WAR: Americans must accept threat of terror attack, page 1

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 11:34 AM

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In a speech at George Washington University, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff laid out his plans and approach to protecting the United States from terrorist attacks. Chertoff is calling for a complete review of all of the agencies under the umbrella of DHS. While he was not critical of former Sec. Ridge, Chertoff hinted that the department will be run differently under his direction.

news.yahoo.com
WASHINGTON - New Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asked the public Wednesday to learn to live with the long-term risks of terrorism as he pledged to do a better job assessing that danger.

"We win the war against terror by rejecting terror as a tool of intimidation, and we triumph when we take account of real risks and threats but do not become hypersensitive or overly responsive to them," Chertoff said in his first major speech since taking over the huge 2-year-old department.

He offered no direct criticism of his predecessor, Tom Ridge, or of the color-coded terrorism alert system that became a staple for late-night comedians. But he told an audience at George Washington University that terrorists "seek to exploit psychological vulnerability" and to "control and manipulate our behavior."

He recalled that Winston Churchill, Britain's prime minister during World War II, rallied the citizens of London during German bombing raids with a message of perseverance.

"We want to live mindfully but do not want to live fearfully," Chertoff said, adding that Americans could follow Churchill's exhortation: "We will not flinch or weary of the struggle."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Chertoff's speech on the heels of the leak of the DHS terror preparation and response plan appears to have had the intent of clarifying the new Secretary's positions on the role DHS should play. Chertoff's approach does seem drastically different from that of Sec. Ridge.

A more proactive, forward thinking Secretary of Homeland Security will hopefully be able to do a better job of protecting America, rather then reacting to threats.

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
WAR: U.S. Report Lists Possibilities for Terrorist Attacks

[edit on 3/17/2005 by phreak_of_nature]

kazi

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 02:34 PM

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Let's hope his first official act will be to get rid of the color coded warning system that noone understood or payed attention to, and make it common practice to lift some of the secrecy surrounding threats. Police administrators and emergency personnel across the country would like to be better informed--so as to better do their jobs.

phreak_of_nature

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 02:45 PM

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It is my understanding that he has made a point of saying that he expects to continue to communicate and improve on the communication with state and local authorities. He did not comment directly on the color coded system. I doubt much attention will be paid to it, but I can't see it going away. Someday they might need it.

CmptrN3rd5

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 03:12 PM

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I guess its time for things to get really bad. This dudes gonna make everything worse and thats his intention. Good luck people who are still blind!

MaskedAvatar

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 03:12 PM

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Three parts to good terror messages from your government:

1. There will be a terrorist attack in the US. It is inevitable.
2. We cannot be specific about the threat.
3. Do not be terrified.

When Chertoff says that terrorists "seek to exploit psychological vulnerability" and to "control and manipulate our behavior" you can be sure that terrorists include the kind that work in 'Homeland Security'.

Yorga

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 03:35 PM

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Welcome to the new norm. Death, Taxes and Terrorism!
Wait? Death and Terrorism are kinda the same thing

So Death and Terrorism sorta cancel each other out, right ?

That leaves Taxes, oh but didn't UBL say American tax
payers are legitimate targets

Double death? Isn't that like double taxation

Can they do that?
Oh man I think I'm getting confused

[edit on 17-3-2005 by Yorga]

phreak_of_nature

posted on Mar, 17 2005 @ 03:46 PM

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I'm trying to hold out hope that the New DHS will be more effective then Ridge's Rainbow. It seems to me that Chertoff is trying to be more proactive then Ridge was. Also seems to me that with him efforting to distrubte funds to the places that have more of a need for it, rather then everyone getting an equal share of the pie, that he may be more effective.

Now if only he can get the budgetary oversite to do so.

I know some were shocked by the "accidental" release of the war gaming doc that laid out possible attack scenarios, but in my mind, at least creating the doc was a smart move.
When your playing chess, do you wait until after your opponent moves to figure out what to do, or are you planning your next move before your opponent even makes theirs? I personally play chess with the later strategy.