timer wrong.

The fertilizer he used would not have exploded. He must not have done well in chemistry.

He nearly got away by simply buying an expensive plane ticket with cash, going through security at the last minute and barely making it to the plane. Why don't you try that sometime and see if you get the same kind of treatment he got.

One of these days we're going to stop being lucky.  We better hope our detection skills improve before then.