The Terrorist Watch List
July 21st, 2008 at 03:46am Mark Noonan
The ACLU is screaming that there are a million names on it and that we all must tremble in fear for our liberties due to the very existence of this list. John Stephenson at Pajamas Media notes the few good points the ACLU makes (notably that the list needs to be better managed - something, of course, the government freely acknowledges), and then goes on to indicate why the leftwing fear-mongering over this is a bit strained, to say the least:
I have given the ACLU credit on this issue; now I will give reasons to be skeptical. The claim that there are one million individuals on the terror watch list is a myth created through the exaggerated “estimations” of the ACLU. The truth is there are less than 400,000 individuals on the consolidated terrorist watch list, and less than 50,000 on the no-fly and selectee lists.
Assumptions by the ACLU were probably based on a 2007 report claiming the estimate of 700,000 possible records on the watch list and growing by an average of 20,000 per month. Apparently, they didn’t take into account that the numbers do not necessarily represent actual individuals. A new “record” is created for every alias, date-of-birth, passport, spelling variations, and other identifying information for watch listed suspects. Furthermore, they did not take into account the name-by-name scrub that took place in 2007. Notably, 95 percent of those on the consolidated watch list are not American citizens and the majority are not even in the U.S. The shocking numbers the ACLU is broadcasting are simply inflated and dishonest figures.
Which conclusion anyone who thinks about it would come to - the operational word here being “think”, and thus we can see why the ACLU and the larger left is up in arms over this. The last time a lefty had a thought he was writing the Communist Manifesto at the British Museum…its been all downhill since then.
The tremors of fear the left tries to generate with this story is just part and parcel with the leftwing fairytale about President Bush - given that the left is living in an Alternate Universe where facts are subordinate to intentions, it is no surprise that each and every action of the Executive branch - no matter how routine - is cast in the darkest terms possible. Its also part of the leftist’s personal worldview - they see themselves as the pure-hearted battlers for truth, and as they are fighting for truth, anyone who opposes them must be fightig for lies…and liars, of course, will do anything to win, including spying on some obscure leftwing writer because he tells “the truth” about President Bush.
Just for fun, someone at DHS should slip into the list the names of a few liberal bloggers…so they can be found and really scare the bejabbers out of these professional hand-wringers. Heck, they believe a massive, nefarious, PNCA/Likud conspiracy is afoot, lets not disabuse them of the notion. We can have some fun with this, ya know?
Entry Filed under: General Government, Justice System, Kook Left, President Bush, War on Terror
13 Comments
1. Treeline | July 21st, 2008 at 9:03 am
Just for fun, someone at DHS should slip into the list the names of a few liberal bloggers July 21st, 2008 at 03:46am Mark Noonan
You have a President who can lock anyone away without the ability to defend himself as an enemy combatant; and you make jokes about our freedoms. No one would be surprised if neocons in the DHS are already adding names to the no fly list for any other reason than political affiliation; just for the giggles of making their life a hassle. We will never know because they will claim executive privilege.
2. SEW | July 21st, 2008 at 9:11 am
“Just for fun, someone at DHS should slip into the list the names of a few liberal bloggers?so they can be found and really scare the bejabbers out of these professional hand-wringers.”
No kidding. Country Club Gitmo would be much too kind for these folks. I suspect most actually would easily qualify for the psyche ward. Serious delusions.
3. Macker | July 21st, 2008 at 9:13 am
And the fact that you can say that, Treeline, is proof enough that he hasn’t locked you up. Nor I, nor Mark & Matt, nor anyone who posts here.
That said, what I’d be most curious about that list is the breakdown of the list, not by race (or else the cubos would go apes**t once again!), but merely by country.
4. Aztec | July 21st, 2008 at 9:24 am
Gee, I hope When Obama takes the reins in January he doesn’t abuse the unaccountable surveillance programs that have been set in place. That really would be Karma.
5. arcman46 | July 21st, 2008 at 11:05 am
It seems to me that the last time anyone ended up on an “enemies list” that treeline suggests was a list that was created by Bill and Hill. While I personally don’t have a problem with a terrorist list, the one thing that worries me is it getting in the hands of Obama and the left.
6. '08ama | July 21st, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Oh brother, it’s been 7+ years.
The “but, but, but Bill and Hill did it !!” excuse is as old as McCain.
please take responsibility for your own party’s failings, it’s due time.
7. jimmy tante | July 21st, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Several people that have been vocal against this administration have ended up on the No Fly List.
James Moore, a former television news correspondent who has written a book critical of the Bush administration, said Wednesday that he was listed on a terrorist watchlist maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
Moore said that a year ago, while researching information for an upcoming book, he attempted to take a flight to Ohio and was denied boarding. He said he called an 800 number to reach the Transportation Security Administration, but was rebuffed.
8. bongoman | July 21st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
That’s why the rule of law is so important. You realise that an incoming Obama would have the ability to detain US citizens indefinitely by declaring them to be “unlawful combatants”?
How does that make you feel? What about warrantless eavesdropping? You OK for Obama to exercise that power?
9. Donald Dexworth | July 21st, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Obama should declare FOX News a terrorist organization and pull their FCC license.
Then he should declare Halliburton, Blackwater, American Enterprise Institute, The Carlyle Group, etc terrorists organizations and seize their assets.
Then he should declare the Republican members of the Supreme Court as enemy combatants. He does not have to show anybody his evidence, because it is a national security issue.
10. Kahn | July 21st, 2008 at 11:49 pm
.3% of the US population
Nu,bers are funny that way
1 million people? 1/3rd of 1 ten thousanth of the world population.
11. Mark Noonan | July 22nd, 2008 at 1:58 am
jimmy,
A fanatic Bush-hater makes an uncorrborated accusation of being on the watch list, and you believe him…
I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell ya….
12. Mark Noonan | July 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 am
Donald,
You realise that your whole brief here is that President Bush might do something bad…he leaves office in 6 months and thus far, as far as we can determine, no innocent person has been done in by EEEEVIL!!! Bush.
Perhaps you’re just being paranoid?
13. The New Conservative | July 22nd, 2008 at 3:41 am
Jimmy,
Maybe Bush was trying to protect everyone from having to listen to conspiracy theories during the entire flight. Bush was doing a public service for Americans.
http://thenewconservatives.blogspot.com/