BULLETIN:  CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDING WATCH – AT 10:39 P.M. ET:  From ABC News:

Federal air marshals subdued a man who authorities say attempted to "light his shoes on fire" on a United flight from Washington Reagan to Denver Wednesday night, federal law enforcement officials told ABC News.

Authorities say an explosive team is on the way to the airport, and that while the presence of explosives has not yet been confirmed, they believe it was an attempted "shoe bomb."

The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi. The FBI said the man had full diplomatic immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul.

Authorities said two jet fighters were scrambled from Buckley Air Force Base to accompany United flight 663, a Boeing 757, as it flew the final 40 miles to Denver where it landed safely.

COMMENT:  You see, here is where we really fall down as a country.  Every truly sophisticated person in Manhattan or Beverly Hills knows that lighting one's shoes is an important custom for Islamic diplomats.  So what's all the fuss about?  What right do we as a Western, colonial, imperialistic, militarist country have to question what a person of the third world does with his shoes? 
Given the mentality of the Obama administration, this "diplomat" will probably be invited to the White House for a full apology.

Following it.

April 7, 2010