WASHINGTON (AP) The agency created to combat terrorism now is targeting those who prey on children.
Homeland Security Department Secretary Tom Ridge announced ''Operation Predator'' on Wednesday. The initiative seeks to crack down on crimes by child predators by pulling together once-fragmented investigative and intelligence resources.
Not that I have anything against protecting children from predators.
But is this what the DHS was created to do? When it isn't ready to protect our airports or our ports?
And at a time when the DHS has already become highly politicized (searching for Democratic state legislators in Texas at the behest of Texas state Republicans and, some say, Tom DéLay), do we really want to expand its mission beyond statute?
It looks like hitchhiking to me. The DHS has vast, centralized powers that many will seek to use. If "Operation Predator" goes through, look for many more, and much less worthy, hitchhikers to follow. "Operation Republican Convention 2004," for example.
NOTE: Don't you just hate these blowhard "Operation" names? They spell out White House political "operation" in letters a mile high. Look for anyone opposing this sleazy move to be labelled as being in favor of sexual predation. And let's see if any Beltway Dems stand up to oppose it.