New York Times on the Web Forums
Science
Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a
nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a
"Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed
considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense
initiatives more successful? Can such an application of
science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable,
necessary or impossible?
Read Debates, a new
Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published
every Thursday.
(8704 previous messages)
almarst2002
- 01:52pm Feb 8, 2003 EST (#
8705 of 8726)
The POLICE state in making - http://www.public-i.org/dtaweb/report.asp?ReportID=502&L1=10&L2=10&L3=0&L4=0&L5=0
Some of the key provision of the Domestic Security
Enhancement Act of 2003 include:
Section 201, “Prohibition of Disclosure of Terrorism
Investigation Detainee Information”: Safeguarding the
dissemination of information related to national security has
been a hallmark of Ashcroft’s first two years in office, and
the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 follows in the
footsteps of his October 2001 directive to carefully consider
such interest when granting Freedom of Information Act
requests. While the October memo simply encouraged FOIA
officers to take national security, “protecting sensitive
business information and, not least, preserving personal
privacy” into account while deciding on requests, the proposed
legislation would enhance the department’s ability to deny
releasing material on suspected terrorists in government
custody through FOIA.
Section 202, “Distribution of ‘Worst Case Scenario’
Information”: This would introduce new FOIA restrictions
with regard to the Environmental Protection Agency. As
provided for in the Clean Air Act, the EPA requires private
companies that use potentially dangerous chemicals must
produce a “worst case scenario” report detailing the effect
that the release of these controlled substances would have on
the surrounding community. Section 202 of this Act would,
however, restrict FOIA requests to these reports, which the
bill’s drafters refer to as “a roadmap for terrorists.” By
reducing public access to “read-only” methods for only those
persons “who live and work in the geographical area likely to
be affected by a worst-case scenario,” this subtitle would
obfuscate an established level of transparency between private
industry and the public.
Section 301-306, “Terrorist Identification
Database”: These sections would authorize creation of a
DNA database on “suspected terrorists,” expansively defined to
include association with suspected terrorist groups, and
noncitizens suspected of certain crimes or of having supported
any group designated as terrorist.
Section 312, “Appropriate Remedies with Respect to Law
Enforcement Surveillance Activities”: This section would
terminate all state law enforcement consent decrees before
Sept. 11, 2001, not related to racial profiling or other civil
rights violations, that limit such agencies from gathering
information about individuals and organizations. The authors
of this statute claim that these consent orders, which were
passed as a result of police spying abuses, could impede
current terrorism investigations. It would also place
substantial restrictions on future court injunctions.
Section 405, “Presumption for Pretrial Detention in
Cases Involving Terrorism”: While many people charged with
drug offenses punishable by prison terms of 10 years or more
are held before their trial without bail, this provision would
create a comparable statute for those suspected of terrorist
activity. The reasons for presumptively holding suspected
terrorists before trial, the Justice Department summary memo
states, are clear. “This presumption is warranted because of
the unparalleled magnitude of the danger to the United States
and its people posed by acts of terrorism, and because
terrorism is typically engaged in by groups – many with
international connections – that are often in a position to
help their members flee or go into hiding.”
Section 501, “Expatriation of Terrorists”: This
provision, the drafters say, would establish that an American
citizen could be expatriated “if, with the intent to
relinquish his nationality, he becomes a member of, or
provides material support to, a group that the United Stated
has designated as a ‘terrorist organization’.” But whereas a
citizen formerly had to state his intent to relinquish his
citizenship, the new law affirms that his intent can be
“inferr
lchic
- 03:14pm Feb 8, 2003 EST (#
8706 of 8726) ~~~~ It got understood and exposed
~~~~
Iraq - “worst case scenario” - Iraq
lchic
- 03:23pm Feb 8, 2003 EST (#
8707 of 8726) ~~~~ It got understood and exposed
~~~~
Darwin, like all Victorians, was intensely aware of the
differences among humans but he also, more than most of his
contemporaries, emphasised the fundamental unity of our
species.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/story/0,6761,891049,00.html
(19 following messages)
New York Times on the Web Forums
Science
Missile Defense
|