U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told a reporter "I am not authorized to be stressed" when asked whether he was worn out by the challenges that his position involves.

However, Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor, has expressed frustration to colleagues over the continuing task of trying to reorganize the 22 disparate agencies that are now under the umbrella of his department.

Lack of cooperation between those intelligence components has been blamed in part for the nation's failure to thwart the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon. The formidable task with which Ridge has been faced since accepting his homeland security role has been to eradicate the deeply rooted, flawed attitude that each of the agencies can operate alone with maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Ridge, a get-things-done kind of person, obviously has triggered animosities and encountered roadblocks erected by those agencies as he has sought to do the job President George W. Bush expects. While there has been progress on the homeland security front, it has not come with the speed Ridge would have liked.

Perhaps part of the resistance to Ridge's efforts has resulted from the perception of Ridge as an outsider, coming from the state government level rather than moving up within the federal bureaucracy. However, Ridge has previous federal service by virtue of time spent in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He was no stranger to Washington when he accepted Bush's homeland-security call and thus is qualified to lock horns with the longstanding, counterproductive, individual-fiefdom mentality that had prevailed for so long within the intelligence community.

But years of trying to assemble a smoothly functioning, combined homeland security operation would take a toll on anyone, even someone of Ridge's caliber. Thus, it comes as no shock to learn that Ridge might be feeling that he has taken the effort as far as he can and it is time for someone else to build upon the foundation that he has put in place.

Ridge has told colleagues that he needs to earn more than his $175,700 homeland security pay to comfortably put his two children through college. However, it's difficult to believe he would put aside his dedication to public service for that reason alone.

It is more believable that he is indeed frustrated by not having achieved the level of success that he anticipated when he accepted his homeland security responsibilities.

Ridge has said the resignation possibility that he currently is harboring could be changed by another terrorist attack or by a discussion with Bush. It is not uncommon for the face of administrations to change during a president's second term, and if Bush is re-elected in November his administration probably wouldn't be an exception.

Ridge's departure, if it occurs, could actually hasten progress in the homeland security sector if the animosities that he no doubt has triggered by his role of eliminating the intelligence status quo provides for a fresh start and new momentum toward that goal.

That Ridge has served well and continues to do so is without question. Whatever his ultimate decision should be perceived as being the decision best for the country.

The bottom line is that Bush made an excellent selection when he selected Ridge to put revamping of the nation's security network into motion.

- J.R.K.