The attack on the Northwest jet by a 23-year-old Nigerian has caused a political maelstrom for the Obama administration. This has led The White House to issue a warning to its political opponents to refrain from initiating a “partisan tug of war over terrorism”. In what is seen as an attempt to avoid panicking and traumatizing the American public, President Obama has avoided any television comment on the attack which took place on Christmas day. The President is currently on vacation in Hawaii.
Speaking to NBC, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said “The president believes strongly that this has to be a non-partisan issue. This should not be a tug of war between the two political parties”. A review of the no-fly watch lists has been ordered by the President as well as an inquiry into how a suspected radical got on board the airliner.
However, the GOP wasted no time in firing their salvos at the Obama administration. Accusations of a softened US focus on radical Islamic threats, inefficient air security and criticism of his silence on the matter thus far and the closing of Gitmo have been flowing freely.
Obama on the other hand is refusing to get drawn into petty politics and is instead focusing on getting the job done. The President is constantly monitoring the situation and has ordered probes into airline security, the increased use of intelligence to secure airlines and airports, and has ordered a boost in airport precautions against this sort of incident happening again.
