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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."
It is wise that Mr. Bush is doing this. With the success the US has shown with GPS guided weapons it is only a matter of time before terrorists begin to incorporate the technology. GPS/Galileo are potential weapons for US enemies. Planning to neutralize them in times of national emergency is the responsible thing to do.
an ill wind that blows no good
This is yet more paranioa progaganda from the people who brought you Total Information Awareness, The colour coded terrorism threat meter and other such rubbish programmes, whose design has nothing to do with protecting people from terrorists and everything to do with maintaining the current status quo, i.e. increased nationalism and xenophobia. The current administration loves having people in a patriotic stupour, and ridiculous proposals like this just add to it.
I mean, lets look at this objectively. One Terrorist attack is thought to be imminent. Your telling me that the pentagon will just, at a moments notice, shut down their entire primary global location guidance system, because one terrorist might be planning to attack some obscure US station or embassy. Give me a break. Think of the lawsuits alone.
Yet more FUD to keep the critics quiet. The terrorist are coming to get you!! BOOO!! Yeah right. Here a gem for you. There are no terrorists. Noone is coming to get you. Al Qaeda doesn't exist. I plead daily to the cosmos that one day most americans will somehow awake from their collective coma and just fire their asses. However with the number of TV channels on the increase, and work days nudging up to thirteen hours, I'm afraid this seems unlikely.
This is probobly also a snipe at the Galileo programme. Not for patriotic reasons mind you. Simply because GPS had a monopoly on the market and the pentagon could charge what it liked with vendor lock in as a plus. Now that there's competition, they're getting the white house to do a little FUD pushing for them.
May the Maths Be with you!
Terrorists are not some big organised group like the Bush administration would like you to believe.
The plans that terrorists make are not technologically advanced. They do not rely on things like GPS. They rely on things like knives, guns and home-made bombs.
Has the US been attacked since September 11th 2001? No.
Is this because of anti-terror measures? No.
Bush is scaremongering because the only thing that keeps him in power is the belief wrongly held by over half the population of the USA that there's some evil force out there that is coming to get you, and that he's the only person that can save you from it.
Like car accidents, most hardware problems are due to driver error.
What's the difference? Osama struck harder, all at once, but Bush has been steadily working on every front, all towards the same results. If anything, Bush's apocalyptic vision is more awful. I'm an NYC native; I can see right where the Twin Towers used to rise, every day, and I can't the stink of their collapse out of my mind. When I think of what Bush has the power to do, and what he does instead, I realize that he and Osama are playing for the same team - against us.
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make install -not war
Let's put this in perspective. What is YOUR family was about to be blown away by a home-made cruise missile. Would your thoughts be:
1) Gee, I sure hope that the EU cooperates. Dying is not convenient right now. I have concert tickets for next Tuesday.
2) Somebody save my ass right now! I love my wife and kids, and I don't want me or them to die!
(of course, this assumes that you have a wife and kids, but let's just pretend for now). Be honest here.
It is not arrogance. It is simply doing what HAS to be done. When disaster strikes, it would be nice if Superman decides to swoop down and rescue you, but you don't bet your life on it.
I am sure that blowing up EU birds is not something that would be done lightly. Asking nicely would be the first option.
"-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
No $hit. Great post, Ingolfke. I could not have said it better, but I tried ;)
Some people will use any excuse to bash the man that WON THE ELECTION (OWNED!!!)
DISCLAIMER:
I don't believe what I write, and neither should you.