Checking Chertoff's Gut Feeling

Thursday, August 2, 2007

By E.D. Hill, Fox News Live

July 11, 2007

E.D.: Thanks for being with us.

Tim Roemer: Sure Eddie.

E.D.: when he says this sort of thing, do you think it sounds like they really have information to make a statement like that or are they just trying to do a cover their butt?

Roemer: Well, it’s hard to tell, Eddie. It certainly would be more helpful if the Secretary of Homeland Security would give out more specific information so that you wouldn’t have either complacency or fear and nothing to do about either one of them. So, specific information is very important in these cases.

E.D.: You know well they say that they cant give out too much because that could jeopardize ongoing investigations, it could tip off people of how we are getting information, that sort of thing, but do you think, and you’ve seen a lot of this intelligence information, do you think some of it really could be given to the American people and not jeopardize the efforts to thwart terrorism?

Roemer: Well, let’s look at this specific case. Secretary Chertoff’s gut feeling may turn into a headache as you look at the mounting signs and worrisome evidence that al Qaeda is growing and gaining strength. Let’s look at just the recent threat of the bombings in London. One of those doctors was exploring the opportunity to go the United States. So where there’s intent maybe there’s opportunity. When we looked at the 911 Commission, the Summer of Thereat leading up to 9/11, where people’s hair was on fire, the system was blinking red, there is a trend with al Qaeda to try to do things in the summer time. That’s when they did the 7/7 plot in Great Britain. We’ve seen graduation tapes from new recruits coming out of Pakistan and Zawahiri tapes. So there’s certainly a lot of chatter, a lot of ringing, and a lot of threat out there. Then, Eddie, what do you do about it? What do we do to decrease our vulnerabilities? And I’d like to hear more from the Administration and Congress on that.

E.D.: What one thing, if you had to pick one, has not been done that really is critical to our nation’s security?

Roemer: Well one of the first things, when you see the threat growing from our closest ally on terrorism, Great Britain, is what do we do about our borders and our ports? How do we better secure those to fully know to who’s coming in and how they’re getting here?

E.D.: Well, we saw that collapse; you just saw the border security thing collapse in congress.

Roemer: To Secretary Chertoff’s credit he was up there trying to do something about that. But now there’s a 9/11 bill up there, trying to do things about our borders and our ports, nuclear terrorism threats, first communication for grants to improve communication responses, if there is an attack how do we get local law enforcement people better prepared. All that’s sitting in Congress now. I’d sure like to see the President and Secretary Chertoff doing more to pass these kinds of things that will decrease our vulnerabilities.

E.D.: Well, I’ll tell you what, we’ll do a segment about that to try and keep people informed about what’s happened up there on Capitol Hill that impacts their security.

Roemer: Let me know what I can do to help Eddie. I’d be there with you.

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