Rep. Peter King: DHS has more "refined" approach to terrorism

The likely incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Representative Peter King (R-N.Y.) said Thursday he thought the Obama administration was coming around on its national-security policies.

King, the ranking member of the committee who stands to become its chairman in the next Congress, said he thought President Obama’s team had “refined” its counterterrorism efforts, though King still said he had areas of criticism.

“They’ve certainly refined their approach,” King>said on Fox News. “I think it’s much more direct now, and I think that, as each day goes by, the administration realizes that a lot of the things that President Bush had done were actually the right things.”

The Hill reports that the New York Republican has been one of the administration’s loudest critics on issues of counterterrorism and homeland security in the past year. He had repeatedly criticized White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, and has called for his firing.

King has a softer tone toward the administration now, a week after the federal government prevented a series of possible attacks against cargo jets. “You don’t hear as much talk about closing Guantánamo, you don’t hear as much talk about interrogation procedures,” King said. “So I think that they realize how deadly this is.”

The Hill notes that King praised CIA director Leon Panetta and other rank-and-file intelligence personnel, but vowed to continue to oppose civilian trials in New York City for suspects in the 9/11 attacks. King also said homeland security funding could be much more “threat-based.”

“I think that there’s not always the emphasis as strong as it should be, but by and large, they’re doing their job,” he said. “And when they’re doing it, I’ll say it, and when I’m critical, I’ll also be very critical.”