Government

Sources: Homeland Security Recommends Canceling Color Coded Terror Alerts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government officials say the Homeland Security Department is recommending to the White House that the color-coded terror alert system be replaced with a more descriptive way to tell the public about threats.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the plan hasn’t been finalized and other government agencies, including the White House, need to sign off on the proposal.

By scrapping the colors, President Barack Obama would be abandoning a system that critics say is too vague to be useful.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (neh-pahl-ih-TAN’-oh) ordered a review of the system in July 2009. The proposal is unrelated to the furor over new airport security pat-downs and body scans.

Comments (49)

  • Reagan/Demint.deciple
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 5:46pm

    why can’t we just cancel this administration ?

    Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
  • DavidFactual
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 5:11pm

    Original Homeland Security Warning (and their Happy Colors)

    Bright Green LOW: “LOW RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS”
    Light Blue GUARDED: “GENERAL RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS”
    Yellow ELEVATED: “SIGNIFICANT RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS”
    Orange HIGH: “HIGH RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS”
    Bright Red SEVERE: “SEVERE RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS”

    Expanded Homeland Security Warning

    Dark Green HORRIFIC: “HORRIFIC ACTS OF TERRORISM”
    Dark Blue BRUTAL: “BRUTAL CONQUEST BY TERRORISM”
    Dark Red BLOODY: “GLOBAL WARS OF TERRORISM”
    Sickly Pale Green BLEAK: “GLOBAL FAMINE BY TERRORISM”
    Black & Gray GRIM & GRAVE: “DEATH OF HALF OF GLOBAL POPULATION”

    Report Post »  
  • JohnnyJT
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 4:41pm

    Should make it AllRed like the Lawyer Gloria.

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • GulfPeg
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 3:46pm

    The government is worried about the colors in the terror alerts and they aren’t worried about the radiation that people have to go through at the airports? My dentist will only take X-rays of my teeth once a year because of the radiation. Isn’t Obamacare going to be terribly expensive because of all of the skin cancer this is going to cause?

    Report Post »  
  • Stu Pedaso
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 3:26pm

    ordered a review of the system in July 2009.

    Since when does it take so long to make a decision?
    It is almost 2011. I believe we have bigger fish to fry than some dumb ass color code!

    Report Post » Stu Pedaso  
  • NoMarxist
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 3:02pm

    Liberal thought process.. If it doesn’t work, let’s do more of it.. If it does work, find a way to break it.

    Report Post » NoMarxist  
  • Cliff in Georgia
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:21pm

    How many man hours, meetings, break out groups, position papers, etc. were needed to research this critical decision??? Talk about make work projects- shovel ready.

    Report Post »  
  • countryboy42
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:02pm

    What color are we at now? Plaid, off purple, green spelled with a silent “Q”? This whole system was stupid from the start. How about a system of “Bring your gun” or “Don’t really need your gun today”. Simple and to the point.

    Report Post »  
  • xtreme66
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:54am

    Add your comments

    Report Post » xtreme66  
  • Susan Harkins
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:43am

    Oh….and here is a bit of advise for you guys to take with you. Any time you read the words “Homeland Security Recommends…” — RUN AWAY!

    Even the name of this Dept is an Oxymoron.

    Report Post » Susan Harkins  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:05pm

      Indeed Susan, indeed. I could not agree more, and I’ve always resented the Germanic feel of “homeland”, as well as the very German overtones of an overarching agency tasked with keeping us under surveillance and….goodness knows what else.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:42am

    They should go back to the military threat code. It worked & people understood it.

    Report Post »  
  • Susan Harkins
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:38am

    They only introduced “color code alerts” to get the national terror warning system going. They planned to change it all along. Now that the public has accepted the system and its “color cartoon”, it shall be morphed again…and again…and again, until it can actually cause people to take action en masse, and have them think that its for their own good.

    Dont look at the guys behind the curtain, yall! Just move along — its a national “Pink Elephant” alert. Drop your drawers and walk through your local post office scanner now. Its for your own good!

    Report Post » Susan Harkins  
  • crossdraw
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:32am

    Will this piss off the gay community? Just wondering Rainbows and all.

    Report Post »  
  • republitarian
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:01am

    This is one of the branches of government that needs pruning.

    Report Post » republitarian  
  • Dougral
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:54am

    I am happy to see it go. What real purpose did the alert level ever serve except as a fear index? What were we supposed to do if the level was raised? Stay home? Cower in the closet? All it ever was is a symbol that the government was paying attention. It did nothing to combat terrorism whatsoever.

    Report Post »  
  • OK3Wire
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:53am

    Old system New system
    Green TSA smiles at you, checks your ID, wishes you safe travel

    Yellow TSA glares at you if you’re a middle-aged white guy, gropes children and old nuns

    Orange TSA strip searches everybody, wishes safe flights to all women in burqas

    Red All flights canceled and TSA union declares a national holiday

    Report Post » OK3Wire  
  • Rob_M
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:34am

    It was never a very good system anyway.

