Thread: Bush pledges 'unprecedented' spending on security in U.S

Bush pledges 'unprecedented' spending on security in U.S.
By Brian Knowlton International Herald Tribune
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005


WASHINGTON President George W. Bush, in his most extensive comments on homeland protection since the bombing attacks in London, promised significantly higher spending on U.S. transit and port security and vowed that "these terrorists will not shake our will."

"We're spending unprecedented resources to protect our nation," Bush said during a visit to a marine terminal at the port of Baltimore. "We will not let down our guard."

Following the July 7 attacks in London, which killed 56 people aboard three trains on the London Underground and on a double-decker bus, critics here noted that U.S. homeland security spending was skewed strongly toward protection of airports and commercial aviation, with far slighter emphasis on protecting rail and subway facilities.

Bush, in a speech billed as primarily a defense of the Patriot Act, which bolsters law-enforcement powers against terror suspects, offered an extensive defense of efforts by the administration to protect ports and mass transit facilities.

"We've provided more than $350 million to help state and local authorities to improve security on mass transit," he said.

"That's what the enemy hit the other day on one of our strong allies," he said, referring to the attacks in London. "At home, we're doing everything we can to protect the American people."

But Bush also said that in the face of what he called a war against "cold-blooded ideologues who will kill," it was necessary for the country to "plan for the worst" - studying the most likely and vulnerable targets, then securing them.

Democrats have said the administration, preoccupied with fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, has slighted security at home. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, referring to homeland needs, spoke recently of "a general feeling and consensus that the administration is not paying attention to the second front."

The president said that cities like Baltimore had received $2.4 billion in urban security grants that could be used partly for transit protection. His proposed budget envisages a 64 percent rise in grants to protect roads, bridges, subways, light rail and other infrastructure, he noted. Spending on port security was 10 times the pre-Sept. 11 levels.

In addition, he said, "we're widening the use of explosive detection teams and nearly doubling the number of rail security inspectors."

The homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, was criticized by Senate Democrats when he said last week that a federal focus on aviation was logical because attacks using planes could be catastrophic, as they were on Sept. 11, 2001.

"The truth of the matter is, a fully loaded airplane with jet fuel, a commercial airliner, has the capacity to kill 3,000 people," he said. "A bomb in a subway car may kill 30 people. When you start to think about your priorities, you're going to think about making sure you don't have a catastrophic thing first."

Bush spoke with particular intensity Wednesday about the fight against terrorism. "See, these people believe that there should be no dissent, no freedom, nor rights for women, that there only ought to be one religion, which is a great misinterpretation of the great religion of Islam," he said.






Copyright © 2005 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com

I looked, but I couldn't find the word "border" anywhere in the story.

So we're going to get more "unprecedented spending" from this great conservative, while the borders stay wide open.

And what's up with his love of Islam?

"The truth of the matter is, a fully loaded airplane with jet fuel, a commercial airliner, has the capacity to kill 3,000 people," he said. "A bomb in a subway car may kill 30 people. When you start to think about your priorities, you're going to think about making sure you don't have a catastrophic thing first."

Bushey Boy, "making sure you don't have a catstrophic thing first"? We've already have the "catastrophic thing". In fact, we had 4 "catastrophic thingS". This is the leader of the free world? This is the best the greatest nation in world could come up with?



When you think about your priorities, you close the borders and deport illegal aliens. If you haven't done that, the rest of it is a complete waste of money.

Bush spoke with particular intensity Wednesday about the fight against terrorism. "See, these people believe that there should be no dissent, no freedom, nor rights for women, that there only ought to be one religion, which is a great misinterpretation of the great religion of Islam," he said.

Oh....Lordie.....now he's a student of Islam!!

Seriously, we need to get this guy impeached. We have thousands of illegal invaders coming into our nation daily and he is doing nothing.

Nope...not a word. Typical Senor Bush a smoke & mirrors crap. He wants to get as many illegals in this country before the Americans DEMAND a lockdown. In the mean time, he holds his hands over his ears and hums loudly whenever he hears the words...Mexican border problem!

Originally Posted by CountFloyd

I looked, but I couldn't find the word "border" anywhere in the story.

So we're going to get more "unprecedented spending" from this great conservative, while the borders stay wide open.

CountFloyd, you will not find it no matter how hard you look. The prez said that to take away some heat because of his 'security' policies. He is content to make headlines with securing the front door while that back door is nothing more than a porous insect curtain strip. Terrorists are not dumb. They will enter the easiest most invisible way into this country. It will not take a genius to figure that out. I can see it now, after another attack in this country, the prez and the feds will ask themselves, how'd they get in and when they learn they walked across the southern border, they will ask themselves, why didn’t' we think of that, DUH? This is plain stupidity on the part of the prez in protecting his illegals and unprotecting the southern border. HE'S PROTECTING THE WRONG THING!

TREASON, TREASON, TREASON!

Mr. Prez, you should be ashamed of yourself. It was my hope you would see the light but now I am convinced you are totally in the dark on immigration and border issues. There are certain members of the NC General Assembly who are also guilty of protecting illegals. They have blood on their hands for allowing illegals to get NC drivers killing and maming others and their 'do nothing about it' policy. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. It should not take an election to get some of you kicked to the curb....... Get on with it or go home!

Bush, in a speech billed as primarily a defense of the Patriot Act, which bolsters law-enforcement powers against terror suspects, offered an extensive defense of efforts by the administration to protect ports and mass transit facilities.

I don't suppose that it's occurred to anyone in the administration that the terrorists just might choose some other type of target the next time.

Originally Posted by CountFloyd

Bush, in a speech billed as primarily a defense of the Patriot Act, which bolsters law-enforcement powers against terror suspects, offered an extensive defense of efforts by the administration to protect ports and mass transit facilities.

I don't suppose that it's occurred to anyone in the administration that the terrorists just might choose some other type of target the next time.

Naw......I sure it never occurred to them. They're camped out at the front door. If this wasn't so serious, this would be funny. I'm glad they are not in the detective business. They couldn't even find themselves let alone 12 million illegals.

Naw......I sure it never occurred to them.

I used to think that is was the Democrats who figured you could solve all problems by throwing limitless amounts of taxpayer money at them.

Things sure have changed.

Originally Posted by CountFloyd

Naw......I sure it never occurred to them.

I used to think that is was the Democrats who figured you could solve all problems by throwing limitless amounts of taxpayer money at them.

Things sure have changed.

I think that is still true but the R's are getting good at going around the problem only to return to the same spot. The D's on the other hand look deer in headlights........where do we go from here?

Then there's Hillary, who speaks with the wind.......which ever way the wind is blowing.......oh, brother. Imagine her and her First Gentleman at the helm???