Biometrics: Iraq Is Your Future

American troops have been trained in the use of hand held biometric scanners. These devices are being used to catalog Iraqi civilians and create a database useful in identifying friend or foe.

Identification effort crosses entire war zone - USAToday July 7, 2007

U.S. is building database on Iraqis - USAToday July 7, 2007

Hooray for the good guys. Now they can finger the bad guys. In the story, they've fingered a guy who was held for three months and never charged for an incident that he may or may not have had anything to do with.

And he's inconvenienced every damn day of his life.

Do any of us believe that the US military is capturing insurgents, issuing them an ID, and turning them loose? How is this helpful if the insurgents are more than likely dead, or being held in a prison?

How many insurgents are carrying their US issued ID into combat?

Because, (insert sinister music) it isn't for the insurgents.

Its for everyone.

A National ID Program for Iraq? - The New York Times May 29, 2007

I just love this quote from the story, " Max Boot, a CFR senior fellow, envisions that a nationwide census would be necessary, requiring government workers to go “house to house and find out who lives there.”"

I'll just bet they'll have GPS and a disgraced ACORN stooge tagging along during the census. Hint you screwballs, there are still nomadic tribes in Iraq. What are you going to do, sprinkle their tents and camels with smart dust? Just a note to the reader, the Wikipedia link for smart dust says it is "hypothetical". I assure you it is much more. Read this.

The last paragraph of the article states the following:

Boot could not point to a specific case where a national identification database worked—no such program was implemented during the Vietnam War, for instance—but he cites the French officer David Galula’s 1964 classic book, Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice: “Control of the population begins obviously with a thorough census. Every inhabitant must be registered and given a foolproof identity card.”

What Max Boot failed to tell you about is a very well known instance where a National ID system worked very well.

Nazi Germany.

In 1933, after Adolf Hitler came to power, the Nazi Party issued every person in Germany a permanent identification card. Those cards held by those of Jewish ancestry were marked with a very prominent "J".

"Papiere, Bitte?"

Already concerns are mounting in Iraq where people are frequently targeted due to their religious affiliations. Once the Iraqi government has control of the database it could very well be leaked to either Sunni or Shiite extremists and a very systematic ethnic cleansing could begin.

Much like in Nazi Germany.

Or in Rwanda. As a holdover from Belgian colonial rule, all identification cards carried ethnic information. These cards were used by the Hutu, the largest of the three ethnic groups in the region, to ferret out and target members of the Tutsi.

Shame on you Max Boot. Lying by omission is still lying. But you're part of the CFR, so we free people expect no less.

Homepage for the DODs Biometrics Task Force.

So, what does this have to do with us?

Remember the "Real ID Act" that was pushed through in 2005 as a rider on a defense appropriations bill, along with relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina?

According to an article published by ComputerWorld, Obama administration to inherit a real mess on Real ID, DHS's very own Janet Napolitano herself signed an act barring her state from participating in the program.

Obama also failed to cast a vote either for or against the act while he was in the senate.

We're fast approaching the deadline for states to get on board with the program. All states must prove that by December 31, 2009 that their drivers licenses and ID cards conform to "Real ID Act" standards.

However, with states outright refusing to participate, the Feds have done an end run around the people and state legislatures. They've introduced a system called PASS ID. Even Napolitano was given cover to be able to endorse this remake of REAL ID. Read more at The New American: "Your Papers, Please" about how state greed assisted in making PASS ID a reality.

There are no real provisions either for the use of or against the use of RFID technology in conjunction with PASS ID or REAL ID. However, many believe the use of RFID is the only currently workable solution in creating these programs.

Increasing use of RFID exposes people to greater risks of identity theft and tracking. Chips in official IDs raise privacy fears - Mercury News July 11, 2009. I work with RFID as part of my job, and I can attest to how some RFID chips can be cloned or have their numbers reprogrammed. So, in effect, you should be easily able to clone a PayPass enabled card once you have a valid number. Or forge a Passport. Or a driver's license.

So what remains?

The DMV already collects your fingerprints here in California.

Ever hear of "Fusion Centers"?

Big Brother "Fusion Centers" Part of US Domestic Intelligence and Surveillance Apparatus Mammoth Budget: $75 Billion, 200,000 Operatives

You should read this after reading about "Fusion Centers".

Police will use new device to take fingerprints in street - Guardian October 28, 2008

Oh, that's England, you say?

Gilbert to buy new fingerprint scanner for DUI use - AZ. Central September 9, 2009

They're already in use in Los Angeles: Who Goes There? - Police Chief's Magazine

Once they have your fingerprint, they'll be able to link you to most anything even without "Real ID" through the the use of these "Fusion Centers". "Real ID" and "Pass ID" are just gravy.