Family Life

01.06.10 | FL News Team

After the failed Christmas bombing of a U.S. commercial jet, an angry President Obama said intelligence failures will not be tolerated. Following a White House meeting with his top national security and intelligence officials, Obama said the system "failed in a potentially disastrous way." The attempted Christmas terrorist act on an international flight bound for Detroit prompted a complete review of airline security and U.S. intelligence.

 Obama said the intelligence community missed numerous warning signs and failed to "connect the dots." He called it "unacceptable" and said he has demanded recommendations for immediate reforms. The President said, quote, "We have to do better and we will do better and we have to do it quickly." The administration has already tightened screening for American-bound airline passengers from Yemen, Nigeria and a dozen other nations. Screening security has also been boosted at all U.S. airports. Obama said further security enhancements will be unveiled soon.

 The White House has been dealing with growing Republican criticism over intelligence gaps and GOP questions about President Obama's commitment to the global war against terrorism. In earlier remarks, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the President is as frustrated as anyone about gaps in U.S. intelligence in the years since the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The U.S. intel structure was completely revamped after the 2001 attacks.

 The White House meeting included Vice President Joe Biden, Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, CIA Director Leon Panetta, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, FBI Director Robert Mueller [[ MULL-er ]], Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.