1115.org

Considering that the Department of Homeland Security is supposed to take charge in the fight for securing the…uh…homeland, it’s a little disconcerting when the agency is left out of the “War On Terror” loop. Yet the Department of Homeland Security was noticeably absent from yesterday’s John Ashcroft news conference, where the country was yet again warned of an impending Al Qaida attack. In fact, they were as surprised as anyone when Ashcroft started doing his Chicken Little routine:

The department, created a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is charged with issuing terrorism warnings to the public, and tension rose when Ashcroft and Mueller effectively took over that role at a news conference Wednesday when they said al-Qaida is preparing a powerful attack.

Officials said the Homeland Security Department knew in advance about the news conference but expected it to focus on seven suspects with ties to al-Qaida who were wanted for arrest or questioning. Department officials were caught off guard when Ashcroft went further and warned that al-Qaida “is ready to attack the United States.”

Even better:

Earlier on Wednesday, Ridge spoke on morning television shows and appeared to downplay the threat that Ashcroft would later trumpet, officials said. He told ABC’s Good Morning America that the threats are “not the most disturbing that I have personally seen during the past couple of years.”

Considering that it is Homeland Security’s responsibility to issue terrorism warnings and coordinate information, you have to—once again—wonder if all the Washington players are on the same page when it comes to protecting the country. But at least they will have less money to do their job effectively:

The White House put government agencies on notice this month that if President Bush is re-elected, his budget for 2006 may include spending cuts for virtually all agencies in charge of domestic programs, including education, homeland security and others that the president backed in this campaign year.

Ahh, priorities.