This interview was done around May 14, 2010, as best as I can tell. So fairly recent, and notably after the Times Square bombing.
Napolitano says several times, in almost a nonchalant way, that the government doesn’t know ‘exactly’ how many Americans are traveling to and from Pakistan for reasons of terrorist activity. Now, I can understand not knowing an exact to-the-person number of people, but she really never leaves me with the notion that she even has a clue how many. Normally, when someone touts that they don’t know something exactly, especially when it comes to national security, they reiterate what they do know and what they are doing, to instill confidence, especially when they are speaking to a reporter that is somewhat aghast at the notion that the situation could be out of control. I mean, we are talking about national security here.
Her excusatory attitude about this issue leaves me feeling little confidence in the governments ability, and perhaps even desire to protect us.