U.S. Makes Plans for GPS Shutdown

sailforsingapore writes "Apparently, President Bush is drawing up plans to disable sections of the GPS network in the event of a terrorist attack. The rationale seems to be that it would prevent said terrorists from using the GPS system to direct some sort of attack. The plan would shut down access not only to the GPS satellite network, but projects like the EU's Galileo. Ironically, this comes alongside the President's plan to strengthen the GPS network against deliberate jamming."

Comments

Re: to the lamer posting. . .

[Fantastic Lad]

Yes. Bush is a reasonable person who needs our understanding and support at all times. He must never be questioned, because he has never done anything irrational, deceitful or corrupt. None of his actions have ever resulted in needless wars, needless environmental destruction, needless economic failure, and in general, needless fascism.

So I wholeheartedly agree. Everybody who has any desire to question the wisdom of this latest measure should sit down and shut up. You are very smart and very cool in your performance of 'impatient level-headedness' and we should all listen to your thought-provoking arguments about air planes.

-FL

Re:Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off

[jmorris42]

> What about all the other users?

Which is why they are pondering ways to disable PARTS of the GPS/Galileo systems. The idea is to have the capability to blank the signal from selected areas should the need arise; without being forced into shutting the entire system down, which everyone agrees would be highly disruptive.

I know it easier to maintain the belief that Shrubbie is the anti-christ and all who work in the government are evil encarnate and dumber than a box of rocks, but reality is more complex than Moveon.org can imagine. Just remember, most of the career government guys are the same ones you folks automatically trusted to be smarter and more caring than us mere civilians when Clinton had the reins of power just a few years ago.

> Its just asking to get more people pissed off with the US..

Which may or may not bother me a bit. When we do something we think is in OUR national interest I couldn't care less what our enemies in Paris think.

And yes, at this point it is safe to say France is a nominal enemy. Not that they would ever have the balls to oppose us openly, but it is openly acknowledged that it is a goal of French policy to reduce the influence of the US in world affairs. This means they, as a matter of offical policy, oppose any US action which would tend to increase US influence/prestige/national security unless the benefit to France is much greater and they lend aid, comfort and political cover to our enemies.

As for certain others getting 'pissed off' at the US I say GREAT! It means we are being effective. Lets face facts, every government in the Middle East (Iraq, Kuwait and Israel excepted) is currently pissed at us whether they can admit it in public or not because unless they are totally clueless they understand that it is our goal to topple every one of their perverted police states. So the more pissed they get the more threat they perceive us to be. And since they all vote in the UN and most of Europe prefers their misrule to our meddling over there they also vote with the despots and denounce us. Screw em.