Blame Canada?
EmailAt a border conference in Washington, DC, on Monday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was giving an interview to the CBC’s Neil Macdonald when she upset Canadian government officials by seeming to reinforce the false story that 9/11 hijackers entered the U.S. through Canada.
The former Arizona governor was asked by Macdonald why there was a "need for same level of security on the Canadian border as on the Mexican border given two drastically different realities?"
Responded Napolitano, "the law says the borders are the borders and these are the kind of things that have to be done at the borders." She added that "Canada is not Mexico, it doesn’t have a drug war going on, it didn’t have 6,000 homicides that were drug-related last year. Nonetheless, to the extent that terrorists have come into our country or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it’s been across the Canadian border. There are real issues there."
Asked Macdonald: "Are you talking about the 9/11 perpetrators?"
"Not just those but others as well," Napolitano said.
But the 9/11 perpetrators did not come into the US from across the Canadian border.
Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Wilson Tuesday told reporters that "unfortunately, misconceptions arise on something as fundamental as where the 9-11 terrorists came from."
Wilson said that "as the 9/11 Commission reported in 2004, all of the 9/11 terrorists arrived in the United States from outside North America. They flew to major U.S. airports. They entered the U.S. with documents issued by the United States government and no 9/11 terrorists came from Canada."
Napolitano quickly put out a statement explaining that she had misunderstood what Macdonald was asking.
"I know that the September 11th hijackers did not come through Canada to the United States," Napolitano underlined. "There are other instances, however when suspected terrorists attempted to enter our country from Canada to the United States. Some of these are well known to the public – such as the Millennium Bomber – while others are not due to security reasons."
Napolitano is hardly the first US politician to walk this path. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., told Fox News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes in 2005 that "far more of the 9/11 terrorists came across from Canada than from Mexico." Gingrich later apologized to the Canadian Ambassador.
That same year, former Sen. Senator Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said that "we have people who farm both sides of the border. So it’s very porous. We’ve got to remember that the people who first hit us in 9/11 entered this country through Canada."
A spokesman for the Canadian embassy told the Washington Post that year in a story about the strength of the urban myth, that it all began with stories in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald from September 13, 2001, reporting that investigators were seeking evidence that the hijackers came from the Great White North.
Ambassador Wilson said Tuesday that "the comment from her people is that she (Napolitano) misunderstood" the question. But clearly he was concerned.
"We’ve been in touch with her office a few times this morning and there’s no question in my mind she does not believe any terrorists came from Canada into the United States," Wilson said.
Peter Van Loan, Canada’s public safety minister, backed up his American counterpart, saying he was sure she knew the 9/11 hijackers did not enter the US through Canada.
"We spoke about it back in March," Van Loan told CTV. "And we were sharing a chuckle at the fact that the urban myth does circulate. Ms. Napolitano understood quite clearly, then and now, that none of the September 11 terrorists came through Canada, as the 9/11 Commission found."
But other friends from the North were less chuckley.
Canadian Council of Chief Executives president and chief executive Thomas d’Aquino said in a statement, "I am a longstanding friend and ally of the United States, but sometimes failures in our two-way dialogue cause me to shake my head in sadness and dismay. The claim that some of the 9/11 terrorists entered the United States from Canada is, quite simply, a myth – an urban legend that began with a handful of erroneous media reports in the days following the terrorist strikes. …Again and again, Canadian and American authorities have sought to correct the record. It is long past time to put this particular urban legend to rest."
William Elliot, Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told the Toronto Star, "my initial reaction frankly is I was a little bit surprised and somewhat disappointed that the secretary isn’t better informed."
Added Wilson of the myth, "it comes frequently from members of Congress. These are people who should know the difference; forget sometimes. It’s frustrating to us because we have to address it every time that matter comes up."
– jpt
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Napolitano is a piece of work. We have already established that Ron Paul supporters, pro-lifers, pro second amendment folks, returning military troops should all be watched for fear they will try to overthrow the government. Me thinks she is trying to feel relevant in her new job. We would be just as safe if she relaxed in a hammock all day.
Posted by: Huh | April 22, 2009, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
Those of us who have family in Canada find the misspeak of US government, media, entertainment painful. Greg Gutfield, from Fox News’s Red Eye, who recently slammed the Canadian military was the worst. VERY little in the US maistream media about this incident, however. It was covered in Canada extensively, but not here.
I often think that US cable/satellite companies should carry the major networks from Canada (CBC, TVO, e.g.) as well as Mexico, Central and South America. We are far too parochial as a nation. Even in China and the Middle East one sees foreign broadcasts.
