Airline plot ignites new US terror row
2006-08-10

Nations U.K. U.S. City London New York City States Wisconsin New York Metropolitan Greater London New York City Metro People Harry Reid Bill Frist Dennis Hastert Nancy Pelosi Event 2006 UK Terror Scheme Global War on Terrorism

The foiled London terror plot ignited a fierce political battle across the Atlantic as Democrats accused President George W. Bush of neglecting the 'war on terror.'

Republicans meanwhile buffed national security credentials as lawmakers seized on news which added a fresh twist to already angry debate on national security and Iraq ahead of November's congressional elections.

Harry Reid, leader of the minority Democrats in the Senate, accused Bush of losing sight of the real threats to America, as US soldiers fight raging violence in Iraq.

"The Iraq war has diverted our focus and more than 300 billion dollars in resources from the war on terrorism and has created a rallying cry for international terrorists," Reid charged.

"This latest plot demonstrates the need for the Bush administration and the Congress to change course in Iraq and ensure that we are taking all the steps necessary to protect Americans at home and across the world."

Nancy Pelosi, who heads opposition Democrats in the House of Representatives, accused the Bush administration of failing to properly tighten security after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

"We must implement the strong recommendations of the independent 9/11 Commission to improve airport security screening at checkpoints," she said.

Defeated 2004 Democractic party presidential nominee Senator John Kerry also took a shot at his old foe.

"Terrorism is the biggest threat to Americans' security, and this event exposes the misleading myth that we are fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here," Kerry said.

"In fact, the war in Iraq has become a dangerous distraction, and a profound drain on our financial and military resources."

Bush has portrayed Iraq as a central front in the war on global terrorism and a generational struggle for the United States against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism.

He said in Green Bay, Wisconsin Thursday that the foiled London plot showed the United States was still "at war with Islamic fascists" five years after the September 11th attacks.

And he rejected attacks by Democrats on his administration's response to the strikes on New York and Washington which killed nearly 3,000 people.

"This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11. We've taken a lot of measures to protect the American people."

Republicans successfully touted their national security credentials during congressional elections in 2002 and presidential polls in 2004 to suggest Democrats are weak on national security.

Comments by other Republican leaders Thursday, struck a similiar theme, which Democrats charge amounts to scaring voters.

"The news out of London today is disturbing and reminds us that the War on Terror is a global battlefield with many fronts," Senate Majority leader Bill Frist said.

"We must act decisively, aggressively, and innovatively, in a way that will protect Americans and our allies that have stood with us in this fight."

"We must be on alert so that our nation does not suffer another attack like 9/11."

Dennis Hastert, Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, also said the United States faced a grave threat.

"The disruption of this terror scheme follows a number of great successes that America and its allies have had against those looking to do us harm," Hastert said.

"Today's victory serves as a vivid and shocking reminder that we must always be vigilant in fighting the Global War on Terror."