Ridge: War on terror will not end

Former homeland security secretary speaks at Mercer
Macon Telegraph
Mar. 11, 2006

The war on terror will not have a definitive end, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told about 200 people gathered Thursday night for Mercer University's Executive Forum.

"We're not going to have a 'VT Day' over terrorism because terrorism has been around for centuries," Ridge said.

But that does not mean the United States will be defeated, he said.

"We'll prevail for one basic reason," said the former two-term governor of Pennsylvania. "Because America is an idea, not a place. And that idea is freedom."

In a speech peppered with a number of topics pertinent to national security, the retired Cabinet member spoke candidly while sharing insights into his personal life and tenure in the White House.

Seeming to enjoy being allowed to speak freely and uncensored, Ridge offered his thoughts on border security, the Dubai ports deal, Iran and Hurricane Katrina.

Before dinner at the University Center, Ridge mingled with guests gathered for the forum, which gives business leaders an opportunity to network while hearing from nationally known speakers.

First and foremost, Ridge told his audience the threat of terrorism is real and the nation must recognize its vulnerability.

"Most Americans don't appreciate the fact the Muslim world is a quarter of humankind," Ridge said. "Most of them don't live in Muslim countries."

In the Islamic faith, small pockets of people believe in the killing of innocents to advance their case, a concept difficult for many Americans to grasp, he said.

But he cautioned against discriminating against Arab nations, such as the United Arab Emirates, as he referred to the ports controversy.

"Politics is driving everything except outcomes," Ridge said of the climate in Washington. "We have to go back to the civility of public debate. We're losing it. I think this whole ports deal is more about politics than security."

When commenting on Dubai's decision to transfer operation of U.S. ports to an American company, Ridge drew laughs when he said: "I can't imagine how excited the Democrats would be if they sold it to Halliburton."

But he chided his former boss' administration for not recognizing the potential for concern and not informing Cabinet secretaries of the $6 billion to $7 billion deal.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and criticism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Bush administration, Ridge believes just as there is a shared responsibility for disaster relief, so should there be a shared accountability.

"You can't secure the country from inside the Beltway. You can't prepare for a hurricane from inside the Beltway," he said.

Ridge sees a more regional approach to federal disaster planning in the future, but urged everyone to prepare.

When asked about the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon, Ridge said he agrees with Sen. John McCain, R.-Ariz., that the military option should never be taken off the table.

"We don't want them to have the ability because there's a back door and there's no doubt terrorists would have access," said Ridge, a Vietnam veteran who trained at Fort Benning in Columbus.

Something also must be done to manage the flow of illegal immigrants across our borders, he said, and new sensor technology coupled with stiffer penalties for employers of illegal aliens might help.

When answering a question as to whether the government's efforts to protect citizens is jeopardizing freedoms, Ridge said he believes there is a place for measures such as the Patriot Act in pursuing terrorists, but cautioned against curtailing civil liberties.

"We can't give up our freedoms even a little bit because then (terrorists) start winning and we can't allow them even a small victory."

He believes the country is more secure than when he went to work a few days after Sept. 11, 2001.

Everyone must learn to accept additional security measures as evidenced by changes at airports, he said.

"I get pulled over for secondary screening on a regular basis," Ridge said. "You think they're nervous frisking you, they're really nervous frisking the former secretary of homeland security."