Following a series of abortive car bombings in the United Kingdom, the possibility of global terrorism reaching U.S. shores has continued to grow more ominous, and Houston needs more resources if it intends to properly counter a possible attack.
Reports have reaffirmed al-Qaida’s intent to strike the American heartland, and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said he has a "gut feeling" that terror attempts are likely this summer. Across the globe, a siege at Pakistan’s Red Mosque left dozens dead.
Meanwhile, the federal government is expected to boost anti-terrorism funds for the greater Houston area to $25 million, a nearly 50 percent increase from last year. While the funds are welcome, they amount to approximately $4 million more than what was expended on security for the release of the last book in the Harry Potter saga – and we’ve seen how well that worked out.
Certainly the funds will allow the city of Houston to do more than just investigate how to synchronize their radios with Harris County, which they used the money for last year. While this is a crucial element of fighting terrorism, such spending underscores the pressing need to adequately prepare Houston for a possible terrorist attack.
With the proximity of the Johnson Space Center and one of the hemisphere’s busiest ports, Houston can’t afford to be under-represented in the anti-terrorism game. Greater funding beyond the latest increase would reward taxpayers with increased security – perhaps the only trick the boy wizard could never do.
