Ridge: Terror Alert Likely To Be Lowered

[bfez1]

WASHINGTON -- The United States probably won't be at the code orange terror alert level much longer.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the high alert will probably be lowered fairly soon.

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

Just when we were getting used to Orange we now will be back in yellow...ah well. Tom Ridge was a great Gov here in PA and he will definitely keep our lives in check and safe for all. They never should have raised it IMO.

[Stephanie]

They probably should've done the lie-detector test before they raised the alert to orange. I wonder if this snow storm has been a mixed blessing for us too.

I guess at this point until they really get the Homeland Security Department up to snuff, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't with regards to reporting potential terroristic threats.

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

Well....with the weather being the way it is....it is keeping rallies and protests low around here....thats mostly good.

[wx247]

I agree Stephanie, but the administration claims that without that information they still would have upgraded to code Orange.

What the administration and Dept. of Homeland Security are battling now is...when do we lower this threat so that we can be asured the increased threat is behind us without raising it again the next day and causing complacency within the American people. And...will we ever go down from yellow alert? Just another question to ponder. There will ALWAYS be a threat...there always has been. It is now a matter of imminent concern vs. bogus info.

Garrett

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

lol more like its made up of a bunch of 5 colors as to what status we're supposed to be concerned about....figures. Even if we have war it'll still be at least yellow...I doubt we'll ever see the bottom again.

[JQ Public]

Did they stop any activity in the US during the High alert time?

[M2]

Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security team are actually thinking about doing away with the color-coded security schemes altogether. They began the color-coded threat system just after 9/11 because they needed something, but now the departments are in the process of merging and reorganization so they will become much more efficient. The way they inform the public is also going to change, and there has been a great outcry from suburban America for concrete procedures and suggestions. We've been on the right track however, as DHS will stress: Prepare A Kit, Have A Plan. The information is all over the web. Regional warnings may also be used in the new threat system which would identify more likely vulnerabilities rather than a blanket alert. Anyway this will all be changing in the near future. Stay tuned.

:Fade-color

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

Thats what I've been stressing....how the threat levels can be high like that everywhere. Unless they send a meteor the size of the US, then we're not all going to be affected. I'm sure if there are plots and also people within the country here, that they'd up the level for a particular area instead of making the entire US jump the gun. Major areas along the coasts are probably the highest, then others just like the population ofrom the census tells us.

[JQ Public]

Anyone know if they stopped any terrorist plots during the high alert timeframe?

[chadtm80]

Nope.. not a clue. Im actually kind of surprised there going to lower it.. Better safe then sorry i say

[wx247]

About the regional alert status...that is a good idea. Just like watch boxes from the SPC. Makes sense to me.

About thwarting plans...I heard an analyst on MSNBC yesterday that weather may have been our best friend over the past few days or so. Not that a strike was imminent then, but mobilization/activation would be hard in the weather the East has experienced.

Garrett

[southerngale]

The regional alert status sounds like a good idea, but does anyone see a problem with it? Let's say that put DC, New York City, Chicago, Houston, Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Dallas, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, Portland, Nashville, Phoenix, Miami, and Charlotte on high alert. Now that's quite a few large cities in the alert, right? Well, these terrorists aren't stupid. While the focus will be on protecting the cities in the high alert, they just attack in Sacramento or Memphis or San Antonio or Pittsburgh where the security isn't quite so concentrated. I realize that certain kinds of attacks would require access to specific areas, but definitely not all of them. Many of them can be done in one place just as easy as another.

I do agree that regional alerts would be nice to have instead of the entire country being on high alert when they really think the threat is higher in specific areas. I just see a huge defect in it as well. :?

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

True...but the problem with them attacking anything other than big populated areas is that they just dont know about them...they wouldnt waste their time blasting a hick town...like mine, unless they have elements here and there's something that they want to make known wordlwide. I also think we wont have our guard down even though the status is lowerd...our fears are always there and we always find ways to make sure things are safe for the rest of the world to enjoy life.

[JQ Public]

but then again a big building in any town could be a target...ie ok city

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

True....but OK City was a madman from our own country! lol

[JQ Public]

haha so targetting people looking middleastern wouldnt have helped there. Hmmm what about that sniper guy then...same thing with him

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

Could be said about anyone like that....even Waco and Koresh....there's always gonna be someone doing crap like that....some people just snap!

[southerngale]

True JQ (your quote:"but then again a big building in any town could be a target...ie ok city")

Rob, I wasn't really meaning hick towns. While some large cities are on high alert, an attack could occur at another large city. I agree that we won't let our guard down though. I live in Refinery-Land here and pretty close to Houston, the largest port in the country. :o - I don't change my plans, but I always look over my shoulder.