← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Faust
Thread ID: 4627 | Posts: 9 | Started: 2003-01-26
2003-01-26 16:57 | User Profile
Why Pentagon Wants to Spy on Your Shopping
Did you realize the Pentagon will soon know about every gun, book, magazine, Twinkie, condom and everything else you buy? The reason for the massive database: to seek "patterns indicative of terrorist activity," defense officials said today.
The database will use software to analyze consumer purchases in hopes of catching would-be terrorists, said Edward Aldridge, undersecretary of acquisitions and technology.
"The bottom line is this is an important research project to determine the feasibility of using certain transactions and events to discover and respond to terrorists before they act," he told reporters.
Aldridge said the database, which he called just another "tool" in the war on terrorism, would look for Americans exhibiting signs of suspicious behavior.
Gun Owners Beware
Examples he cited: large cash withdrawals, one-way air or rail travel, car rentals, purchases of guns, and purchases of items that could be used to make biological or chemical weapons.
The database, which isn't scheduled to be ready for several years, will combine data on consumers with visa records, passports, arrest records and reports of "suspicious activity" given to law enforcement or intelligence services.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is in charge of the scheme. Rear Adm. John Poindexter, former national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan, is developing the database under the Total Information Awareness Program.
"Poindexter was convicted on five counts of misleading Congress and making false statements during the Iran-Contra investigation,ââ¬Â Fox News Channel noted today. "Those convictions were later overturned, but critics note that his is a dubious resume for someone entrusted with so sensitive a task.ââ¬Â
'Passion'
Aldridge said Poindexter would merely "develop the tool. He will not be exercising the tool." He said Poindexter brought the idea to the Pentagon and sold Aldridge and others on it.
"John has a real passion for this project," Aldridge said.
An editorial Saturday in the Washington Post described the program as one to terrify the readers of George Orwell, creator of "1984" and its all-seeing, all-knowing "Big Brother." Aldridge said the DARPA project was no such thing, just an experiment.
"In order to preserve the sanctity of individual privacy, we're designing this system to ensure complete anonymity of uninvolved citizens, thus focusing the efforts of law enforcement officials on terrorist investigations," he insisted.
Fox News reported, "TIAF's office logo is now one eye scanning the globe. The translation of the Latin motto: knowledge is power. Some say, possibly too much power.ââ¬Â
'Nation of Suspects'
Chuck Pena, senior defense policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, said: "What this is talking about is making us a nation of suspects, and I am sorry, the United States citizens should not have to live in fear of their own government, and that is exactly what this is going to turn out to be.
"I don't think once you put something like this in place, you can ever create enough checks and balances and oversight," Pena said.
url: [url=http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2002/11/20/195937]http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=...02/11/20/195937[/url]
2003-01-26 20:09 | User Profile
Big Brother is really coming.
I doubt any of this information collection will do much to catch terrorists. If you think about the examples givin in the article, you'd see how dumb it is. For example, the only time a terrorist (vs. non-terrorist) is going to buy a one-way ticket is the day he plans to blow himself up (a little late to fit into a patturn). Meanwhile, every day thousands of innocent people buy one-way tickets.
The database will be help to non-terrorist crime investigations and prosecution because it does a fine job of violating the intent of the 4th Amendment. And, like the IRS audit is a handy tool to weild against political enemies, the database will be a boon to political minipulation.
2003-01-26 22:52 | User Profile
Happy Hacker,
"Big Brother is really coming."
Sadly you are Right!!
2003-01-26 23:44 | User Profile
Eh, thousands of people buy guns, rent cars, buy one-way tickets, etc. every day. What are they gonna do, question all of them? That's supposedly the plan, but where do they think they're going to get the manpower? The FBI had enough information to stop the Sept. 11 hijackers, but couldn't because they weren't able to process all the information they already had. Dumping even more information in their laps is going to make the situation worse.
The only possible purpose for a system of this nature is to harass and persecute the politically unpopular--and the first time that happens, the ensuing lawsuits will see the whole multi-million dollar system ruled illegal and unplugged.
... Now, this system in combination with Caesar Bush's self-declared authority to declare American citizens "enemy combatants" is worrisome. But again, as soon as someone with family or friends is nabbed, lawsuits ahoy. Even ACLU will get in on the action, making themselves genuinely useful for once.
TIA's days are numbered.
2003-01-28 14:45 | User Profile
**Drakmal: The FBI had enough information to stop the Sept. 11 hijackers, but couldn't because they weren't able to process all the information they already had. Dumping even more information in their laps is going to make the situation worse.
The only possible purpose for a system of this nature is to harass and persecute the politically unpopular--and the first time that happens, the ensuing lawsuits will see the whole multi-million dollar system ruled illegal and unplugged. **
Couldn't or wouldn't stop 9/11? And why do you think any lawsuits will be a} allowed or b} successful? The whole multi-million tentacle system will be ruled 'necessary' in "wartime" (dja notice that court says it's 'legal' to hold citizens in WARTIME? Doesn't WARTIME mean the Congress should have declared war BEFORE any citizens are held incommunicado?! They did NOT rule it was legal in times of police actions or regime change actions...) :angry:
2003-02-05 05:34 | User Profile
Them & Us...
You're a terrorist!
No I'm Not a terrorist, YOU'RE a terrorist...
The Pentagon is exhibiting terrorist behavior...
EXCEPT now in even intimating that (and buying beefJerky), YOU exhibit a terrorist's profile...
I do?
I suppose...
Nice Pentagon, I like Pentagon, I didn't mean that, did I?
I know that, but does anyone else?
What is all of this some sort of Primordial, atavistic behavior... ? ... I mean would David Letterman approve?
Or D.B. Sweeney?
I can't seem to figure it out though...I'm getting confused... am I "them" or "us"?
So...how do you like that Space Shuttle? (And they wants to tell us they went to the Moon?)
Oh no, now they're sure you're a terrorist... Non-terrorists know we went to the Moon...
I'm kidding, we did go to the Moon, we DID, we DID! YOU'RE a terrorist! I'm not a terrorist.
I'm not a terrorist.
Ok. Someone's a terrorist who holds the purse strings, would you say?
Yeah, man follow the money, man, follow the money, dude... ?
No man it couldn't be that simple, man...
Give me a hit off that reefer man...
Hey man, give me that back, man...see, You're a terrorist... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH You're a terrorist...
No, YOU'RE a terrorist... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
Follow the reefer, dude, man here, give me that... You're a terrorist, man...
2003-02-08 05:50 | User Profile
Use cash as much as possible. Until they get rid of it, that is. By then, I'll probably be sharing a cell with DB Sweeney, Sonny Jergensen, and George.
2003-02-08 06:06 | User Profile
Roy Batty,
Yes you are most Right!!!
Pay in Cash! Pay in Cash! Pay in Cash!
2003-02-08 21:20 | User Profile
Yes you are all most right! If D. Letterman had any balls, he'd probably get voluntarily in the cell with us...along with DB Sweeney. But probably he'll be swayed by Paul, who says, "no David, no...I hear you, but let's stay out here, with the money truck." And der chicks. (Well, at least in Paul's case.) Paul I'm gonna tell your wife! [Now he's in trouble.] ... :D