After last week’s attempted bombing of a Delta airliner over Detroit by a Nigerian, al Qaida connected terrorist, our president — in the most casual of ways — addressed the nation.

 His concern and reaction to the serious threat that could have killed more than 300 souls, and much more depending if the plot had succeeded, was at best appalling.

 The actions and statements by his appointees were even more appalling.

 As far as we are concerned, the reason that this event not only happened but almost succeeded is because since his election, Obama and his Democratic co-horts, Pelosi and Reed, have systematically torn down the system that has taken nine years to build — a system, though not perfect, that has protected us.

 Obama refuses to call terrorists, terrorists. He also has destroyed the morale of the CIA, and through his actions we no longer can interogate enemy combatants without the presence of lawyers.

 His stance that terrorists have the same rights as American citizens is beyond comprehension.

 We hope that the president has become truly alarmed about this latest attempt to destroy our way of life at any cost, and will push to reinstate some of the mechanisms of protection that were set into place by the Bush administration.

 The major concern of the president of the United States of America should be to protect us no matter what it takes to accomplish that — not act in a way that he thinks will allow us to be loved on the world stage of opinion.

 Mr. President, we call on you to be our president and leader, not a pawn of other countries’ perceptions.