The case brings to mind the total impotence of al Qaeda over the last ten years to produce anything more than incompetent guys trying to light their shoes or underwear in planes.

Apparently, the underlying goal is not so much to blow planes out of the sky as it is to bankrupt and scare the US.  According to the new English language al-Qaeda magazine, Inspire, written by a Pakastani-American now associated with AQ in Yemen:

The goal of what it dubbed Operation Hemorrhage, the authors said, is not just to bring down aircraft, but to force Western governments to spend huge sums for new security measures, further burdening their faltering economies.

"We will continue with similar operations and we do not mind at all in this stage if they are intercepted," one article said. "It is such a good bargain for us to spread fear amongst the enemy … in exchange for a few months of work and few thousand bucks."

Especially if he keeps the "Ameriicans" spelling.

I agree that framing this as major social failure is interesting.  In a fundamental way I would agree that there is usually a collective responsibility when our youth end going to the violent extremes, whether is it connected with Islam or Neo-Nazis or gangs like the Bloods and the Crips.  Yet I would add that the mention of medicinal pills and therapy as answer demonstrates just how difficult this problem is to deal with.  I doubt any of us deep down want the government to be able to determine that based on one's radicalized politics an individual is in need of mental health treatment.  I.E. Let's track down those environmental activists blocking the logging roads, give 'em some lithium, and send 'em off to basket weaving classes at some secure institution because we know that eventually they'll be setting housing start up locations on fire. 

Unfortunately the solution to the problem is creating fundamental changes in the paradigms to which our "at-risk" youth (and adults) are exposed and assimilate.  Creating those fundamental changes requires collective action in the manner which we generate and respond to the unfolding cultural discourse in this country.  In other words, it ain't going to happen overnight.  And we can see areas where we are taking a backward direction (Pakrk51 comes to mind).  One area is how we collectively see therapy and therapists, how the process is protrayed in all the medias, which usually amounts to ridiculing it when it is not an outright attack. 

That so many individuals turn to violence as a means to solve societal problems (and at least subconsciously to meet some pyscho-emotional need) is in end in part (and I emphasize in part) the problem and responsibility of all Americans, stupid or otherwise.  Whether that violence is directed toward women, gays, the non-believers, the kids at the local high school or just whoever happens to be handy.  Domestic violence, rape, gay bashing, kids shooting their classmates, attacks motivated by religious ideology etc etc etc is happening because the violence is inherent in the very discourse of our day to day lives.  Individuals generate identities that require the peripheralization, domination, and eventual elimination of those that are not-them, the not-them that threaten the individuals by their mere existence. (All of which is an over-simplification of the process.)

If we are able to see the "Portland bomber" as social problem, as one of "us," rather than a "not-us," we will definitely make a major step forward.  But I won't hold my breath for this to happen.  Whether it is a bomber or some kid shooting up the high school, the usual response to find a way to characterize them as "monsters" or something else that disconnects any identification with the violent perp.  Given how Islam is demonized in this country, this response is all too easy when it comes to someone like the kid in Portland.

I'm seriously touched by your heartfelt empathy for this father, my friend.