21 June 2007

Lies, misleading, or mistaken?

I just read this article on cbc.ca regarding the delay in the passport requirement for Canadians and Americans crossing the United States border by car or boat. United States Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is reported as saying that any substantial delay in the passport requirement would be "playing with fire". But what *really* annoyed me was this quote:

"Even Andrew Speaker, the Atlanta lawyer with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, knew to enter the United States via Canada to remain undetected, he [Chertoff] said."
Eh?! What the heck!? From articles I've read (BBC; CNN) Andrew Speaker was NOT undetected. Speaker was only able to enter the United States because the border guard let him pass *despite* a "danger to public health" warning and a "detain" order--not because he did or did not have a passport!

Is Chertoff trying to change history?! Is Chertoff outright lieing, intentionally misleading, worryingly misinformed, or genuinely ignorant of the facts surrounding an important security breach? As something like this falls under his purview as Homeland Security Secretary, is he simply incompetent? Unfortunately, the Bush government lost my benefit of the doubt a long time ago.

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