Lynn C. Woolsey: “Every American was troubled to learn about the attempted terrorist bombing in Times Square last weekend, but we should…”

“Every American was troubled to learn about the attempted terrorist bombing in Times Square last weekend, but we should all be heartened and we should all be proud of the swift action by law enforcement authorities to apprehend the suspect. By all accounts, the system worked seamlessly. New York City Police worked in tandem with the FBI, Customs and Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies, and the man was in custody by Monday. He was read his Miranda rights and continues to cooperate. And there is reason to believe he can provide valuable intelligence that will allow us to detain other terrorists. Everything by the books. No extralegal coercion. Rule of law and the Constitution upheld. This is the way to combat terrorism, Madam Speaker. You'll recall that the notion of counterterrorism as primarily a law enforcement operation has often been met by ridicule and by bluster on the other side of the aisle. This isn't police work, they've said. This is war. Well, we've now had 8½ years of war, and in addition to costing us thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, it has not made terrorism go away. If anything, it has animated and emboldened the people who want to harm America.”