RADLEY BALKO: “So why is that despite the fact that there hasn’t been a terror attack on U.S. soil in nearly six years, it still feels like we’re losing the ‘war on terror?'” He blames Homeland Security hype, and I think he’s got a point.

UPDATE: Reader Shahid Alam emails:

With regard to Radley’s reason.com post on Chertoff, it does seem to me that Radley succumbs to the same fallacies that seems to have struck most of the sinistro-sphere dumb but unfortunately not mute. They are of two main parts:

1. Fighting terrorism, as for some fighting wars in general, is a science, not an art. This would only be possible with complete knowledge and no fog of war. I don’t read Chertoff’s statement that he woke up one day feeling that something was gonna come absent evidence. He sees a whole bunch of things which may indicate something specific or more likely something general, but there’s always guesswork involved, and nothing’s better at that guesswork than an experienced gut. We can argue whether Chertoff’s gut would be considered experienced, but it’s certainly more experienced than mine. (No comment on Radley’s… perhaps he moonlights as a counter-terrorism agent, one never knows.)
2. Fighting terrorism is entirely a responsibility of the government and we have no part. I believe we do, and that part is to remain vigilant. This doesn’t mean living in fear as Radley seems to think, but it does mean there will be some inconveniences which can hopefully over time be minimized. And so, I don’t see Chertoff’s warnings an attempt to cower us. Rather, it is to tell the first responders throughout our federal system, and all citizens, to be aware of what’s going on around them, and at least to have a stake in making sure that any attack is prevented, and failing that, its effect is minimized.

Until we can eliminate or drastically attenuate the root causes of terrorism, much of the battles we will have with its purveyors will have to be fought at the points where they choose to contact us. Sometimes, this will mean when they’re close to action. UK, with its MI-5 and blanket coverage of at least London in surveillance infrastructure may be better equipped to keep the battle entirely to its agents of state. Maybe, but July 7th still happened. In any case, we have neither in the US, and I’m betting Radley would be rather opposed to bringing them here, and, I wouldn’t disagree, for good reasons. However, this does mean that a significant burden does fall on us, the citizenry.

We can argue about whether our elected and appointed leadership is doing enough so that the citizenry remembers its responsibility. But it doesn’t help when opinion leaders swing to the opposition on principle instead of trying to help. Shrillness sells to the amen-chorus, but I’m not sure it’s beneficial either to the debate or to the civic or public good.

Shrillness seldom pays.