Posted by: C. Wilson | April 22, 2009, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
FINALLY!!! Bi-partisan agreement on something….
Posted by: mad | April 22, 2009, 11:17 pm 11:17 pm
C. Wilson,
What can we say? Alot of us here have been complaining about the quality of reporting in this country for a long time.It isn’t just the bias…it is laziness and ignorance, along with a healthy does of entertainment ‘news’ (like we don’t get enough from a million other sources)
It is a business with few ethics (like politics)
Posted by: J House | April 22, 2009, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
Remember Joycelyn Elders?
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 22, 2009, 11:33 pm 11:33 pm
From Canada’s National Post:
“Can someone please tell us how U. S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano got her job? She appears to be about as knowledgeable about border issues as a late-night radio call-in yahoo.”
Last night a hockey crowd in Montreal booed the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner. How can this happen with The Messiah in the White House? Didn’t David Axelrod just declare that being anti-American wasn’t cool anymore? What can be happening here?
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 22, 2009, 11:49 pm 11:49 pm
If a tree blogs in the woods… I’m gwyne back to my tweets now.
Posted by: new cronkite | April 23, 2009, 12:08 am 12:08 am
I respect Jake Tapper. Good night all.
Posted by: C. Wilson | April 23, 2009, 12:20 am 12:20 am
Creating friction between the US government and veterans with the DHS report and now creating friction between the US and Canada? It seems the definition of homeland security is taking shots at homeland security? Obviously they can’t take shots outside of the homeland, that would be normal security. They can’t take shots inside the homeland, that would be a terror. So they are left to hunt for the slightest hints along the finest lines and limits. The whole notion of DHS is ill-conceived, unless converted into a positive force of study and cohesion-building initiative, like strengthening strategic patriotic advantages that already exist (like independant manufacturing companies or nuclear families) and identifying causes of weakness that fall under the heads of more than one department, like teen drug abuse, or national professional licensing regimes. How about developing a national system for analysis of change with a standard that can be used to share data between all departments?
Posted by: MarkLeavenworth | April 23, 2009, 12:30 am 12:30 am
Fascist Hyena”
re: “Last night a hockey crowd in Montreal booed the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner. ‘
well, if followed hockey at all you would know that that has happened many times during the last 8 years during the tortuous reign of ‘W’.
Posted by: Dewde | April 23, 2009, 12:58 am 12:58 am
well, if followed hockey at all you would know that that has happened many times during the last 8 years during the tortuous reign of ‘W’.
=================================
Well of course it did. But this is a new day and we are supposed to be respected abroad.
What happened?
Posted by: mad | April 23, 2009, 1:03 am 1:03 am
She’s an idiot.
Posted by: RL in Illinois | April 23, 2009, 1:25 am 1:25 am
As a Canadian, I stand behind what Janet says. She was appointed by Obama so she can’t be wrong!
Gosh, with our Great Hope in office, there’s no way he could have appointed a complete ignoramus who wants to treat your largest trading partner (Canada) the same as a country which can’t even control their own country let alone their border (Mexico).
Besides, Canada’s liberal elite doesn’t need our economy to work and they can definitely wait as long as they want at the border until Janet is satisfied that there aren’t any illegal terrorists hiding in every Canadian car.
Keep it up Janet! A few more of your comments and Canadians will see how true a friend your administration is to us.
Posted by: Canbuhay | April 23, 2009, 1:38 am 1:38 am
Posted by: mad
“Well of course it did. But this is a new day and we are supposed to be respected abroad.
What happened?”
ahh, your one of those why hasn’t Obama fixed in 3 months what it took ‘W’ to do in 8 years…
even us ‘liberuls’ didn’t expect that… how progressive of you
Posted by: Dewde | April 23, 2009, 2:59 am 2:59 am
LOL come on now
Posted by: Jane | April 23, 2009, 3:06 am 3:06 am
Janet Napolitano is a moron. She is an ignoramus.
Posted by: drjohn | April 23, 2009, 6:48 am 6:48 am
I agree with Janet.. remember when those Canadian Geese snuck over .. and wrecked the airliner!
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | April 23, 2009, 7:30 am 7:30 am
Is Janet Napolitano the new Joe Biden
Posted by: matt | April 23, 2009, 7:41 am 7:41 am
Most Canadians aren’t “chuckley” about this.
It is yet another example of how self-righteous and ill-informed American officials are, yet another example of how eager Americans are to “just blame Canada”.
