Upcoming_JJ editorial_NN1 :_: Thwarted_JJ terror_NN1 attack_NN1 raises_VVZ many_DA2 questions_NN2 Here_RL is_VBZ an_AT1 editorial_NN1 we_PPIS2 're_VBR working_VVG on_RP ._. 
Let_VV0 us_PPIO2 know_VVI what_DDQ you_PPY think_VV0 ._. 
The_AT best_JJT comments_NN2 will_VM run_VVI alongside_RL it_PPH1 in_II the_AT print_NN1 edition_NN1 :_: When_RRQ a_AT1 prominent_JJ Nigerian_JJ banker_NN1 goes_VVZ so_RG far_RR as_CSA to_TO phone_VVI an_AT1 American_JJ embassy_NN1 in_II October_NPM1 and_CC warn_VV0 officials_NN2 about_II his_APPGE son_NN1 's_GE radical_JJ views_NN2 ,_, his_APPGE disappearance_NN1 and_CC travel_VV0 to_II Yemen_NP1 ,_, one_PN1 might_VM assume_VVI that_CST U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 would_VM ,_, at_II minimum_NN1 ,_, put_VVD the_AT young_JJ man_NN1 's_GE name_NN1 on_II the_AT no-fly_JJ list_NN1 and_CC revoke_VV0 his_APPGE visa_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB as_CSA has_VHZ become_VVN clear_JJ since_CS 23-year-old_JJ Umar_NP1 Farouk_NP1 Abdulmutallab_NP1 was_VBDZ arrested_VVN after_II his_APPGE alleged_JJ attempt_NN1 to_TO blow_VVI up_RP a_AT1 passenger_NN1 jet_NN1 headed_VVN to_II Detroit_NP1 on_II Christmas_NNT1 day_NNT1 ,_, that_DD1 did_VDD n't_XX happen_VVI ._. 
Instead_RR ,_, he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ noted_VVN for_IF having_VHG possible_JJ terrorist_JJ connections_NN2 (_( a_AT1 status_NN1 shared_VVN by_II more_DAR than_CSN a_AT1 half-million_NNO people_NN )_) ,_, and_CC the_AT matter_NN1 was_VBDZ forwarded_VVN for_IF investigation_NN1 --_NN1 where_CS it_PPH1 promptly_RR got_VVN ignored_VVN amid_II a_AT1 formidable_JJ backlog_NN1 of_IO such_DA cases_NN2 ._. 
Much_RR like_II the_AT shockingly_RR similar_JJ case_NN1 of_IO "_" shoe_NN1 bomber_NN1 "_" Richard_NP1 Reid_NP1 ,_, the_AT Miami-bound_JJ radical_NN1 who_PNQS carried_VVD explosive_JJ material_NN1 in_II his_APPGE sneakers_NN2 in_II a_AT1 Dec._NPM1 22_MC ,_, 2001_MC attempt_VV0 to_TO bring_VVI down_RP an_AT1 American_JJ Airlines_NN2 jet_NN1 ,_, Mr._NNB Abdulmutallab_NP1 's_GE efforts_NN2 on_RL21 board_RL22 a_AT1 Northwest_ND1 Airlines_NN2 flight_NN1 were_VBDR thwarted_VVN by_II fellow_JJ passengers_NN2 ._. 
The_AT improvised_JJ explosive_JJ device_NN1 hidden_VVN under_II his_APPGE pants_NN2 caught_VVD fire_NN1 ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 was_VBDZ quickly_RR doused_VVN and_CC he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ subdued_JJ ._. 
Why_RRQ was_VBDZ n't_XX Mr._NNB Abdulmutallab_NP1 banned_VVD from_II flying_VVG into_II the_AT U.S._NP1 ,_, or_CC at_II the_AT very_RG least_RRT more_RGR closely_RR examined_VVN ,_, given_VVN the_AT serious_JJ allegations_NN2 from_II his_APPGE own_DA father_NN1 ?_? 
Homeland_NN1 Security_NN1 Secretary_NN1 Janet_NP1 Napolitano_NP1 suggested_VVD on_II Sunday_NPD1 the_AT information_NN1 against_II him_PPHO1 was_VBDZ not_XX sufficiently_RR specific_JJ or_CC credible_JJ ._. 
Just_RR as_RG troubling_JJ ,_, Ms._NNB Napolitano_NP1 also_RR said_VVD repeatedly_RR on_II the_AT Sunday_NPD1 talk_NN1 shows_VVZ that_CST the_AT system_NN1 had_VHD worked_VVN ,_, but_CCB seemed_VVD to_TO backtrack_VVI yesterday_RT --_JJ admitting_JJ that_CST overseas_JJ airport_NN1 security_NN1 had_VHD ,_, in_II fact_NN1 ,_, failed_VVN by_II allowing_VVG a_AT1 hidden_JJ bomb_NN1 on_RL21 board_RL22 a_AT1 plane_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 's_VBZ more_RGR like_II it_PPH1 ._. 
