Checking in on cargo bombs.

Am working on an editorial about the bombing attempt, and so am reluctant to discuss much here, out of respect for the people who are paying me (cows, milk, etc).  I'm somewhat glad that I didn't, as I was initially not terribly impressed with the plot, and said so to the local Chicago media- goodbye, career in punditry.

The one thing I don't get, and have gone back and forth on, is why they were addressed to synagogues. Of course, it came out that they were most likely to be intended to explode midair, but there still had to be some thought as to what address to put on the packages.  To me, there seems to be no better way to set off alarm bells then to send something from Yemen to Jewish buildings in Chicago, if just for the sheer incongruity.  One train of thought could be the impression that the ZOG would be less likely to inspect these out of respect for our Jewish masters, though that is probably a stretch.  A slightly more likely, though only slightly, explanation is that this could be seen as a win/win for AQAP.  Like in the Christmas attempt, they got all the publicity in the world even with a failed operation, and now have seen the strengths/weaknesses of the cargo system.  This is a worrisome thing when dealing with an organization as flexible and as able to learn lessons as AQAP.  The sophistication of the bombs gives some lie to the idea of a dummy operation, but even in failure AQAP achieved some important goals.

Finally, I've been asked several times "why Chicago?"- the local media is of course obsessed with it.  My answer has been: I don't know.  At least in my head.  But, in true pundit form, I can't answer that.  Best guesses are that it is the most major American city to have not had a serious attempted or successful attack, and a strike in the heartland might help scare people who think terrorism is a coastal phenomenon, though I don't know who that would be.   The other guess has something vague to do with Barack Obama and the symbolic importance of attacking his hometown.  My dad thinks they are Packers' fans- and, honestly, that is as good as anything I have (and confirms my ill feelings toward AQAP).

I've read in a couple of places the speculation that this reflects animus toward cargo planes, the kind used to transport people to Gitmo.  Please ignore anywhere you read that.  By that theory, it is a damn good thing we didn't transport prisoners via nuclear submarine, lest our entire maritime defense system be threatened.

I'll let you know about the editorial, and continue to update around the edges, all the while lamenting today's electoral bloodbath.  Given my true passion for US politics, don't be surprised to see 15,000 slurred words go up tonight on the election, which can be safely ignored.