Perfect: While We Meet with Iran the Brits Are Having al Qaeda Meet with a Shrink

There is a spot on the Obama team for Jacqui Smith (who appears to have been reading too much Bill Ayers).  From the Daily Mail:

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said that a ‘fresh approach’ was needed towards national security Islamic extremists could receive counselling instead of criminal charges under new Government plans to ‘deradicalise’ religious fanatics issued today. The move is part of a £12.5m Home Office plan which give councils guidance about how to prevent extremism spreading. People who fall under the influence of violent organisations will not  automatically face prosecution under the new plan. Instead it will concentrate on a national ‘deradicalisation’ programme that will try to persuade extremists to change their views through therapy and counselling from community groups.  The scheme will seek to reverse the process of indoctrination carried out by al Qaida-related extremists, using unnamed ‘specialised techniques’. Community groups and councils in England and Wales will get cash from a £12.5m fund to implement the new measures. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: ‘The national security challenges we face demand fresh approaches.

I’ll say.  There is one ray of light in the story.  The paper dryly adds:  “However the plan came in for criticism for being pointless.”