Over at Jumping in Pools, there is a post up calling for a "commercial airline embargo" against both the Netherlands and Nigeria, in the wake of the attempted terrorist attack in Detroit. I'm not sure that's necessary, but the post does raise an important point. It doesn't matter how effective (and intrusive) security is at U.S. airports, when flights originating in foreign countries enter the U.S. For those incoming international flights, our security depends on the security precautions taken abroad.
I have low expectations for third world, oops I mean "developing" countries like Nigeria, but what's wrong with the Netherlands? How do they let someone with an explosive device just stroll onto an international flight to the U.S.? Maybe there is a good explanation of how he was able to get through security -- or maybe their precautions are just too lax.
That was the element of this I found so strange. I understand that certain people seem to like blowing up planes, so that wasn't particularly surprising, but I think the Netherlands has been the victim of terrorist activity in the past, so how did this guy get through security? Especially considering that he was so inept at it. He had a syringe on him, too. Don't they make you prove you might have a legitimate need for such a thing, like diabetes?
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