With American troops hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden finally admitted what millions of Americans have known for years: there would be no triumphant fanfare to mark the end of the War on Terror that is finally, mercifully, ending on his watch.
But who will lead the charge to wind down Americas domestic national security panopticon that, after decades of taxpayer funding and expansions of its opaque surveillance powers, still failed to anticipate critical developments like the rise of ISIS or Afghanistans swift collapse to the Taliban?
Over the past 20 years, our failures in Afghanistan have become synonymous with the overreach and blind arrogance of the War on Terror. But that didnt just unfold on some distant desert battlefield. An equally treacherous surveillance state was built by American lawmakers right here at home.
Just three weeks after President George W. Bush launched the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, a Senate supermajority voted 98-1 to enact a bundle of emergency counterterrorism measures known as the USA PATRIOT Act. Among a slew of authoritarian nightmares, the Patriot Act vastly expanded the federal governments authority to spy on its own citizens without oversight, indefinitely detain immigrants even vaguely suspected of terrorism, wiretap Americans without probable cause and compile incomparably massive databases of Americans internet activities and cell-phone metadata.
The Act answered many Americans post-9/11 desire for ever increasing layers of domestic security theater. It also paved the way for the paranoia and authoritarianism that gradually consumed the Republican Party.
The Patriot Act helped Republicans cloak their growing antidemocratic tendencies in the language of urgent national security imperatives, a trend that continues unbroken in Donald Trumps migrant caravan fearmongering and the FBIs Trump-era efforts to treat Black Lives Matter activists as a national security threat.
By 2002, driven by the Bush administrations dire warnings of future attacks, Republicans had already constructed most of what we now consider Americas post-9/11 national security apparatus. The new focus on domestic and foreign surveillance was given physical form by the creation of an imposing new Department of Homeland Security. 18 years later, DHS is now the third-largest Cabinet department behind Defense and Veterans Affairs. Homelands sway over Washington remains so powerful that Bidens recent proposal togaspstop increasing the DHS budget led to heated bipartisan outcry on Capitol Hill.
For many of the lawmakers compromised by an influx of surveillance industry lobbying cash, Americas future is one where you are always being watched.
Anyone who lived through the early years of surveillance gone wild remembers the emergence of a new popular vocabulary designed to mask our new realities: torture became enhanced interrogation, government disappearings extraordinary rendition and torture facilities black sites. Guantanamo Bay, a strip of land on the Cuban coast, became both a prison into which Muslims disappeared and an international symbol of Americas abandonment of the rule of law.
As a senator, Biden enthusiastically supported the construction and gluttonous overfeeding of our domestic surveillance state. At $1.25 trillion, building the American surveillance state was roughly equivalent to funding more than a decade of war in Afghanistan. As president, the task of deconstructing the leviathan now falls in Bidens lap. Its a topic he and his administration have been conspicuously silent about even as they tout the end of the war in Afghanistan. Theres no end to Americas forever wars without dismantling the surveillance state here.
The Patriot Act expired in bits and pieces over the past 20 years, but key provisions still remainand stripping them away must be a priority as Biden seeks to wind down the War on Terror. Any effort to end the federal governments cataloging of its citizens will face opposition: just last year, lawmakers fought a pitched battle to extend key surveillance provisions.
Far from winding down along with the War on Terror, the surveillance state is expanding like never before.
When PATRIOTs controversial Section 215 governing bulk collection of telephone metadata from U.S. citizens expired in 2015, Senate Republicans quickly passed nearly identical provisions with a fresh new facethis time called the USA FREEDOM Act. That the metadata-tracking program harms civil liberties, cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and provided practically no useful information didnt seem to matter to lawmakers. And while USA Freedom includes several important limits on domestic spying not included in Patriot, it represents nothing less than Patriots survival into its fourth presidential administration.
Far from winding down along with the War on Terror, the surveillance state is expanding like never before. Private companies like Palantir now pledge to empower organizations to effectively integrate their data, decisions, and operations. If youre a state or federal law enforcement agency, that empowerment means utilizing powerful new facial recognition and crowd surveillance technologies to track nonviolent protesters and other troublesome Americans.
The technologies supposedly created to track a vague, undefined foreign threat have been turned against Americans with startling effectiveness.
If that seems like a far cry from monitoring the foreign-based communications of possible terrorists, thats because it is. The technologies supposedly created to track a vague, undefined foreign threat have been turned against Americans with startling effectiveness. Atlantas Flock Safety recently raised a $150 million investment round on the promise that it could capture and analyze vehicles and license plates better than anyone else. For many of the lawmakers compromised by an influx of surveillance industry lobbying cash, Americas future is one where you are always being watched.
It might be a different story if this eye-wateringly expensive, rights-eroding proto-Skynet actually improved American safety. In fact, its actively jeopardizing national security. Take Palantir, the private surveillance technology firm that last year wrapped up a high-profile $500 million funding round. According to new reports first published in the New York Post, a massive glitch in Palantirs confidential systems allowed unauthorized individuals to access sensitive FBI employee data for more than a year. But the FBI is small potatoes: the vast trove of private information Palantir helps the government scoop up is only as secure as Palantirs least-interested programmer.
