DHS killing satellite self-spying program

America is reportedly abandoning its plans to use satellites to spy on itself. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has decided to nix the Bush-era domestic space security scheme after discussions with law enforcement officials, the Associated Press reports. Citing an unnamed government official, the AP says …

[Anonymous Coward]

The War on Treacle must continue

Treacle is the root of all evil. Treacle threatens us all.

Treaclism must be routed out and eradicated.

Extreme Treacle plots are everywhere we look, in all parts of our society, no one is above reproach when it comes to Treaclism.

We must all stand firm and brave against Treacle.

And above all else we must continue to pour tons of money into the fight against Treacle, because some people are getting very fat off it, and that must continue.

[Anonymous Coward]

Good...

Lets take a step back in the war on terror.

Oooh! new icons! A beer, cause it is there!

[Trev 2]

ID cards cheaper?

Considering all the marvel of ID cards which we seem to be being told will stop terrorism etc etc. I'm wondering if that'd be a cheaper alternative to a few expensive satellites....assuming of course either idea actually does anything remotely of the sort?

Does make me wonder however whether this is being shelved after someone deep in an underground bunker under the Pentagon whispered to the White House Lot - "erm, but we've already got a load of them spying on everyone....didn't we tell you?".

[tuna 1]

Nudge, Nudge... Wink, Wink

Because we know how concerned they are about protecting privacy, maybe they should license Goog's "Do No Evil" moniker to complement the charade.

NEW AVATARS! Woohoo!!!!

[John Smith 19]

so what is happening in the UK?

We may not have been able to launch a satellite ourselves since the late 1960s but we have launced a fair number of surveillance sats. So you have to wonder what they do when they pass over the UK.

[cybersaur 1]

The adults are in charge now

Extremist Republican Peter King told the publication abandoning the domestic satellite spying program would be a "very big mistake" and a "step back in the war on terror."

If Peter King is against it then you know it's good policy!

[Aldous]

re:so what happens in the UK

the US sats spy on us, the UK sats spy on the US they exchange the data and some muppet leaves it on a train. simple!

[K. Adams]

Oh, look...!

It's Will Smith and Gene Hackman... I wonder what they're up to?

;-)

[Greg Trocchia]

Mixed emotions

As it happens, Peter King represents my district, which makes for a study in mixed emotions. Bad- this guy is speaking, in part, on my behalf, yuck. Good- I have the opportunity to extract revenge at the ballot box for things like this (I vote in each and every election). Bad- my previous opportunities to extract revenge have (thus far anyway) been without effect. Good- in this instance, anyway, Mr. King's efforts have been similarly without effect.

[Anonymous Coward]

who will watch

the watchers who watch the watchers?

[Perpetual Cyclist]

It's well known...

That the US and the UK do not spy on their own citizens.

We spy on theirs, they spy own ours, then we exchange intelligence...

[Rod MacLean]

Tired old chestnut

I love it when they say things like "step back in the war on terror."

Want to stop those nasty foreigners from getting pissed off at you? Want to stop Muslims in particular from being pissed off at you? In that case, stop siding with Israel all the time, stop fannying about "undercover" throughout the middle east, stop lying about the dodgy scams that you're involved in and stop being so fucking greedy for other people's oil. That might be a good start.

These spy satelites won't be much use in the so-called "war on terror" anyway. One of the justifications for the war in Afghanistan is that Osama Bin Laden was there. Firstly, his name is Usama, you idiots. Not much intelligence at work if you can't get the guys name right. Secondly, that satelite picture that showed him to be there was taken six months before the attack on the twin towers. You don't think he might have moved in the meantime? Haven't found him or any sign of him, have you? That's because you're in the wrong place and no matter how many satelites you have, it won't help.

Just like they won't help in the US. Are terrorists more likely to A) paint "I am a terrorist" on their roof in six foot high letters. B) Hide in the middle of a built up area where satelites are no good anyway.

[Daniel Hutty]

The "War On Turrurr"..

...is, I suppose, aptly named if you believe that sheeple whose lives are totally controlled will be totally safe, and thus totally content. Thus, no more terror.

Except for those who don't want the Gum'mint (a.k.a. whoever can convince The Masses, by force of personality, that they should be allowed the keys to the whole shooting match) watching over their shoulder. But if they don't want the Gum'mint watching them, they must be the Bad Guys, right?

Either that, or they voted for the other guys...

...Wait, what was the destinction again? Oh well, never mind.

Ooh look, our spy-sats have spotted the starts of an illegal protest march. better send in the choppers. Yeah, the black ones.

[Yorkshirepudding]

space precinct

that was fun for about 6 episodes ah well wouldnt say no to the female cop. what were we on about again

[amanfromMars 1]

Cannon Fodder

What will Government and Establishment Authorities be able to do against a Coalition of the Wiiling and Enabled United Virtual UnderGround Mob with Control of Human Resources?

MeThinks, exactly as they are told, would be Logical and Wise...... and Very Expedient too.

However, the Stupidity of Man knows no Bounds in its Quests to Conquer Past Demons with Present Follies Creating Future Foe, however, in the Cloud with its Silver Linings are SMARTer Above Average CyberIntelAIgent Beings with Out of this World Plans for a New and NeuReal SurReal World Order System, so as to differentiate it from any of the lesser Lessor models being Pimped and Touted as Slick and as Slimy as only a Snake Oil Salesman can manage of a Sweet and Sticky Task.

Web 2.0: it's made of badgers' paws and eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog?

[Anonymous Coward]

I doubt anyone believes them

Liars, wankers, thieves, lying wankers, thieving wankers, lying thieving wankers.

The picture is what they need shoved in a dark place.

[Anonymous Coward]

Cancelling domestic satellite surveilance

Not just a step backwards for the 'war on terror' (their opinion, not mine) but stopping it doesn't help their 'war on privacy' either...

Mine's the satellite with its camera focused that celeb. with the nice tits.

[Rex Alfie Lee]

Intelligence

Ah, the intelligentia! You know who you are, those commies who sit around debating that this person is a terrorist because their views are anti-YOU! Like me for instance. I'm anti-CIA, FBI, MI5, MI?, NSA, KGB, ASIO etc, etc.

The problem is that these guys consider what they do intelligence. Rather like cops it's mostly guesswork using a random number to pick out someone that fits an idea someone else had some time before now. Perhaps Google is one of these but for my part I at least don't see Google as attempting to have me removed or shut down, unlike the Intelligentia.

If you don't fit their ideal then you are one of them that they want.