The terrorist watch list has grown to over 755,000 people.
The governments terrorist watch list has swelled to more than 755,000 names, according to a new government report that has raised worries about the lists effectiveness.
The size of the list, typically used to check people entering the country through land border crossings, airports and sea ports, has been growing by 200,000 names a year since 2004. Some lawmakers, security experts and civil rights advocates warn that it will become useless if it includes too many people.
“It undermines the authority of the list,” says Lisa Graves of the Center for National Security Studies. “Theres just no rational, reasonable estimate that theres anywhere close to that many suspected terrorists.”
Obviously not. Of course, protecting the country from terrorism is only the ostensible purpose of the list; it’s actual purpose is to provide cover for the bureaucrats who maintain it. When looked at from that perspective, the list is obviously quite effective. Soon, it will be mathematically impossible for a terrorist to board a plane and not be on the list.
It’s brilliant CYA but awful counter-terrorism.
