Whose Side Are You On, USA Today?

In an opinion piece for USA Today (i.e., this was not a slip of the tongue), John Brennan, Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, writes that "Politically motivated criticism [of Obama] and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda." ABC News' Jake Tapper has more:

Brennan writes that, "Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill."

In the oped, titled "'We need no lectures': Administration disrupts terrorists' plots, takes fight to them abroad," Brennan writes that politics "should never get in the way of national security. But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe."

The administration op-ed is in response to a USA Today editorial entitled "National security team fails to inspire confidence; Officials' handling of Christmas Day attack looks like amateur hour."

Brennan provides a detailed defense of the administration's handling of failed Christmas Day bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab whom, he says, was "thoroughly interrogated and provided important information."

Last year, Reason.tv pointed out the similarities between Bush administration foreign policy and the early decisions made by the Obama team: