Posted on 09/06/2007 5:26:33 PM PDT by ConservativeofColor
WASHINGTON – Congressional auditors gave a stinging assessment of the Homeland Security Department's progress and said the department could not take credit for the absence of a terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001. The department's primary mission is to prevent such a strike to and minimize the damage should an attack occur. Auditors said the U.S. is safer than it was that day in 2001, but the department has poorly managed its mission over the past four years.
“I don't think we can take comfort in the fact, necessarily, that we haven't had another attack,” Government Accountability Office Comptroller General David Walker told senators Thursday, just five days before the sixth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In a 320-page report, the GAO identified 171 performance expectations and found the department achieved fewer than half since it formed four years ago. Experts, including auditors, have said it would take a department this large five years to seven years to come together.
Auditors also noted that the Defense Department, created after World War II, still faces serious management challenges. “I'm confident DHS can do better faster,” Walker said.
Homeland Security officials disagreed with many of the findings, which they said were based on vague and shifting criteria.
“The department continues to believe that they used a flawed methodology in preparing its report,” said Paul A. Schneider, the undersecretary for management.
Schneider said the measurements do not account for programs that never were expected to be completed in four years, such as a border security initiative. The department has deployed 6,000 National Guard members to the border and has hired more than 5,000 additional border patrol agents since 2001.
Auditors found maritime security to be the only area where the department made significant progress. Walker attributed this to strong congressional oversight and increased funding.
Auditors found DHS has not made adequate progress in these areas:
Identifying the spots where people illegally cross the border into the country.
Removing criminal aliens and establishing a strategy to prevent human smuggling.
Setting standards and procedures for securing the outer perimeter of airports.
Issuing standards for securing non-aviation transportation.
Establishing a single, all-hazards plan to respond to disasters.
Coordinating research and development of countermeasures for chemical, biological, nuclear and other terrorist threats.
During congressional testimony Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended the department's progress.
“But if you ask me is the job of keeping us safe done, the answer to that is no,” Chertoff said. “It is not done. And it may not be done within our lifetimes.”
who the hell needs enemies when these folks are “at the switch” ??????
Well said...kinda. :-)
then repeat rule #1
By what sstandards? I would like to point out that there hasn’t been another attack......
Surely no one could criticize the skill and professionalism of the TSA. How many elderly women, wheelchair users, and four-year-olds have hijacked airliners since 9-11? ZERO. The nail-clipper and water-bottle ban is working! Kudos, Homeland Security!
Based on what I see at the airports with TSA I’d say the report is on target.
Most of the time, the press inserts the statement that the GAO is “non-partisan”.
It IS partisan, and this report is an example.
Remember earlier this week when they were highly critical of progress in Iraq?
The were giving either A+ or F’s, in their analysis. If a program had reached 90%, it failed because it had not completely reached every goals. No credit was given for being close to achieving it’s targets.
We should read GAO as “Highly Partisan” in it’s analysis.
That's due, no doubt, to the progress we have made overseas. Domestically, the DHS has met fewer than half its goals. That's a sad fact, and one that leads me to believe they have failed miserably.
But I reaspect your opinion and thank you for sharing it.
My sincerest appolgies. I could have at least used non slang, and correct spelling.
Last time my wife and I flew she was scrutinized extensively. Embarrassingly, if you know what I mean. Nevermind that she’s a 5’3”, 57-year-old kindergarten schoolteacher. They allowed my 6’8 frame (beard and all)right through without a second glance. I thought that interesting.
Why is so much stock given to Congressional audit reports?
Really, I agree. They're not telling us anything that anyone can't see. DHS is a dysfunctional illegal alien welcome wagon.
Huh? No attacks since 9/11? They didn't hear about the shoot 'em ups at LAX in '05, Seattle in '06, Salt Lake City in '07, SUV mayhem at Chapel Hill last year and again this year in San Fran....
Absence of attacks my foot.
Something tells me that this “Hit Piece” is in anticipation of us being hit again. Possibly on 9-11’s anniversary.
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