Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
"The Justice Department is considering letting the FBI investigate Americans without any evidence of wrongdoing, relying instead on a terrorist profile that could single out Muslims, Arabs or other racial or ethnic groups.
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Among the factors that could make someone subject to investigation is travel to regions of the world known for terrorist activity or access to weapons or military training, along with the person's race or ethnicity."
Does this bother anyone else? Note that they will be able to use "access to weapons or military training". I imagine religion could be a factor, too, although the article does not specifically say that. Note that the religious affiliations that could be "suspect" might include "militant" Christian faiths that might have a history of violence or a violent theme (i.e., "Christian warrior-types"), not just Islam.
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Laurence J. Peter (author of the "Peter Priciple")
RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Do note that the investigation does not extend to wire tapping or accessing emails, so the question is exactly what investigation is permitted and how invasive of one's privacy it would be.
Look at it from the other end of the telescope. As the article points out, these agencies have been directed to search out and supress terrorism before it acts. What tools are needed to accomplish that mission? If you don't like the tools needed to accomplish the mission, maybe the answer is to change the mission. Don't search out and supress terrorism before it acts, either (1) hope terrorism does not strike us again, (2) create a magnetic vortex that attracts and holds terrorists in suspended animation (Iraq?), and/or (3) change the perceived position of the United States such that terrorists no longer view us as enemies. What else do you have to work with.
On the subject of profiling, it is interesting that law enforcement is forbidden to use profiling but every other well managed organization on earth relies heavily upon profiling. Who do you think Lexis targets their luxury automobile ads to, everyone or those who have six figure incomes? Who do you think Budweiser targets their ads to, everyone or young males with limited income (if you have plenty of dough I would hope you would appreciate that there are better beers available for your delectation than Budweiser, for example Weihenstephaner Kristall Weiss or Paulaner Hefeweissen or Pilsner Urquell or any number of other superior, albeit more expensive, brews)? Marketers use age profiling, racial profiling, income profiling, geographic profiling, zip-code profiling, education profiling, marital status profiling,number of children profiling, etc.to refine and target their ads, whereby to increase the probability of succeeding. But oh no, our police cannot use these proven, essential insights of modern social science! Heaven forbid it!
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RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
Mabey with the borders wide open, they figure they are a little late, and terrorist are already here. UHHHH.....DUHHH.. geez .. what are they gonna dream up next.
RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
Alsation, marketers don't use profiling to lock you up in Gitmo for the rest of your natural life without ever charging you with anything, just because you"re Muslim or own a bunch of guns or were born in the Middle East, so they"re not as high on my sh**list (they ARE on it, though!). This bothers me more because of all the times we"ve seen this administration abuse every ambiguous piece of authority it"s been given.
But you bring up a good point: What do you do to prevent future terrorists attacks before they happen? And Iraq is not a terrorism magnet that holds terrorists in suspended animation. The Iraq War is increasing the number of terrorists trying to kill American, according to the most recent national intelligence estimates.
So, what should we be doing?
How about monitoring websites that are financed by or linked to terrorists?
What about tightening up border security?
What about keeping track of dangerous substances that could be used in a terrorist attack?
What about tracking terrorist financing at international banks (which one of McCain"s chief advisors was paid to lobby against when Congress was considering legislation to do just that).
What about not trying to ram through foreign takeover of our nation"s seaports by a company owned by the royal family of Dubai, who were close friends with Osama Bin Laden?
What about having advisors who represent the interests of America and its allies, and that haven"t been lobbying for America"s enemies, like many of McCain"s top advisors have.
What about working to end America"s dependence on oil produced by countries that help finance terrorism?
__________________
It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time.
Laurence J. Peter (author of the "Peter Priciple")
RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
Quote:
How about monitoring websites that are financed by or linked to terrorists?
What about tightening up border security?
What about keeping track of dangerous substances that could be used in a terrorist attack?
What about tracking terrorist financing at international banks (which one of McCain"s chief advisors was paid to lobby against when Congress was considering legislation to do just that).
Wow I wonder why they didn't think about that?[:-]
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What about not trying to ram through foreign takeover of our nation"s seaports by a company owned by the royal family of Dubai, who were close friends with Osama Bin Laden?
Never seen any of those connections labeled anywhere. However, it was revealed we had an agreement for CIA agents to work inside the ports. Futhermore, if I was going to invest a huge amount of money, don't you think being linked to a terrorist attack might just hurt stock value?
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What about having advisors who represent the interests of America and its allies, and that haven"t been lobbying for America"s enemies, like many of McCain"s top advisors have.
Blah blah blah, Lets see your cards.
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What about working to end America"s dependence on oil produced by countries that help finance terrorism?
I think you need to ask Reid and Pelosi. They are the ones blocking any new drilling. BTW, Obama is happy with the cost of gas. He's just not so happy it rose so quick.
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RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
Ok I ask you this.
Say there is a black hate crime, there are 50 random people, out of those 50 men there are 5 black men, I think you could release them and not ask them questions?
We did the same thing with the ***anese in ww2, on top of that if your of arab desent and havent done anything wrong or nothing to hide, you should have no problem being asked a few questions.
"Not all muslims are terrorists, but all terroristsaremuslims"
RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
You need to investigate the types of people and their activities that have proven to be a danger in the past. When people keep getting bitten and killed or injuredby rattlesnakes, they shouldn't be required to waste caution on garters and blacksnakes while rattlers hunker nearby. Why in the heck were we patting down 90 year old white women while simultaneously limiting inspection of more than x middle eastern muslims on the same plane? PC these days will get people KILLED!
RE: Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
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ORIGINAL: MountainHunter
So, what should we be doing?
How about monitoring websites that are financed by or linked to terrorists?
What about tightening up border security?
What about keeping track of dangerous substances that could be used in a terrorist attack?
What about tracking terrorist financing at international banks (which one of McCain"s chief advisors was paid to lobby against when Congress was considering legislation to do just that).
What about not trying to ram through foreign takeover of our nation"s seaports by a company owned by the royal family of Dubai, who were close friends with Osama Bin Laden?
What about having advisors who represent the interests of America and its allies, and that haven"t been lobbying for America"s enemies, like many of McCain"s top advisors have.
What about working to end America"s dependence on oil produced by countries that help finance terrorism?
"Among the factors that could make someone subject to investigation is travel to regions of the world known for terrorist activity or access to weapons or military training, along with the person's race or ethnicity."
I think that pretty much everything you've listed would fall under somewhat suspicious activity and is certainly something that should be investigated further. While American Police don't use "profiling" per se, they do look for suspicious activity and investigate further, i.e. a car weaving in and out traffic lanes is stopped for the vehicle code violation and the driver is determined to be DUI and arrested, etc. Our cops check suspicious activity all the time and either find enough evidence to detain or arrest a person or don't and let them continue on their way.
If you examine how the FBI does investigations, you would see a very similar manner in which they check on everything possible that they can in connection with a person and then make a determination. I think the FBI would do a great job at this and would provide our country and citizens with even more protection against terrorists.
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Terror profiling without evidence considered in U.S.
