NYT: Homeland Security Chief Promises More Money to Protect Likely Targets

Security Chief Promises More Money to Protect Likely Targets
By ERIC LIPTON

Published: March 3, 2005


WASHINGTON, March 2 - Reacting to criticism that the department's spending has been unfocused and at times wasteful, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff vowed on Wednesday to direct more money to protecting cities and other targets most likely to be hit by terrorists....

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The strategy is an effort to address criticism from some members of Congress that the department has put too much emphasis on spreading money around broadly, instead of directing it toward the most vulnerable and important targets....

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Members of the panel, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, said they welcomed Mr. Chertoff's commitment to change the department's spending strategies, which are in part dictated by Congress....But the subcommittee members, Democrats and Republicans, added that they were losing patience with the two-year-old agency, which one member described as dysfunctional....

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Mr. Chertoff was also questioned about his department's efforts to prevent unconventional weapons from being brought into the country on a container ship, truck or train, as well as its responsibility to control the flow of illegal immigrants across the nation's borders, particularly from Mexico....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/03/politics/03chertoff.html

that will come right after they finish giving NYC the 20B for 9/11, right?

There. I said it.

coming into US ports, ANYTHING they do is pointless. If most closed containers don't get a peek, Osama or anybody else can get an army with shoulder launched rockets or even small nukes in. Any small cell can get in canisters of toxins.

Homeland Security, my ass. They won't spend the $$ on payroll for people who actually would be providing security cuz they give it to their puffed up pretend security corporate cronies. Can't hide the $$ as well if you are paying people. Easier to lose track of millions when it's for ambiguous contracts.

Inspect the containers and keep people on the borders. Over 9200 Border Patrol personnel cut in bush*s proposed budget? :wtf: America, those clowns are NOT worried about Homeland Security if they cut border patrols and refuse to hire people to inspect the cargo containers coming into ports. If they are NOT worried, then are there really any threats from outside? Seems most of what they do is restrict the rights of US citizens and make $$ disappear. The lie us into war and force the activation of reservists who work in local law enforcement and emergency response teams across the nation, leaving small towns hurting for local protection. That is NOT protecting America!