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58

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O. •

e76.0111

Don't Pitch,
Just Warn
W

old.
hen intel-
By noon Tuesday, a report from
ligence
said an Al Qaida opera-
Newsday.com
surfaced
tive
told
British
intelligence that an
last week of "new"
attack was planned "60 days before the
Al Qaida threats to
Nov. 2 election," or Sept. 2.
blow up financial
Obviously, this story isn't going away.
institutions,
The
photographs of heavily armed
Homeland Security
police
patrolling Wall Street and the
Secretary Tom Ridge
HARRY
corridors
of power in Washington,
took the podium on
KIRSBAUM Aug, 1.
D.C., may move to the back pages in
Columnist
the weeks leading to Sept. 2, but the
"Reports indicate
story lines across the media will be
that Al Qaida is tar-
whether
this is an imminent threat or a
geting several specific buildings, includ-
political
ploy.
ing the International Monetary Fund
We haven't had another terrorist
and World Bank in the District of
attack
in the United States since 9-11.
Columbia, Prudential Financial in
northern New Jersey,
and Citigroup buildings
and the New York Stock
Exchange in New York,"
he said, announcing
added security measures,
increased checkpoints
and screening, then rais-
ing the threat level to
orange in those areas
alone.
Then he made the
pitch: "But we must
understand that the kind
of information available
This week on Wall Street.
to us today is the result
of the president's leadership in the war
If you're Michael Moore, the state-
against terror. The reports that have led
ment means that Al Qaida hasn't got-
us to this alert are the result of offen-
sive intelligence and military operations- .ten around to blowing our people up
yet.
overseas as well as strong partnerships
If you're Ann Coulter, it means that
with our allies around the world, such
the
Republicans have prevented the
as Pakistan."
Spawns
of Satan (Democrats) from
The statement, made only days after
allowing another attack.
the Democratic convention, seemed to
I take it non-politically. I'm not sure
say to some news media outlets that
if
we're
lucky or good, and it doesn't
this was as much a political message as
matter.
it was a warning.
My leadership choices will not be
And that was the main story we
made
because of our security situation.
heard on Monday. Ridge and the
I
don't
blame either the Bush or
Republicans were telling America:
Clinton
administration for the chore of
While Kerry can talk about keeping us
removing my shoes in an airport secu-
safe, only Bush can "keep" us safe.
rity line. Things are the way they are.
By Tuesday morning, according to
Maybe Tom Ridge is just trying to
New York Times and the Washington
secure
his job come November. If so,
Post reports, some administration offi-
he's
losing
sight of what his role is:
cials said the intelligence, gleaned from
warning
the
American public of
a computer seized in a raid in Pakistan
threats,
not
speaking
of the president's
on July 25, may have been 3 or 4 years
leadership.
That's our job. ❑
Harry Kirsbaum's e-mail address is

hkirsbaum@thejewishnews.com