This Napolitano episode may not play on the US media, but it sure does in Canada. If the US is at all serious of improving its relations with the rest of the world, it should start with its next-door neighbour. This should be covered by the US media — it demonstrates how the Obama administration is little better than Bush at managing relationships with other nations; that all the talk is just rhetoric. (at least Newt Gingrich had to apologize; Janet Napolitano just dug herself in deeper)
Posted by: a Canadian | April 23, 2009, 7:50 am 7:50 am
So this is how it’s going to be. We kiss the a$$ of leaders like Chavez, Ahmadinejad and the Castro Bros, and we insult our closest ally and the men & women who put their lives on the line for us through their military service. Not only is Canada protecting our northern border, but Canada has fought side by side in many wars with us. Many Canadians spend their vacation in the US spending their money and boosting our economy. Who’s next on Napolitanos hit list, the Pope?
Posted by: Willy | April 23, 2009, 7:58 am 7:58 am
Janet has this foot in mouth disease. Last week it was the Veterans. Now it is our Canadian neighbors.I wonder how long it will be before she is asked to step down because she is a bumbling fool.
Posted by: Lara | April 23, 2009, 8:06 am 8:06 am
Jake, the questions asked of Napolitano don’t seem very complicated or unclear. Can you get more detail as to what she “misunderstood”?
Posted by: mad | April 23, 2009, 8:23 am 8:23 am
As Tony S would say Whaddya going to Do?
At first it bothered me then I I thought. . .Typical American!
So much for that kind of change
Posted by: dave | April 23, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
“Blame Canada”
That’s funny. I just had a post typed up in the Hillary/Cheney thread comparing the dynamic of their relationship potentially as Hillary = Saddam/Cheney = Satan. Not that Hillary is Saddam-like in any way, just in the context of that relationship in the movie.
Posted by: Silky | April 23, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am
I wonder why Bill Ayers was not on the DHS report of radical extremist.
That may have been too embarrassing for Obama.
But it’s OK to put our military vets on that list–the ones who risked their lives for us.
That is a huge embarrassment and a huge insult to our vets.
Posted by: tyler | April 23, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
The DHS head says things that just make me scratch my head. The Canadian border has to be clamped down, but lets go light on the Mexican border???
We’ve got to keep the Canada border open, or where will Americans go when Obama’s plans come to fruition?
Janet said, when the paper on vets being terrorists came out, that it just “rang true” for her because she worked on the McVeigh case. It “rang true”. Now there’s some rigorous analysis. Scary.
You need a strong, impeachable character with a mind like a steel trap in the DHS head position. This chick isn’t up to par. We are telegraphing weakness, fecklessness and cluelessness all over the place.
Posted by: jordan | April 23, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
Obama kept a tax cheat so he won’t get rid of Janet. He probably agrees with everything she says.
Besides Obama has set the bar pretty low to be a part of his administration.
A tax cheat leading the IRS.
And Secretary of DHS that believes those who sneak across the border are lawful.
Unbelievable.
Posted by: nick | April 23, 2009, 10:28 am 10:28 am
If I remember the last terrorist stopped at the Canadian/US border was a guy named Bill Ayers.
Posted by: Lock | April 23, 2009, 10:37 am 10:37 am
“That is a huge embarrassment and a huge insult to our vets.”
It is no summarily a commentary on “our vets” at all. Not even close. If somebody is viewed as a threat, they’re veiwed as a threat. Period. Ever spend any time with Marines?
Posted by: Silky | April 23, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am
typical liberal bashing the military . napolitano you are comlete idiot.
Posted by: ron | April 23, 2009, 11:00 am 11:00 am
“Vets” is generic not specific; therefore, statement may be taken as all inclusive, which it obviously was. “Ever spend any time with Marines?” Why ask the question?
Anyone who comes into this country illegally is OUR fault and the fault of Americas’ border security breakdown…Blame those in charge.
Posted by: Parallax View | April 23, 2009, 11:02 am 11:02 am
Not to nit-pick, but William Elliott, commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, spells his name with 2 t’s. Having married into the Elliott (not Elliot) clan, it can be quite a sensitive issue. Out of respect, please.
Posted by: K. Elliott | April 23, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am
When they are tired of blaming America and it isn’t sticking, well blame Canada then! This lady needs to be sent packing
Posted by: DJ | April 23, 2009, 11:45 am 11:45 am
I believe the first public reference to this was made by Hillary Clinton a day after Sep 11. Also, a few months after Sep 11 one of the hijackers was issued a visa to stay in the country. I lived in D.C. at that time and people wanted to believe the problem was Canada because it was an easy explaination for incompetent border and immigration policies.
Canada has been named as a target by terrorists groups and yet it has never been attacked. If they let in so many unsavory people then why aren’t they being attacked? I find that without proof of multiple attempts of terrorists entering the country from the northern border than it’s just an attempt to say anything unsubstantiated to prove a point made from ignorance. Let’s see the proof. If these people have been captured at our border then it should be a secret, should it?
