Shoe-Bomber Redux?

Last night's breaking story about a possible shoe-bomber on a flight of 157 passengers to Denver brought to mind several questions as details emerged.

1) ...an Arab envoy briefed on the matter identified him as Mohammed Al-Madadi of Qatar, an oil-rich Middle East nation and close U.S. ally. His name is Mohammed? It wasn't shocking to me to learn his name, it was merely a piece in the story, yet the reporters acted stunned. Really?! For the MSM it seemed his name sent more shock waves rather than the alleged act. Oh wait, I bet they got the memo from Barry...

2) Mohammed was questioned about the smell of smoke in the bathroom he was in and being a good diplomat, one that has immunity from prosecution, made an insensitive funny at our expense. Two law enforcement officials said investigators were told the man was asked about the smell of smoke in the bathroom and he made a joke that he had been trying to light his shoes - an apparent reference to the 2001 so-called "shoe bomber" Richard Reid. Those wacky Middle Eastern diplomats. By the way, who let him through security with shoes?! And a lighter? And was the lighter under 4 ounces?!

3) The passengers that witnessed the questioning said there was no struggle. Mohammed was apprehended and the air marshals sat side by side with him until the plane landed. Seems all very civilized. Well, except for this: Passenger Mei Turcotte, 26, of Kalispell, Mont., told The Associated Press she smelled smoke about an hour into the flight. She said she later looked out the window and saw two jets flying alongside the plane. My immediate question was if military jets were scrambled to escort this flight, why the hell didn't the marshals go all Jack Bauer this jokester? If I'm a passenger, I want heavy-handed nutsack punching going on. I want Mohammed to think twice about April Fooling about shoe-bombs ever again in American airspace.

4) No one alerted passengers to what was going on.

"We came in rather fast, and we were flying low for a long period of time," Smith, a computer programmer, told reporters by cell phone. "I've never seen a jetliner do that. There were no announcements, nothing about your carryon bags or tray tables."

Once on the ground, Smith said, the pilot eventually announced that "we have a situation here on the plane

Simple question: Why? If I'm a passenger, I want to know if my personal safety might be compromised. I won't get in the marshals way, but what I will do is keep a sharp eye for the rest of the flight. (I should note that I love me some air marshals and no doubt they are following protocol when dealing with terrorists and when to alert passengers.) Americans haven't forgotten 9-11. We have the balls to step up if needed; don't underestimate our will. But to be kept in the dark like children, to be kept vulnerable from potential terrorists acts, seems short-sighted and insulting.

5) After the incident had played out, and Mohammed was revealed as a prankster (ruffle his hair here), the State department said this:

A senior State Department official said there would be "consequences, diplomatic and otherwise" if he had committed a crime.

Foreign diplomats in the United States, like American diplomats posted abroad, have broad immunity from prosecution. The official said if the man's identity as a Qatari diplomat was confirmed and if it was found that he may have committed a crime, U.S. authorities would have to decide whether to ask Qatar to waive his diplomatic immunity so he could be charged and tried. Qatar could decline, the official said, and the man would likely be expelled from the United States.

IF. That's right, if. Let me ask you this, if it had been a Tea Party prankster, or a guy named Glenn or Rush, or really anyone right of Barry, do you think they would be employing the if? Exactly.

So, what have we learned from this?

* Smokers are jokers

* Planes CAN land with the table trays in the down position.

* Diplomats are where it's at.

* Jet escorts are exciting!

* Air marshals are careful with dudes named Mohammed.

* Parents should name their kids Mohammed.