Ridge Backpedals On Pressure To Raise Terror Alert Level

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge

From USA Today:

WASHINGTON — Former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge, speaking for the first time about accusations made in his new book, says he did not mean to suggest that other top Bush administration officials were playing politics with the nation's security before the 2004 presidential election.

"I'm not second-guessing my colleagues," Ridge said in an interview about The Test of Our Times, which comes out Tuesday and recounts his experiences as head of the nation's homeland security efforts in the first several years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Read more ....

My Comment: His retractions are coming a few days late and with no apology. I know that he is trying to create a stir for his book .... but pummeling his former associates .... and then taking his "sweet time" to retract these remarks will not help in selling his book.

As for prevailing against others to not raise the threat level in 2004 .... at the time I felt that this was a mistake. Al Qaeda was successful in hitting against the Spanish Government just days before their Presidential election, and the fear was justified that they would try to do the same during the American election. I wrote extensively at the time that even though this may be interpreted as electioneering .... damn the critics because prudence and caution would never hurt anyone.

Anyway .... the terror alert was not raised .... and President Bush still got pummeled by his critics when they found out about the discussions pertaining to raising the terror alert level.

Damn if you do .... damn if you do not.