The War Is Over!

Attorneys' Investigative Consultants

	Although I have not heard it announced officially, it is clear that the war on terror is over! Actually, it may just be that I slept through the victory celebrations because it was not until I read a June 11, 2004 UPI release, that I was persuaded that the war was over.
	UPI reported that Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security, Asa Hutchinson, announced to an Arab audience that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will stop all special security checks imposed in November 2002 on adult males entering the United States from the 25 countries considered a special risk for terrorism.
	I figure that the only reason a sane person would do this would be if the "War on Terror" was over. Secretary Hutchinson is quoted as saying, "Our long term goal is to treat [all visitors] the same way, and not based on where you come from."
	I got to wondering exactly what is was that Secretary Hutchinson was dismantling. I decided to read the State and Justice Department release on this dated 06/05/02. It is lengthy and detailed. To keep from putting you sleep, I have excerpted a few salient points. As you will read, two years ago we instituted a much needed common sense system. Secretary Hutchinson has not been on the job too long, maybe he has been too busy running up and down the hall meeting people, to have had the time to read this material. On the other hand, if he did read it, I have to wonder, what is there about the words. "protecting the homeland" that he is having trouble grasping? Read on and see if you think it is the time, or if there is any good reason to dismantle this system. It is called the "National Security Entry-Exit Registration System"

System designed to protect U.S. citizens from terrorism

The U.S. Justice Department has announced a national security entry-exit registration system, designed to improve protection for U.S. citizens from possible terrorist threats.
In a fact sheet released June 5, the Justice Department said current U.S. regulations do not adequately track foreign visitors in this country, particularly those who pose national security risks.
Under the entry-exit registration system, all nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria, as well as "certain nationals of other countries whom the State Department and the INS [Immigration and Naturalization Services] determine to be an elevated national security risk" will be required to undergo fingerprinting, photographing and registration.
This new initiative, the department said, eventually will enable the U.S. government to track all of the 35 million foreign visitors who come to the United States annually. In the first year, it will track 100,000 visitors.
Strengthening Our Entry-Exit Registration System To Protect Americans From Possible Terrorist Threats
Congress Has Mandated an Entry-Exit Registration System, Yet Current Regulations and Enforcement Do Not Adequately Track Entry and Exit, Particularly of Individuals Who Pose Potential National Security Risks
The events of September 11 highlighted weaknesses in the current immigration system, which does not provide for the collection of information on the activities and whereabouts of aliens holding non-immigrant visas. We do not know whether such aliens follow their stated plans while in the United States, where to find them or when they have overstayed their visas. We collect no fingerprint or other biometric data from the vast majority of aliens.
Taking Steps to Further Protect America:
The New System Will Better Track Aliens Who Might Present the Highest Threat - the Initiative Will:

Disrupt the activities of terrorists residing in the United States under false pretenses.
The New System Will Require Additional Registration for Individuals Who Potentially Pose National Security Risks.
Individual visitors will be evaluated as to risk of involvement with terrorist activities, and visitors who fall into elevated categories of national security concern will be subject to additional registration requirements.

If an Alien Arrives Who Potentially Could Pose a National Security Risk, He Is Immediately Fingerprinted and Photographed.

	Hutchinson is from Little Rock. Maybe some of Bill Clinton's Political Correctness rubbed off on him. Or maybe he is trying to curry favor with the Arabs and buy a few votes.
	I recall Asa Hutchinson as being one of the House "prosecutors" in the Clinton impeachment. Ironically, he is not the only one from that class to be soft on terrorism, Former Congressman Bob Barr who has opposed the Patriot Act also seems to have had just as much trouble as Hutchinson in figuring out if he is with us or against us. As a lifelong Republican, I see both of them as embarrassments!
	The fact of the matter is that with this one decision, Hutchinson has demonstrated an appalling ineptitude. We are paying for first class management and we get stuck with a weak sister unfit for the job. With Hutchinson guarding the door, we are all in trouble.