There's been a lot of noise in the media about how our civil liberties and privacy are being curtailed in the name of fighting terror. Well, honestly, what's the big deal all about? Or, am I missing the point?
Let's say that I'm moving to the USA.
As a brown-skinned person from India, security agencies may show some interest in me. I won't see a lot of it directly, such as background checks before my visa approval. I may experience an extra security check when I enter the USA (this did not happen the last time I entered the USA). All fine till here? Now, let's deal with the seemingly touchy topic of phone-tapping, and electronic surveillance.
Again, suppose the FBI or agents from Dept of Homeland Defence actually do tap my phone or intercept my emails. I don't think it's a big deal. Unless I'm missing something big here. Examine these.
1. Recording my phone conversations would require some manpower. Even if computers can transcribe the conversations and "red flag" certain phrases, someone will have to go through the transcript, right? Ditto for emails.
Unless the agencies have unlimited manpower, and some extremely bored agents, they would probably monitor me for a while, profile me appropriately, and move on to someone else.
2. Examining my Internet activity will incur some cost to these agencies. They may do it for a while, but soon get bored of checking out what I do on Orkut, Facebook, etc.
3. Ditto for any other form of surveillance.
My point to all you anti-surveillance activists is simple. Unless you're up to something, you have nothing to fear. Stop giving yourself so much credit!
No agency wants to know what you purchased online - unless it's something dangerous.
They don't want to know what sites you visited - unless it teaches you to build bombs, or sympathises with known terror groups.
They don't wanna know who you're trying to pick up online when your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/etc is not looking - unless you're plotting something.
They certainly don't want to know about how shitty your job is, how irritating that person you met was, how cool that other fellow was, or how amazingly your bike/car goes after the work you did on it.
Unless you're Paris Hilton or someone equally popular (or notorious), nobody wants to know about your life, unless some aspect of it potentially threatens others.
I would gladly sacrifice a little of my privacy, knowing that no agent could possibly be interested in my life once they've determined that I'm not a threat.
Again, I ask, what's the big deal about?!?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Sidelining Islamic Extremism
In my previous post on extremism, I floated some rather lofty ideas on an information campaign against Islamic fanatism. In this post, I'll float an idea to deal with the core issue itself.
Here's my idea on how to sideline fanatism in Islam. It's based on the following assumptions.
Note: I'm not a Muslim, so feel free to point out any flaws in my reasoning or knowledge here.
1. Most Muslims are people who want to go about their everyday lives without incident.
2. The text of the current editions of the Koran are fairly ambiguous and leave a lot of room for "interpretation".
For example, a verse on "killing the infidel". A moderate would assume it means to strive against evil and sin, and to be a good person. An extremist would interpret the text as a duty to kill those who do not follow their beliefs.
3. Muslims belonging to the moderate and silent majority are not thrilled about Islam being equated with terrorism.
Here's the solution.
Form an organization consisting of noted Islamic scholars and clerics. Their objective is to come up with a new edition of the Koran. This new edition will contain the same sequence of texts, but without the ambiguity. The previous example text on "killing the infidel" will be replaced with "striving to be good and to do good".
Some people may argue that the Koran is literally the word of Allah as shown to the prophet. Well, in that case, this new edition of the Koran can be a mandated reference guide for the original Koran. No copy of the Koran may be given out without this reference guide. A mandate to all Muslims to acquire this guide for existing copies of the Koran can be passed. With this move, the original text of the Koran will be retained, but the possibility of negative interpretation will be minimized.
Essentially, it's like changing the face of Islam, without actually changing anything.
This would sideline the Islamic extremists as their actions will be clearly seen as going against the guide. Their actions would be viewed as completely inconsistent with the teachings of the Koran. Soon, people will stop viewing them as "Islamic" extremists, and just a bunch of terrorist criminals.
People in the west, and other non-Islamic regions would find the guide easy less esoteric. They would understand that Islam doesn't justify terrorism.
Yes, certain extremist organizations and terror groups would reject this new guide to the Koran. However, their numbers are too small as compared to the majority of Muslims who would probably take to this idea.
It's an idea.
Here's my idea on how to sideline fanatism in Islam. It's based on the following assumptions.
Note: I'm not a Muslim, so feel free to point out any flaws in my reasoning or knowledge here.
1. Most Muslims are people who want to go about their everyday lives without incident.
2. The text of the current editions of the Koran are fairly ambiguous and leave a lot of room for "interpretation".
For example, a verse on "killing the infidel". A moderate would assume it means to strive against evil and sin, and to be a good person. An extremist would interpret the text as a duty to kill those who do not follow their beliefs.
3. Muslims belonging to the moderate and silent majority are not thrilled about Islam being equated with terrorism.
Here's the solution.
Form an organization consisting of noted Islamic scholars and clerics. Their objective is to come up with a new edition of the Koran. This new edition will contain the same sequence of texts, but without the ambiguity. The previous example text on "killing the infidel" will be replaced with "striving to be good and to do good".
Some people may argue that the Koran is literally the word of Allah as shown to the prophet. Well, in that case, this new edition of the Koran can be a mandated reference guide for the original Koran. No copy of the Koran may be given out without this reference guide. A mandate to all Muslims to acquire this guide for existing copies of the Koran can be passed. With this move, the original text of the Koran will be retained, but the possibility of negative interpretation will be minimized.
