Not surprisingly, he has been the target of much criticism, mostly focused on what is perceived to be the relatively new agency’s slow start. Ridge spoke to NEWSWEEK’s Michael Hirsh on the eve of the second anniversary of 9/11. Excerpts:
You said in a recent speech that “to date, we’ve never received specific, credible information” that would allow you to give localities or regions intelligence of a certain threat? Your recent 9/11 anniversary advisory also said that DHS had “no specific information on individual targets or dates for any attack.” Can you point to any actual cases where measures by the Department of Homeland Security or other agencies have actually stopped a terrorist attack?
Since March 1, since we’ve had this department up, we’ve sent out about 40 bulletins and advisories … There is universal agreement within the intelligence community and the Department of Justice that our efforts have thwarted some attacks. We know from [terror-suspect] detainees they have at least postponed certain operations because they noted there was security.
Why does it seem so difficult for the federal government to merge its various terrorist watchlists?
There is no problem with certain names that all agencies have and share, and this is a very high priority for the president and for us. But there are some legal problems and, frankly, some information difficulties. Different agencies over the years have had different thresholds of information that they needed to put somebody on a watchlist or checklist. We’ve been working on it very aggressively for several months. Several different kinds of lists is what you’ll see.
An often-heard criticism is that the department is underfunded. A Council on Foreign Relations report found that the nation will fall nearly $100 billion short of meeting the needs of “emergency responders” on the local and state level.
First of all, No. 1, you should know that every dollar that should be out to state and local governments from the 2003 budget and the ‘03 supplemental is out there for access. And you would be astonished at the level of drawdown to this point–you would be amazed at how many dollars they haven’t drawn down yet.
I think it’s important to note that if they pass the president’s budget in 04, first responders will have about $8 billion this year for training exercises and equipment … We’re ramping up our 2005 budget, as well; you’ll see some additional requests for funds there.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein noted at a hearing the other day that the president’s budget included no funds at all dedicated to securing maritime ports, though many experts say that is where the nation is most vulnerable.
We don’t have a specific request for that. But if I recall our budget, there was a line item for about a half billion dollars for critical infrastructure protection, which includes the ports … At some point in time, we need a public discussion about the ports and the aviation industry. They are a commercial enterprise. So who has the major responsibility? We’re going to build the preliminary infrastructure of security … [But] we need to determine as a country whether or not the profit centers of this country are going to be responsible in large measure for their own security.
Several months ago you said there needs to be a reassessment of who gets how much money based on risk, rather than just equally dividing funds among the states. Yet I hear that nothing has moved forward on that front….
We have been working on the Hill and I have been working with individual staffs to see if we could come up with a formula that has the kind of precision and political comfort level that is needed … [But] I’m not sure we’re ever going to come up with a formula. If we can’t come up with a formula we’ll set aside X percent for states [based on risk].
You have a mind-boggling task in merging 22 separate agencies into the Homeland Security Department. But another criticism one hears from local responders is that no one seems to be in charge, and they don’t know who to go to, whether the issue is port security or bioterror threats.
That refrain of no one in charge, it may be predictable. I don’t believe that. The department in a very short period of time has begun to reorganize and turn itself into a single unit … As we merge personnel and integrate, you’ll hear less and less of that. Some of the agencies are still acting like they’re independent. For us, the most important thing we need is good and timely and actionable information within the agency itself.
What most keeps you up at nights?
I’m not going to admit to having sleepless nights. I think if there were something that would cost me sleepless nights, it’s that we literally have to be right a couple of million times a day and [the terrorists] only to be right once. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to eliminate the risk. Our job is to manage it and focus on priorities.
