Not Safe Enough

[groovedaddy]

We could not agree more strongly with President Bush that this country must do everything it can to keep weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists’ hands.

If this truly reflects his thinking — and he has said it often — why does the United States government get only a “C” grade from a respected, bipartisan group of national security experts for its efforts to prevent nuclear, chemical and biological terrorism? The new report says the Bush administration has failed to demonstrate sufficient urgency, focus or follow-through.

In 2005, a group headed by former Representative Lee Hamilton and former Gov. Thomas Kean of New Jersey — the chairmen of the 9/11 Commission — gave the government a “D” for its efforts to prevent the spread of weapons and protect the homeland. Now, a successor group headed by Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Kean plus former Senator Warren Rudman finds the country’s efforts still dangerously weak.

The report says there is no comprehensive strategy that links all programs intended to stop the spread of such weapons and sets priorities for funding. The authors warn that the administration’s mistrust of international institutions and treaties has seriously harmed its ability to work with other countries to curb such threats.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14sun2.html?th&emc=th