Via the NYT: U.S. Terror Targets: Petting Zoo and Flea Market?
The National Asset Database, as it is known, is so flawed, the inspector general found, that as of January, Indiana, with 8,591 potential terrorist targets, had 50 percent more listed sites than New York (5,687) and more than twice as many as California (3,212), ranking the state the most target-rich place in the nation.The database is used by the Homeland Security Department to help divvy up the hundreds of millions of dollars in antiterrorism grants each year, including the program announced in May that cut money to New York City and Washington by 40 percent, while significantly increasing spending for cities including Louisville, Ky., and Omaha.
“We don’t find it embarrassing,” said the department’s deputy press secretary, Jarrod Agen. “The list is a valuable tool.”
But the audit says that lower-level department officials agreed that some older information in the inventory “was of low quality and that they had little faith in it.”
It would be nice if a government spokesperson could simply admit when something is obviously screwed up.
I will confess that if terrorists attacked some of these places (e.g., a petting zoo) that would have a dramatic effect. However, the odds that they will be working to hit sites in Indiana more than sites in New York is highly suspect.
What are the odds, for example, that al Qaeda members know where Woodville, AL is? (I live in Alabama, and I have never heard of Woodville):
In addition to the petting zoo, in Woodville, Ala., and the Mule Day Parade in Columbia, Tenn., the auditors questioned many entries, including “Nix’s Check Cashing,” “Mall at Sears,” “Ice Cream Parlor,” “Tackle Shop,” “Donut Shop,” “Anti-Cruelty Society” and “Bean Fest.”
This hardly sounds like a useful list for planning security, and certainly not for doling out federal funds.
(For the curious amongst you, Woodville is in northeastern Alabama near Huntsville.)
July 12th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Soft Target(s)
HS is often a soft target for us bloggers.
Now step back from this story and think for a minute.
July 12th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
[...] h fun with this news. Below the Beltway is happy to know Amish popcorn is safe. Dr. Taylor wishes government spokespeople would just admit a screw-up has happened. Alex at OTB makes note of HS still n [...]
July 24th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
[...] h fun with this news. Below the Beltway is happy to know Amish popcorn is safe. Dr. Taylor wishes government spokespeople would just admit a screw-up has happened. Alex at OTB makes note of HS still n [...]