From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Dec 16 2002 - 17:54:05 MST
--- Amara Graps <amara@amara.com> wrote:
> (...but it may already be too late)>
>
> On the site:
> http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,56859,00.html
> we see:
>
> "Under the Enhanced Border Security Act of 2002, the government is
> required to develop an automated information system called Chimera
> that places machine-readable biometric identifiers in all visas and
> passports by 2004. The General Accounting Office estimates Chimera
> will cost between $6 billion and $11.5 billion to build."
This applies only to all AMERICAN passports and visas issued to
foreigners visiting the US. The problem of this approach is that there
is still no way to truly verify the real identity of a foreigner BEFORE
they are issued their biometric visa to visit us. This system could
easily be abused to establish foolproof bona fides for individuals
traveling under false but well documented identities.
THe problem of the system is that it isn't Americans who are the
problem with terrorism, it is individuals traveling from countries
which cannot afford the passport systems they currently have, and are
thus vulnerable to corruption. Such countries can't afford the sort of
systems proposed here, and even then will still be vulnerable to
corruption at the entrypoint, where identities are initially
established.
THis being said, if such a system is established worldwide, and is made
relatively immune to corruption, it would go a long way to helping to
build the sort of global institutions of trust that Nick Bostrom spoke
of at Extro5. Those countries with corruption problems should still
expect to see their citizens validity questioned, which would be useful
if a terrorist traveling under a false passport has previously been
biometrically scanned under a different identity. In this respect, the
system would be useful in identifying terrorists as well as spies.
In establishing the system, it would make the practice of spying far
more expensive, since agents would only be able to posess one identity
throughout their careers. If linked to questionable activities, they
would be easily identified in the future and their ability to enter
other countries limited. In doing this, this would limit the
post-governmental career potential of said agents and would make them
far more circumspect about engaging in black operations.
In this respect, the system would put our country at a disadvantage in
combatting its enemies.
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