It hasn’t been a banner year for terrorist attacks. In fact, it seems the biggest problem in terror attacks? They use people to carry them out. I know a lot of law enforcement and intelligence agencies will portray this as a “But for the grace of God, goes us all” theme, but I think we’re missing out on some excellent examples of slapstick humor in the real world.

For instance, take Taimour Abdulwahab… please. The attempted Swedish human bomb (we mean he was an attempted bomber. He was both successfully Swedish as well as suicidal at least) had that same embarrassing problem so many men suffer from. He was so nervous he kinda went off prematurely.

Police believe that, en route to the strike site, he dropped the cell phone he was to use as a detonator. As he bent down to get it, he set off the bomb belt he was wearing, which also set off the bomb in his backpack. As police try to track where he got the materials to build the bombs, as well as if others were involved, I have to add that, while here’s absolutely no evidence that his last words were “Uh-oh…!” still, it would’ve been really funny if they were.

Last Christmas, the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 failed because the similarly complicatedly-named terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had a bomb that failed to go off… in his pants! You can fill in your own punch-lines here.

Still experts say that this is no reason to relax our vigilance. After all, look how often the Three Stooges or Inspector Clouseau bumbled their slapstick way into an actual successful solution to the crime/problem/whatever. Much like water in nature, eventually even Comedy finds its way through, or around, any obstacle.

And while it is somewhat of a comfort that the average terrorist recruit comes already a few Muppets short of being Harry the Mad Bomber, experts say that two dangers still exist here: the afore-mentioned “Clouseau” theory, as well as the more conspiracy-minded view that a legion of bumblers might be a diversion for actual professionally planned and executed attacks.

For, after all, while we joke, “You know the biggest problem in terror attacks? They use people!” It’s worth remembering even a broken clock has a chance of being right twice a day.

Sarah Palin speaking at an Iowa fundraiser for the Republican Party, told Karl Rove where he could go… and then she pointed at her ass.