Posted by: K. Paige | April 23, 2009, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
I mean’t to say “souldn’t be a secret”.
Posted by: K Paige | April 23, 2009, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
Honestly, I thought one or more came through Canada, too. That was reported during the investigation. I must have missed the story refuting that.
Posted by: Silky | April 23, 2009, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm
We have to blame someone, Canada is close, at least it keeps the focus the the incompentcy of the administration and not the real problems.
and please remove all your bumperstickers, that read: we support our military, pro-life, freedom of speech, we support the constitution, you MAY be classified as a radical and should be watched.
Posted by: Lizzie | April 23, 2009, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
Talk about hiring the cleaning lady to a cabinet position. Wow this is Harriet Myers on steroids.
Posted by: SubVet | April 23, 2009, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
As he approaches the 100-day mark of his presidency, Barack Obama’s job approval ratings are higher than those of his most recent predecessors. However, the 44th president is even more distinguished by his strong personal popularity. Fully 73% of Americans – including as many as 46% of Republicans – hold a favorable view of Obama as a person. Fewer people held favorable impressions of George W. Bush (61%) and Bill Clinton (60%) early in their first years.
Obama’s job approval stands at 63%, while 26% disapprove of the way he is handling his job as president. His approval rating is up slightly from March (59%). Opinions about Obama’s performance remain highly partisan. Fully 93% of Democrats approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president, compared with just 30% of Republicans. Independents’ opinions fall in between, with 58% expressing positive views of his performance and 27% negative opinions.
Posted by: true | April 23, 2009, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
The world is changing every day, unfortunately for the worse. People need to think before they SPEAK but so many times they don’t. Everybody for themselves now days…I’d like to go back about 30 or more years when life was much pleasant, easy going and everybody wasn’t at everybody’s throats, our kids could walk to school, and we could understand the words to songs and they weren’t dirty! Better days ahead.
Posted by: Linda | April 23, 2009, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
I disagree w/you re: BO’s ratings. The biased media does not report accurate news. The last I heard is that the Liberals are beginning to question some of his doing/or lack there of. When is the MSM going to print ALL that is going on in this Republic? By lack of reporting all the news/both sides of stories, they are miss-reporting and cheating THE CITIZENS of the TRUTH about our Republic. I know propaganda has been going on the media forever it seems but NOW is not the time for flunking your duties. SHAME ON YOU MSM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Linda | April 23, 2009, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
This is for True :
Washington Post / ABC poll just out says that 57% say nay while 42% say yeah. So much for your poll. BBBBZZZZT!!
This administration has done nothing but sling blame left and right, Europe to Central America, Right Wing Radical Republicans and Arrogant Americans…..Why not another Allie!!
Another case of tax evasion…I mean…..foot in mouth!
Posted by: American Infidel | April 23, 2009, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
To our Canadian friends:
I’m sure Napolitano is sorry to have made that mistake, and hope you accept her explanation and apology.
Moreover, please don’t assume that this error was due to any anti-Canadian bias. After all, basing our politics and laws on loony urban myths is what our politicians do best. Here are just a few examples:
Al Gore said he invented the Internet!
George W. Bush carried a plastic turkey around in Iraq!
Hillary Clinton wanted someone to assassinate Barack Obama!
Mobs of people shouted “Kill him [Obama]!” at John McCain’s rallies!
Obama thanked himself while reading off a teleprompter!
All of these actually received a fair amount of coverage in our august news media establishment, to the point that a number of politicians and trusting citizens now believe them. So please, dear Canadians, just understand that we meant you no ill will, just the same buffoonery that our media and politicians engage in all the time.
Posted by: Steve | April 23, 2009, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
And this is an example of how this madcap collection of buffoons are going clean up our tarnished image in the international arena?
I don’t think even the ‘idiot Bush’ managed to tick off the Canadians.
Posted by: RR GOP | April 24, 2009, 1:15 am 1:15 am
It just boggles the mind how uneducated U.S. politicians are when it comes to the world. Those who say that the 9/11 terrorists came to the U.S. through Canada are idiots – they speak without learning or checking what they are talking about. John McCain might have become the President – imagine what a fiasco that would have been! Which politician will step up next and be allowed to show his or her foolishness?
Posted by: Sherry Hummell | April 25, 2009, 8:57 am 8:57 am
It sickens me that so many of my country men are so stupid. especially the so called educated ones.
The ACLU should be investigated instead of the CIA.
Posted by: David | April 27, 2009, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm