Are we letting our guard down?

In today's Star-Ledger, there was an article about someone who I have come to know well over the years: former New Jersey Governor/Co-Chair of the 9-11/Committee/Drew President/Drew Professor/my academic advisor, Thomas H Kean. His words in the article were very telling:

"This is the most dangerous time I've seen since 9-11...if we don't get our act together, we are going to be in serious trouble."

Having come to know the governor during my time at Drew, I can attest that he is a man of honor and a man of principle, so when he speaks, it is out of genuine interest and concern and on a basis of policy he questions. As a result, I become concerned.

Say what you want about President Bush, (and those of you who know me know that I didn't agree with everything during his term and give him a grade of B) but our country was not attacked again during his term after September 11th. For that, Americans should be thankful and that is part of why I believe history will treat George W. Bush well. (more on that on in the future) Since then, we had 1 attack and 2 attempted attacks that should give anyone who lived through September 11th a bit of concern.

1. Nidal Hassan and the Fort Hood Shooting on November 5, 2009.
2. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and the attempted Christmas Day Bombing of Northwest 253.
3. Faisal Shahzad attempting to set off a car bomb in a crowded Times Square on the evening of May 1, 2010, a particularly warm day in New York when Times Square was even more crowded.

Americans need to be questioning their government as to how and why these people are falling through the cracks. Is Obama's counter-terrorism policy working? Is it smart for government officials to deny the existence of Radical Islam? Was George W. Bush right?

I stand with my mentor in having concern for the route the Federal Government is taking in one of its primary responsibilities of protecting the homeland from attack and I hope they come to their senses before it's too late.