Last March our newly installed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano explained in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel her vision for fighting what was formerly known as terrorism.
By calling these now man caused disasters she explained we would move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur.
Our policies will be guided by authoritative information. We also have assets at our disposal now that we did not have prior to 9/11. For example we are much better able to keep track of travelers coming into the U.S. than we were before. The third thing is to work with our international partners and allies to make sure that we are getting information and sharing information in an appropriate and real-time fashion.
Yikes.
Putting Napolitano in charge of a department of 200000 people and a $50 billion budget with a stated mission to lead the unified national effort to secure the country and preserve our freedoms was a man caused disaster. And it is one that President Barack Obama should fix -- pronto.
His No. 1 priority to restore credibility in his administrations ability to protect Americans from terrorism should be replacement of Napolitano.
Her blundering performance on Sunday talk shows following the failed Christmas day terrorist attempt to blow up an American plane showed clearly that this isnt the person we want responsible for the security of our homeland.
Its much more than her incredible observation that the system worked.
Napolitano told CNNs Candy Crowley The traveling public is very very safe in this air environment.
This despite answering every one of Crowleys probing questions with I dont know.
Are there Al-Qaeda ties? How could he have gotten past security and on the plane carrying an explosive? How could he fly to the U.S. when his own father -- a wealthy banker -- briefed our embassy officials about what he saw his son up to?
Crowley astonished asked the Secretary how she could possibly be reassuring Americans that they are safe when she seemed to know nothing about what happened.
....if it was properly screened and he got on anyway with that it doesnt feel that safe.
Napolitano: Well you know it should.
The same morning on NBCs Meet the Press David Gregory asked Napolitano if the amount of explosives the young man had was enough to bring down the plane.
Her reply: I think were far from knowing that. This two days after the incident.
Her own agenda and bias emerged in the interview with Gregory. He asked if there were Al Qaeda ties and she responded Again we dont know.
But in concluding Gregory asked her if we should continue to view Al Qaeda as a threat.
Referring in her rambling response to this latest incident Napolitano noted And while this case does not appear specifically connected there...
The Obama team knows how to fire CEOs.
Since General Motors became a subsidiary of the U.S. government after getting bailed out with taxpayer funds two CEOs have been forced out. Their failure was not coming up with plans for selling Chevrolets Buicks and Cadillacs that pleased their government overseers.
Surely at least the same standard for performance should be demanded of someone responsible for Americas security and American lives.
Barack Obama has led a charmed life.
The botched terrorist effort on Christmas was a gift to the 300 innocent passengers on that plane and a gift to America.
But it was also a potential political gift to Obama. Americans rally around their president when we are threatened. Making the right moves now could prove a political boon to him.
And the right move now is finding and installing a qualified Homeland Security secretary.
Star Parker is the founder and president of CURE the Coalition for Urban Renewal & Education a 501c3 think tank which explores and promotes market based public policy to fight poverty as well as author of White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay.
Last March our newly installed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano explained in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel her vision for fighting what was formerly known as terrorism.
By calling these now man caused disasters she explained we would move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur.
Our policies will be guided by authoritative information. We also have assets at our disposal now that we did not have prior to 9/11. For example we are much better able to keep track of travelers coming into the U.S. than we were before. The third thing is to work with our international partners and allies to make sure that we are getting information and sharing information in an appropriate and real-time fashion.
Yikes.
Putting Napolitano in charge of a department of 200000 people and a $50 billion budget with a stated mission to lead the unified national effort to secure the country and preserve our freedoms was a man caused disaster. And it is one that President Barack Obama should fix -- pronto.
His No. 1 priority to restore credibility in his administrations ability to protect Americans from terrorism should be replacement of Napolitano.
Her blundering performance on Sunday talk shows following the failed Christmas day terrorist attempt to blow up an American plane showed clearly that this isnt the person we want responsible for the security of our homeland.
Its much more than her incredible observation that the system worked.
Napolitano told CNNs Candy Crowley The traveling public is very very safe in this air environment.
This despite answering every one of Crowleys probing questions with I dont know.
Are there Al-Qaeda ties? How could he have gotten past security and on the plane carrying an explosive? How could he fly to the U.S. when his own father -- a wealthy banker -- briefed our embassy officials about what he saw his son up to?
Crowley astonished asked the Secretary how she could possibly be reassuring Americans that they are safe when she seemed to know nothing about what happened.
....if it was properly screened and he got on anyway with that it doesnt feel that safe.
Napolitano: Well you know it should.
The same morning on NBCs Meet the Press David Gregory asked Napolitano if the amount of explosives the young man had was enough to bring down the plane.
Her reply: I think were far from knowing that. This two days after the incident.
Her own agenda and bias emerged in the interview with Gregory. He asked if there were Al Qaeda ties and she responded Again we dont know.
But in concluding Gregory asked her if we should continue to view Al Qaeda as a threat.
Referring in her rambling response to this latest incident Napolitano noted And while this case does not appear specifically connected there...
The Obama team knows how to fire CEOs.
Since General Motors became a subsidiary of the U.S. government after getting bailed out with taxpayer funds two CEOs have been forced out. Their failure was not coming up with plans for selling Chevrolets Buicks and Cadillacs that pleased their government overseers.
Surely at least the same standard for performance should be demanded of someone responsible for Americas security and American lives.
Barack Obama has led a charmed life.
The botched terrorist effort on Christmas was a gift to the 300 innocent passengers on that plane and a gift to America.
But it was also a potential political gift to Obama. Americans rally around their president when we are threatened. Making the right moves now could prove a political boon to him.
And the right move now is finding and installing a qualified Homeland Security secretary.
Star Parker is the founder and president of CURE the Coalition for Urban Renewal & Education a 501c3 think tank which explores and promotes market based public policy to fight poverty as well as author of White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay.
