Exclusive: Is Janet Napolitano Up to the Task of Keeping Americans Safe? (Part One of Two)

No one should doubt that one of the most important Cabinet posts is that of Secretary of Homeland Security. Terrorism is one of the defining issues of the 21st century. The U.S. faces a daunting array of threats to our domestic security. The occupant of that post must be up to the job. The stakes are too high. While Secretary of Commerce, Education, Agriculture and other Cabinet posts have merit, few Americans can name the posts – let alone their Secretaries. But nearly everyone who is at least occasionally paying attention to the real world can name the Secretary of Homeland Security.

And to prove her gravitas, last week Secretary Napolitano allowed a DHS report to paint veterans as possible converts from war heroes to terrorists. Not an inspiring performance.

Threats to the US: 2009
Let’s take inventory of the Homeland Security threats facing the United States: Numerous inadequately secured sources of hazardous materials (think weapons of convenience); a growing fifth column of radical Islamists in our midst developing paramilitary training camps containing increasingly powerful weapons including in all likelihood advanced armor piercing high caliber arms, our own home grown crazies (think Timothy McVeigh); ~11 million illegal aliens, some of which are violent criminals, members of gangs, drug cartels or engaged in the ‘human pipeline (jihadists and others), human trafficking, domestic gangs and drug cartels going international and teaming up with global criminal or terrorist groups.

Then from a FEMA perspective: The aging, weakening levees and other protective infrastructure (think New Orleans, Fargo).

From a health preparedness perspective, DHS has yet to provide the true leadership to connect all the preparedness regimes, NIMS notwithstanding. Overcrowded health care facilities incapable of dealing with a widespread epidemic, overburdened and undertrained public health departments are mostly unprepared how to spend DHS funds and clearly unfamiliar with security – in spite of being an ersatz performance culture of preparedness.

Then there’s the persistent vulnerability based upon government reports…our porous borders to the North and South, a Mexico problem that threatens the security of several US states.

Let’s not forget the political officials on the take or not paying their taxes. While we’re at it, we continue to face, even eight years post-9/11, inadequate safeguards on technology transfers, biological labs, cyber terrorism, protections against tainted imported products (intentional and accidental), inadequate screening of shipping, poorly protected railways carrying highly toxic chemicals, readily available radioactive materials, inconsistent security oversight of BSL 3 and BSL 4 labs (hold the most dangerous pathogens known) nationwide and the list goes on and on and on. The public remains woefully disengaged from the preparedness process as suggested by numerous security experts, the World At Risk Report Commission, and studies demonstrate first responder agencies – medical and law enforcement are inadequately prepared for asymmetric warfare using unconventional weapons.

Oh and let’s not forget those über dangerous folks – our veterans. Yes, the “go toâ€