Essentially, it's like changing the face of Islam, without actually changing anything.
This would sideline the Islamic extremists as their actions will be clearly seen as going against the guide. Their actions would be viewed as completely inconsistent with the teachings of the Koran. Soon, people will stop viewing them as "Islamic" extremists, and just a bunch of terrorist criminals.
People in the west, and other non-Islamic regions would find the guide easy less esoteric. They would understand that Islam doesn't justify terrorism.
Yes, certain extremist organizations and terror groups would reject this new guide to the Koran. However, their numbers are too small as compared to the majority of Muslims who would probably take to this idea.
It's an idea.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Bush's Polyps
President Bush had a few polyps removed from his colons. Polyps are growths that occur in the colon and can sometimes turn cancerous. It involves sedation followed by surgical instruments via an unpleasant point of entry.
How did the surgeons get past George Dubya's head?
Did the surgeon also locate the WMD theory?
49% of the American public must be extremely jealous of this surgeon. How many Americans get to shaft the president in return?
How did the surgeons get past George Dubya's head?
Did the surgeon also locate the WMD theory?
49% of the American public must be extremely jealous of this surgeon. How many Americans get to shaft the president in return?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Countering Jihadi Propoganda
Terrorism has dominated the news over the past few years. Terror groups are extremely effective at disseminating information. They seem to have no problems with finding new recruits. This is due to a simple, yet effective information campaign.
Note how their footage is readily available on the Internet. Inflammatory speeches, shootings, bombings, you name it, it's all there. It has never been easier for radicalism to spread.
Someone needs to take this information war to them.
In theory, this seems fairly easy. Easier than trying to infiltrate their organizations, for example. We already have the know-how. We see it being used in a different arena. Examine these possibilities.
Terrorist Tactic 1 - A radical imam or terrorist leader makes inflammatory speeches which are soon available all over the Internet.
Counter - Dig up all the dirt on the Imam. Politicians do this all the time during elections. So put this skill to a useful purpose. Publicize the most embarrassing moments from that individuals past and try to destroy his credibility. Do whatever it takes.
Remember, all they have is a camera, an Internet connection, and whatever they can get on a PC/Notebook. We have all the technology at our disposal. More importantly, we have the best brains in video production in Hollywood/Bollywood, etc. Go crazy. I'm sure if you can make NightCrawler from X-Men 2 continuously teleport all over the place, you can surely feature Osama Bin Laden fornicating a pig or something like that.
Most nations threatened by terrorists already have effective propaganda machinery. We've seen it in NATO vs Soviet Union, India vs Pakistan, etc. Now use it against today's enemy.
Terrorist Tactic 2 - A web site sympathetic to terror groups posts videos on terrorists successfully sniping or bombing soldiers, or killing civilians.
Counter - Upload footage taken from the nose-mounted camera on a cruise missile as it strikes a terror camp. The lesson - We can hit you from far far away. Release footage of the most awesome and technologically advanced firepower taking out terrorists.
Even better, release footage of that terrorist leader from the Red Mosque (Pakistan) trying to escape wearing a burqa and heels. Imagine a potential terrorist watching a video of some radical nutjob, talking about martyrdom, etc. Although I don't understand the language used in those speeches, I'm sure a lot of people find them very motivating and inspirational.
The picture of a terrorist leader trying to sneak away from the action, dressed in drag should bring the viewers to their senses.
Note how their footage is readily available on the Internet. Inflammatory speeches, shootings, bombings, you name it, it's all there. It has never been easier for radicalism to spread.
Someone needs to take this information war to them.
In theory, this seems fairly easy. Easier than trying to infiltrate their organizations, for example. We already have the know-how. We see it being used in a different arena. Examine these possibilities.
Terrorist Tactic 1 - A radical imam or terrorist leader makes inflammatory speeches which are soon available all over the Internet.
Counter - Dig up all the dirt on the Imam. Politicians do this all the time during elections. So put this skill to a useful purpose. Publicize the most embarrassing moments from that individuals past and try to destroy his credibility. Do whatever it takes.
Remember, all they have is a camera, an Internet connection, and whatever they can get on a PC/Notebook. We have all the technology at our disposal. More importantly, we have the best brains in video production in Hollywood/Bollywood, etc. Go crazy. I'm sure if you can make NightCrawler from X-Men 2 continuously teleport all over the place, you can surely feature Osama Bin Laden fornicating a pig or something like that.
Most nations threatened by terrorists already have effective propaganda machinery. We've seen it in NATO vs Soviet Union, India vs Pakistan, etc. Now use it against today's enemy.
Terrorist Tactic 2 - A web site sympathetic to terror groups posts videos on terrorists successfully sniping or bombing soldiers, or killing civilians.
Counter - Upload footage taken from the nose-mounted camera on a cruise missile as it strikes a terror camp. The lesson - We can hit you from far far away. Release footage of the most awesome and technologically advanced firepower taking out terrorists.
Even better, release footage of that terrorist leader from the Red Mosque (Pakistan) trying to escape wearing a burqa and heels. Imagine a potential terrorist watching a video of some radical nutjob, talking about martyrdom, etc. Although I don't understand the language used in those speeches, I'm sure a lot of people find them very motivating and inspirational.
The picture of a terrorist leader trying to sneak away from the action, dressed in drag should bring the viewers to their senses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
