Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed the country that his department is prepared to secure World Cup matches across the United States. Prepared, but not finished, because before the opening match on June 12 in Los Angeles, there is still \u201ca lot of work left to do.\u201d \u201cI feel very comfortable with where we are, and we feel this is a mission that cannot fail. But it is going to be complicated,\u201d Mullin told the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. A mission that cannot fail is a remarkable claim coming from an agency that has recently had ample opportunity to practice failure elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Millions of fans will come into the country, he continued, the entire event amounts to \u201c78 Super Bowls in 38 days,\u201d and \u201cwe have some very complicated countries playing against each other that have tremendous dislike for one another.\u201d One must already view world affairs in a rather particular way to measure them in Super Bowls and sort nations according to the degree of their mutual hostility as though this were a group stage draw. Mullin thanked state and local authorities at the host locations for their cooperation and ended with a wish: \u201cI hope when FIFA is over, we can show that we can work together and continue keeping our cities and streets safe.\u201d That FIFA itself may one day also be over is a comfort the sentence certainly does not intend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beginning June 10, we will report every day, just not about football. Because the real game is not taking place on the field but at its edges, where the same agency welcoming millions of guests usually decides who must leave the country again. Anyone paying attention will not find the more interesting contest inside the stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n