Obama fears NYC nuclear attack, but he again proposes to cut budget for city's protection

President Obama is worried about the possibility of a nuclear weapon going off in Manhattan. But this year, his administration again proposed to slash the budget for the NYPD's Securing the Cities program, which has developed a radiological detection ring around Manhattan and the greater New York City area.

BY Richard Falkenrath

SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 10:42 PM

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KEN CEDENO Richard Falkenrath says President Obama has not put his money where his mouth is. While the President fears terrorists' attempting a nuclear attack on Manhattan, his administration proposed cutting money to a program that protects the city.

President Obama is right to be worried about the possibility of a nuclear weapon going off in Manhattan. Attacking the city is on virtually every terrorist's bucket list.
The odds of a nuclear weapon falling into terrorist hands are not zero; therefore the odds are too high. The President, I think, recognizes this. He gives the issue priority in his speeches and it is high on his international, diplomatic agenda.
But at home, the President has not put his money where his mouth is. This year, his administration again proposed to slash the budget for the one initiative designed to protect Manhattan from nuclear threats.
The NYPD’s Securing the Cities program, has developed a first-of-its-kind radiological detection ring around Manhattan and the greater New York area. Yet, every year since he took office, the President has proposed significant reductions to the program. Every year, the New York congressional delegation has labored to reverse the cuts on the House and Senate floor.



 Richard Falkenrath is the former deputy commissioner of counterterrorism at the NYPD. He is now principal at the Chertoff Group.
The disconnect between the President’s blunt talk about the nuclear threat to Manhattan and his administration’s attempt to eviscerate Securing the Cities program is absurd. The White House needs to intervene and show the same nuclear security leadership at home that it does abroad.
Falkenrath is former deputy commissioner of counterterrorism at the NYPD. He is now principal at the Chertoff Group.