It has been eight years since planes crashed into one of our nation’s busiest cities. And while civilian’s day-to-day fears may have subsided, the actual threat of terrorism on our homeland remains elevated. This latest threat demonstrates not only the ever present danger of terrorist attacks, but also America’s failed counter-terrorism system.

According to recent reports, Abdulmutallab’s father actually met with CIA officials and warned of his son’s threat. Not only did he blatantly specify his son’s capability of becoming a suicide bomber, he revealed his son’s radicalization. Is this not enough of a red flag? Apparently not. What more do you need than a father verbally indicting his son? CIA officials failed to communicate such significant information to other agencies, furthering the claim that the CIA lacks important inter-agency communication. Not only did they fall short in forwarding information to additional federal officials, they proceeded to issue Abdulmutallab a visa.

In addition to the CIA’s meeting with the father of the suicide bomber, the CIA, NSA and State Department acquired separate, additional information pertaining to Abdulmutallab. One government source reportedly obtained voice-to-voice communication between Abdulmutallab and Yemeni extremist, Anwar al-Aulaqi. And, in as early as August, 2009, the CIA picked up information on “the Nigerian,” concerning meetings with potential terrorist sects in Yemen. While such information was noted, it once again failed to be communicated between governmental agencies.

Two strikes for our nation’s so-called ‘premier’ intelligence agency.

This incident not only illustrates chronic malfunctions in intelligence, it also demonstrates a serious let down of our current administration. On Sunday Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano proclaimed that “the system worked,” despite the fact that airport security measures neglected to detect Abdulmutallab’s explosive device. The bomb still managed to make it on the plane, undetected. She later retracted her statement and placed it in its proper context. According to Napolitano her claim of a “successful system,” referred to the manner in which officials reacted to the event.

Yet even her back-peddling is digging her deeper into a seemingly inevitable resignation. At what point did security officials exhibit successful post-terrorism tactics? Does forcing passengers to remain seated during the first hour and the final hour of their air commute equal success? I may be going out on a limb, but my guess is that an individual committed to blowing up a plane will not just forgo his charge simply because of a new, “stay seated” regulation. If an individual has dedicated time and resources towards developing an upcoming act of terrorism, he would simply go to the bathroom and prepare the device for detonation during a different point in the flight.

What we need is not a keep-your-seatbelt-fastened sign, but rather greater accountability in our nation’s intelligence community. As with the Fort Hood shooting, where officials failed to act on warning signs from the ultimate shooter, federal officials failed to pass on information alerting of Abdulmutallab’s precarious, red-flag behavior. Once a terrorist reaches the airport, the likelihood that one will be apprehended prior to implementing a terrorist attack, is limited. More actions must be taken at an earlier point in the potential terrorist’s trail.

According to Francis Townsend, since 9/11 the CIA workforce has been reduced. There must not be a diminution of intelligence personnel, but instead an increase in intelligence gathering human resources. In addition we must stress the necessity of interoperability among government agencies. I fear that if our government fails to implement such seemingly commonsensical measures, the Christmas day bombing attempt will be repeated…successfully.

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Kathleen Someah previously attended Kenyon College where she studied English and Political Science.  She was recently an intern with a political think tank where she focuses primarily on issues relating to homeland security.  She currently resides in California.