Waiting for another 9/11...

Terence Jeffrey says we should be connecting the dots now on the potential of WMD being smuggled across our border with Mexico. This is exactly right, and neither Republicans nor Democrats are taking the threat seriously.

We've been hearing about the threat of "nuclear suitcases" for some time. These are small, portable nuclear bombs that can relatively easily be transported into high population centers and detonated. We're also well aware that al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations, is very eager to attack again on our soil. Finally, we know that our border security is abysmal, with millions of illegals streaming across our southern border each year. A few weeks ago a fairly extensive tunnel was discovered under the Mexican border, which was used to transfer countless amounts of illegal drugs into the U.S.

It doesn't take much imagination to conclude that the threat of WMD being smuggled across our borders and used in a 9/11-style attack is very real. It's not at all difficult to envision a large scale attack in Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, or in any number of convenient cities. Apparently, some of the terrorists we have captured recently have hinted at just such plots.

The plan in the works is to double the number of border guards to 20,000, but this is far too inadequate. We need some type of comprehensive, long-term plan to seal our borders and reduce the risk to a level where we have a reasonable chance of thwarting an attack. I don't know if this means building a wall, a la Israel, or perhaps stationing National Guard troops along the border. But something other than lip service needs to take place soon or we just may end up paying for it in a very big way.

We keep talking about how 9/11 changed our world view. That statement is currently being put to the test. We've had our wake-up call. Will we step up and act on our new reality, or is that simply talk that will lead us to another attack and another Senate commission to investigate once again how we were caught so unprepared?