Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized to veterans after a report issued by her department said troops returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were at risk for being recruited by right-wing extremists.
"To the extent veterans read it as an accusation -- an apology is owed," she said in an on-air interview on FOX News Thursday, a day after veterans' groups and members of Congress blasted her for the report, which they said libeled members of the armed forces.
"The last thing I want to do is offend or castigate all veterans. To the contrary, let's meet and clear the air," she said.Ah, the old "I'm sorry if you were offended" argument. Correct me if I am wrong, but, it wasn't really an apology. She just said one was due. Perhaps she could truly say she was sorry to the vets, eh?
A footnote in the report, which was released last week by DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis, said that while there is no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are planning acts of violence, such acts could come from unnamed "rightwing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, abortion, increasing federal power and restrictions on firearms -- and singled out returning war veterans as susceptible to recruitment.
"If there's one part of this report that I would rewrite ... it would be that footnote," Napolitano said.Right. What is really going on is she is sorry that they got caught painting almost half the country as extremist. Perhaps an apology could be offered for that.
Hopefully, video of the interview will be coming soon from Fox News so as to show the full effect.
As a sidebar, I will give Napolitano this: at least she can speak in an adult manner without a teleprompter, unlike Obama and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
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