Bush Homeland Security Speech Focuses on Iraq, Misses Big Picture on Terrorism
BUSH HOMELAND SECURITY SPEECH FOCUSES ON IRAQ, MISSES BIG PICTURE ON
TERRORISM
Rep. Markey: We Must Fight the Terrorists Where They Are Not Just
Where We Want Them To Be'
Washington, D.C. - Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), senior Democrat on the Homeland
Security Committee made the following statement responding to President Bush's speech delivered this
morning at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) training academy in Quantico, VA.
"We can't just fight terrorists over there' in Iraq and Afghanistan - we need to be vigilant about fighting
terrorists where they are, not just where we want them to be. We know that Al Qaeda is operating in over
40 countries including the United States. The President's laser focus on fighting terrorists in Iraq is
preventing him from seeing the larger picture, the fight against terrorism is bigger that Iraq and our
security policy must be bigger than a strategy for fighting terrorists in Iraq. We must remember the fight
against terror that takes place at border stops, train stations and bus stations and airports across the
country everyday.
"Today, the President painted a rosy picture of progress against the war on terror, while the reality is
starkly different: subway systems across the country are starved for security funding, many chemical
plants are loosely protected and almost none of the cargo carried on passenger planes is screened for
bombs. There's a persistent disconnect between the President's rhetoric and real homeland security
results. We need to take action now to provide our brave FBI officers, first responders and other
personnel on the front lines in the fight against terrorism with the resources they need to do their difficult
jobs."
More information on Representative Markey's work close existing loopholes in aviation, chemical,
transport, nuclear and hazmat security can be found at http://www.house.gov/markey/
http://www.house.gov/markey/Issues/iss_HSgen_pr050711.pdf