What_DDQ U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 need_VV0 to_TO be_VBI asking_VVG is_VBZ :_: How_RRQ can_VM anyone_PN1 ,_, particularly_RR someone_PN1 carrying_VVG the_AT same_DA explosive_JJ chemical_NN1 used_VVN by_II Mr._NNB Reid_NP1 nearly_RR a_AT1 decade_NNT1 earlier_RRR ,_, not_XX be_VBI closely_RR scrutinized_VVN by_II screeners_NN2 in_II Nigeria_NP1 or_CC Amsterdam_NP1 ?_? 
That_DD1 's_VBZ not_XX a_AT1 question_NN1 that_CST should_VM necessarily_RR embarrass_VVI President_NNB Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 ._. 
By_II all_DB accounts_NN2 ,_, Homeland_NN1 Security_NN1 officials_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN following_VVG the_AT same_DA procedures_NN2 developed_VVN by_II the_AT Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 that_CST had_VHD to_TO deal_VVI with_IW the_AT Reid_NP1 episode_NN1 weeks_NNT2 after_II the_AT Sept._NPM1 11_MC attack_NN1 ._. 
Screening_VVG devices_NN2 such_II21 as_II22 the_AT X-ray_NN1 backscatter_NN1 might_VM have_VHI more_DAR easily_RR detected_VVN explosives_NN2 than_CSN a_AT1 simple_JJ pat-down_NN1 and_CC are_VBR scheduled_VVN to_TO be_VBI installed_VVN at_II many_DA2 more_DAR airports_NN2 next_MD year_NNT1 ._. 
Some_DD may_VM have_VHI privacy_NN1 concerns_VVZ about_II such_DA graphic_JJ imaging_NN1 technology_NN1 ,_, but_CCB they_PPHS2 are_VBR not_XX an_AT1 unreasonable_JJ way_NN1 to_TO screen_VVI those_DD2 like_II Mr._NNB Abdulmutallab_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS are_VBR already_RR on_II the_AT Terrorist_JJ Identities_NN2 Datamart_VV0 Environment_NN1 or_CC TIDE_NN1 list_NN1 ._. 
Nevertheless_RR ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ disappointing_JJ to_TO see_VVI some_DD in_II Congress_NN1 already_RR seizing_VVG on_II the_AT incident_NN1 to_TO portray_VVI Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 as_CSA soft_JJ on_II terrorism_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 cheap_JJ accusation_NN1 that_CST the_AT GOP_NN1 trots_VVZ out_RP more_RRR often_RR than_CSN Aesop_NP1 's_GE boy_NN1 cried_VVD wolf_NN1 ._. 
The_AT president_NN1 's_GE order_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 thorough_JJ security_NN1 review_NN1 is_VBZ exactly_RR the_AT right_JJ action_NN1 given_VVN the_AT circumstances_NN2 --_NN1 a_AT1 point_NN1 noted_VVD yesterday_RT by_II at_RR21 least_RR22 one_MC1 former_DA Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 DHS_NP2 official_NN1 ._. 
Now_RT is_VBZ the_AT time_NNT1 for_IF questions_NN2 ,_, not_XX partisan_JJ accusations_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ noteworthy_JJ that_CST travelers_NN2 did_VDD n't_XX seem_VVI particularly_RR troubled_VVN by_II heightened_JJ security_NN1 procedures_NN2 (_( and_CC resulting_JJ delays_NN2 )_) instituted_VVD over_II the_AT weekend_NNT1 that_CST go_VV0 so_RG far_RR as_CSA to_TO require_VVI people_NN to_TO stay_VVI in_II their_APPGE seats_NN2 an_AT1 hour_NNT1 before_II landing_NN1 and_CC scrutinize_VV0 how_RGQ long_JJ passengers_NN2 are_VBR in_II the_AT bathroom_NN1 ._. 
Americans_NN2 recognize_VV0 that_CST some_DD inconvenience_NN1 may_VM be_VBI necessary_JJ as_CSA officials_NN2 evaluate_VV0 what_DDQ reasonable_JJ steps_NN2 may_VM need_VVI to_TO be_VBI taken_VVN to_TO keep_VVI air_NN1 travel_NN1 safe_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 should_VM begin_VVI with_IW an_AT1 evaluation_NN1 of_IO who_PNQS deserves_VVZ a_AT1 place_NN1 on_II the_AT various_JJ watch_NN1 lists_NN2 ._. 
