What's Happened to the Terrorist Alerts?

Before 2004, we were innundated with terrorist alerts - those color-coded thingys from the Department of Homeland Security.

It's seems they've vanished into thin air, although you can, if you wish have the DHS send you an email when there is a terrorist alert. If it wasn't too late, I suppose you could then hoist your own color-coded flag in front of your house.

The alerts haven't disappeared altogether, though. I have discovered that the U.S. was on a high level of alert in both June and September of last year. Maybe I was sleeping, but I can't recall anybody waving colored flags around warning us of impending danger.

Not that I want them. The color-coded flags symbolize the gross stupidity that is endemic to the Bush administration. Why would you want to advertise to the world's terrorists whether our guardians are awake or asleep at the wheel?

Greg Palast notes that when we show the whole world a yellow flag it tells the whole world we think the threat is minimal and that there are no special inspections of passengers of cargo traveling by air. "Isn't it nice of Mr. Bush to alert Osama when half our security forces are given the day off?"

Guess what? Israel doesn't use color-coded warnings.

Palast says that "America is the only nation on the planet that kindly informs bombers, hijackers and other berserkers the days on which they won't be monitored.

"You've got to get up pretty early in the morning to get a jump on George Bush's team."

Then he suggests there are only "three possible explanations for the Administration's publishing a good-day-for-bombing color guidebook.

1. God is on Osama's side.
2. George is on Osama's side.
3. Fear sells better than sex."