Yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned Americans to stay watchful for terrorism, saying that al Qaeda could be preparing to carry out a large-scale attack. His cry of concern, interpreted by critics as scaremongering, illustrates the administration’s dilemma on homeland security, caught between deadly threats and partisan mischief.
While precise knowledge of prospective assaults does not exist, Mr. Ridge notes that there have been credible indications that “al Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt our democratic process.” Terrorists may be trying to follow the Madrid model; George W. Bush is their most hated enemy.
Mr. Ridge preceded his press conference by briefing members of Congress. Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee, the Republican majority leader, correctly said that there is “no reason for panic or paralysis.” Nevertheless, “the country is at some increased risk between now and the time of the presidential election. It’s important for people to be aware of that.”
A senior campaign adviser to John Kerry asserted that the senator would give the White House the benefit of the doubt if it could explain the reasons for the new warnings. Mr. Kerry could know them already. The White House offered that briefing earlier this week, but he has not yet accepted.
Accusing the administration of scaremongering, or trying to whip up patriotism, is disingenuous, or worse. Were Mr. Ridge not to speak out, and the terrorists attack, the hue and cry would be loud and long. Talking heads and presidential candidates would decry the administration’s failure; congressional inquiries would be opened; poisoned polemics would fill op-ed pages.
Thus the dilemma: If he speaks out, he is alarmist; if not, he is negligent. Said a senior administration official, “This is one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’ts, and our default is ’do’.” For citizens, the default should also be “do” — do be vigilant, do stay wary.
It cannot be said too often that the nation is at war. On September 11, terrorists murdered 3,000 American civilians with no warning and no mercy. They have tried to kill since. Rep. Mike Rogers, Michigan Republican, catalogs more than 100 interrupted terrorist attacks since then, some intended on American soil. Overseas, the best defense against terror is aggressive action. At home, the best defense for civilians — who are also on the front lines — is constant vigilance. As Mr. Ridge said, “Every citizen using their common sense and eyes and ears can support our national effort to stop the terrorists.”
Accusations of scaremongering cannot obscure the substantial threat that continues to thrive. Mr. Ridge was right to remind us all to be alert.
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