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Opening Arguments

The business of fear

An interesting take from Britain's Guardian on why an Indiana popcorn business in the middle of Amish country ended up being a "terrorist target": It's all about the money:

Five years after the World Trade Centre fell, a highly lucrative industry has been born in America - homeland security. There has been a goldrush as companies scoop up government contracts and peddle products that they say are designed to make America safe.

The figures are stunning. Seven years ago there were nine companies with federal homeland security contracts. By 2003 it was 3,512. Now there are 33,890. The money is huge. Since 2000, $130bn (£70bn) of contracts have been dished out. By 2015 annual federal spending on the industry could be $170bn.

But state officials want in on the government handouts too. That is why Indiana ended up identifying 8,591 potential terrorism targets (including Lehman's farm) inside its Midwestern borders. But they went too far.

I guess this could come under the heading of war profiteering. My question would be: Is there a better way to do it? As the article notes, there is a real terrorist threat. Can we ensure that what needs to be done is done and keep the rascals and charlatans out of the loop at the same time?

Posted in: Hoosier lore

Comments

Laura
Wed, 09/13/2006 - 4:33am

Give me a break-Lehman Farm a terrorist target? All of this money being doled out is nothing but greed. What we should be doing is using that money to build a fence around our borders and get some competent, honest people in the immigration department to watch who they give VISA's to and then send out agents to collect them when their visa runs out and make sure they return home. They also need to make sure if they get a student visa, they are really attending school.

Barry
Wed, 09/13/2006 - 9:47am

No, Laura, our government will never do what you've suggested, because that would be like, logical and commonsensical, and while it may please the average American, the average American doesn't write those big fat Chamber of Commerce checks the pols like so much.

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