    Report Post » Rob_M  
  • APatriotFirst
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:25am

    Someone help me here…..why on earth would anyone, foreign or domestic, attack the USA? Do they not know our history? Do they not know what we are made of, what we stand for? Have they never heard of the Alamo, WWII, WWI, the history that says we will not give in or quit? Have they not seen us in action?
    So tell me why anyone would ever think they can defeat us?

    Color coded? Would not be needed if our govt. ever took it as serious as we do. All they need to do is tell us what, who and where. We’ll do the rest.

    Report Post »  
    • CanadianTory
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:43am

      Nice Sentiment but it really isn’t as easy as asking for a time, a place, what we need to bring. The so-called war on terror cannot be won by simply shooting our way out of it. It isn’t like WWII where we were fighting a distinct and identifiable enemy (the Nazis) in a geographically obvious place (western Europe Germany specifically) and a clear way to win (beat the ever-loving hell out of them until they cry uncle and take Berlin).
      The enemy is a group of angry young men radicalised by a violent and angry reading of Islam. The place is anywhere that angry fundamentalist Muslims gather to preach an angry and hateful version of their religion. This gathering could be in Kandahar, Baghdad, or downtown Toronto. The victory condition is not clear. Do we want to stop further attacks? Do we want to destroy this ideology like we did with Communism? In the case of the first we are succeeding quite well. There have been no more attacks in the United States and none at all in Canada. There have been many attempts but none successful. If we want to defeat the ideology like we defeated Communism it cannot be done. This ideology can only be defeated by Muslims rising up and demanding a Reformation of the faith. This is unlikely to happen b/c of the dangerous and violent nature of the Islamists and so the war is a long war that ulitimatly requires the West to engage with the non-crazy Muslims how ever we can.

      Also the colour coded system was silly. Threats to national security can’t be adaquatly expressed in colours. Today is red so what? Yesterday was orange, so what?

      Report Post »  
  • GhostOfJefferson
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:25am

    Good. This entire system is insulting to intelligent people.

    Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • NOBELSPORT
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:06am

    Please do not be fooled…..this will just be a better way to effect the fears of the population.
    The sheeple are gettig a little out of controll…..we need a new way to cry wolf

    Report Post »  
    • Mary M. Tebbe
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 3:41pm

      nobelsport: I don’t recall anything that this administration has improved upon that has been for the betterment of the American people…have they “improved” upon anything!?

      Report Post » Mary M. Tebbe  
  • drbage
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:05am

    Guess someone complained that the use of color was racial profiling and discriminatory.

    Report Post »  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:16am

      Either that or they have decided we can’t understand the system. After all, we are not smart enough to understand why the health care law is for our own good, or cap and tax, or the stimulus, or being felt up in an airport. Clearly ‘they’ don’t find us to be the brightest people on the planet. I am glad old Nappy Jan got her szz out of Az but I wish she hadn’t been invited into a position to screw even more of us.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • ron the veteran
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:05pm

      yes the other colors hired a lawyer and now theyll name it something much nicer

      Report Post »  
    • ron the veteran
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:11pm

      yes kate they just cant get us to see how great our health care is going to be when they run it. or what a big bunch of money theyll make by screwing us more. they just havent explained how good its going to be for us. gee mr obama, i dont think you can pull those words out of your butt.

      Report Post »  
  • john seven eighteen
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:03am

    I agree, we need to come out with a whole new system, starting with the most critical alert – the one that tells us our own President is our worst enemy. That could only be one color – communist red!!!

    Report Post » john seven eighteen  
  • cubber
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:01am

    All we need is the color of lead. BE PREPARED.

    Report Post » cubber  
  • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:01am

    Simplest conde needed is thus “You are in danger, kiss your (insert any body part) goodbye!!!”

    Works wonderfully.

    http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • DimmuBorgir
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 9:59am

    Since when do we need the phonic key to know how to pronounce Napolitano??

    i’m pretty sure italians still live in America.

    Report Post » DimmuBorgir  
    • losonno
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:25am

      Do not like the way they that they can not or will not try to pronounce Italian names, yet they know how to say PIZZA and SPAGHETTI

      Report Post »  
    • NoStar
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 11:39am

      The proper pronunciation is “Incompet-ano.”

      Report Post » NoStar  
    • Jedi2112
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:13pm

      Not to be confused with Napoleontano…..

      Report Post »  
    • Dale
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:19pm

      It’s pronounce “Incompitano”.

      Report Post » Dale  
    • ron the veteran
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:01pm

      hey wadda ya tryn ta say!

      Report Post »  
    • heydeb7
      Posted on November 25, 2010 at 1:45am

      I agree! But here in Arizona ( where she came from) our nickname for her is just Nappy.

      Report Post »  
    • heydeb7
      Posted on November 25, 2010 at 1:50am

      I agree with you! but here in Arizona ( where she comes from) we just call her Nappy….. :)

      Report Post »  

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