National Security Remains Hot Political Battleground For White House, GOP

National Security Remains Hot Political Battleground For White House, GOP

The Obama administration is aggressively pushing back against Republican criticism of its handling of terrorism suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, sharpening a partisan debate about national security policy, which is likely to be a major issue throughout the midterm election year.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs issued a rare point-by-point critique of a statement by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who said Wednesday that "there was no consultation with intelligence officials before the Department of Justice unilaterally decided to treat Abdulmutallab as if he were an ordinary criminal." Gibbs released a list of senior intelligence officials involved in the decision to charge Abdulmutallab -- a Nigerian citizen who allegedly tried to bomb a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day -- in civilian court and provide him access to a lawyer.

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