With the Friday evening Paris attacks still fresh in everyone’s minds, officials in several countries are wasting no time in trying to convince the public to trade essential freedoms for the promise of enhanced security, a bargain many people are eager to make at times like this.
French President Francois Hollande is pressing parliament for some quick votes dramatically expanding government power to carry out warrantless raids and put people under house arrest without charging them with any crimes, insisting France is “at war” now and needs more powers.
US officials are also eager to cash in on the panic with more powers, seeking to expand their ability to carry out mass surveillance, citing the largely toothless “reforms” of NSA surveillance as proof that the US has intelligence “gaps” that need to be filled by more intrusion into ordinary citizens’ affairs.
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon was the least specific but the most direct, insisting that Paris proved the need to favor security over basic human rights, and predicting a massive shift toward more government power irrespective of the consequences.
"…need to favor security over basic human rights, and predicting a massive shift toward more government power irrespective of the consequences."
At least he isn't trying to camouflage what they are going to do. Irrespective, the fearful will give the elites the green light to strip more of our rights and once done, will wonder why there are armed security officials on every corner and cameras on every building.
During the Northern Ireland "troubles", you couldn't go into even the smallest shop without being searched by a security guard and there were sandbagged bunkers in the street with narrow, slit windows from where you could see eyes looking out at you. People just lived with it.
Probably right. Europeans generally are accustomed to a more authoritarian state system than Americans, so there probably won't be any serious opposition.
Dear people of the great nation of France,
You are being duped by your politicos. I know because we Americans were duped after 9/11 as well. What your government should do is find the wealthy elitists who are funding these terrorists. Find them, arrest them, and imprison them. That's what the sphere of national intelligence should be doing; it should be following the money.
Killing these criminals will not stop the chaos and fear. Someone will always take their place as long as there is money available to fund and plan operations. Find the leaders who are organizing and financing these easily manipulated stooges and bring them to justice.