longing for a mature nation

david brooks begins 2010 ends 2009 with a dose of realisim regarding the u.s. response to last week's attempted terrorism:

Much of the criticism has been contemptuous and hysterical. Various experts have gathered bits of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s biography. Since they can string the facts together to accurately predict the past, they thunder, the intelligence services should have been able to connect the dots to predict the future...

In a mature nation, President Obama could go on TV and say, “Listen, we’re doing the best we can, but some terrorists are bound to get through.” But this is apparently a country that must be spoken to in childish ways.

a vast majority of the country, i believe, would be relieved by that kind of candor from our president. but the opposing team, forever hoisting fear over our heads in order to further their own political gain, would never allow it. if we don't already fear the terrorists, we must fear our own government's ineptitude.

or worse, their desire to disarm us all, put us before death panels, and turn us into socialists.