But Americas surveillance hell isnt all high-minded data-mining by the boys at Langley and hunkered down in Silicon Valley. As citizens, weve been conditioned over the course of two decades to accept ever-greater incursions into our privacy. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the pernicious security theater produced and directed by the Transportation Security Administration.
A Congress eager to show Americans it would do anything necessary to protect them foisted the TSA on travelers in November 2001. Since then, airport security has become one of the nations greatest running jokes: according to research by Voxs Dylan Matthews, there isnt any solid evidence that TSA has made air travelor Americansany safer. But it has accustomed citizens to accept gradually more intrusive government requests on our freedoms.
As a frequent (until recent global health events) air traveler, I can barely imagine a world before TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Clear, and a host of other services designed to ease the all-consuming inconvenience of War on Terror airport security measures. And thats whats so wrong. By placing theatrical but ineffective security roadblocks in front of Americans and then introducing a program like PreCheck, which required me to provide TSA with scans of my retinas, a full set of my fingerprints, and enough information to conduct a deep background check, TSA effectively inconvenienced me and most Americans into filling a database with our most personal data. And they charge 85 bucks for the privilege.
Sure, PreCheck is a choice you are free to declinebut by treating our privacy as a negotiable token to be traded off for a little convenience, we forfeit the chance to decide whether our government should even have the terrifying power to warehouse our eyes in the first place. Its past time our elected officials had that conversation and accounted for the failure of our intrusive security apparatus to actually deliver better intelligence outcomes and a safer country for Americans. Its time to restore our civil liberties to a pre-PreCheck world.
Only congressional Democrats and the Biden administration have the power to fully dismantle 20 years of deeply entrenched intrusion by the federal government into our private data and personal lives. That will be more difficult than withdrawing from Afghanistan, but inaction will do further damage to the already frayed relationship between our government and its people.
Democrats can begin our great national de-spyification process by revoking the sweeping surveillance powers successive Congresses have bestowed on organizations like the NSA and FBI. The past 20 years have demonstrated that our surveillance state is woefully ineffective at improving American national security.
Democrats can lead an overdue rethinking of the entire operational theory behind Americas use of surveillance. We must apply what weve learned from the past two decades of surveillance overreach to build a system that respects our most cherished rights.
A generation later, the War on Terror is drawing to an ignominious close. Americas surveillance state must not outlive it.
Read more:
Forever Wars Won't End if the Surveillance State's Still Here - Daily Beast
- MB Shuffle: X1N0 Places Self-Empowerment in the center of Superstar - More Branches - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Oops! I called my boss 'dude.' Career coaches weigh in on tricky ... - NPR - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Servant leadership and AI: Agility and empowerment for the CLO - Chief Learning Officer - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- New Book You Were Born for More Offers a Transformative ... - Digital Journal - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- New academic year, new faces on campus - Central Michigan University - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Vanilla perfumes: the 8 best and long-lasting - Marie Claire UK - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Now, CCTV cams must at coaching centres - Times of India - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- What would have happened if Billie Jean King had lost to Bobby ... - The Boston Globe - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Discover the synergy between biotech and medtech in Ghent - Labiotech.eu - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Offtrack: The Long Road to Asylum for LGBTQ Refugees in Greece - Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- The rise of solo dates: Why Gen Zs are embracing 'Me Time' - Nairobi News - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Libra to Pisces: 4 Nurturing Zodiac Signs Who Prioritize the Needs ... - PINKVILLA - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- 2023 Northwest Indiana Women's Leadership & Innovation Summit ... - Purdue University Northwest - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- How Hinewehi Mohi uses te reo and music to bring Aotearoa together - New Zealand Herald - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- The 20 Most Anticipated Sequel and Reboot Movies Coming in ... - MovieWeb - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- What Taylor Swift teaches girls about taking control of their lives and ... - Morningstar - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Report Points To Growth Of Asian-American Businesses In ... - iHeart - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Empowering Women: A Day of Firearms and Firearm Safety | P ... - NewsBreak Original - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- EMBRACING THE SPIRIT OF AFRICAPITALISM: CATALYSING ... - The Tony Elumelu Foundation - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- The best albums of the year so far (2023) - The Vinyl Factory - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Benton County Sheriff's deputies train to help kids avoid bad situations - Westside Eagle Observer - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Too Much Seduction: How to stay pure in a culture that glorifies sex, lust, lewdness - EEW Magazine - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng review tragedy in the tropics - The Guardian - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- More Than Just A Game How Dungeons And Dragons Is Making ... - IFLScience - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- GoodHeart | 25-y-o Leneka Rhoden is a beacon of service and ... - Jamaica Gleaner - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- FemTech: technology empowering women's health and well-being - Lexology - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- NBA Foundation: Uplifting Memphis youth through music - NBA.com - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Greek film 'Behind The Haystacks' to be featured at Sydney Film ... - Neos Kosmos - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Grants approved for groups in Wellington North exceed budget - Wellington Advertiser - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Self-Empowerment: 7 Ways to Empower Yourself | Maryville Online - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- When you take all that we encompass and the drive that we have, it's ... - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Code of Ethics: English - National Association of Social Workers - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- All children deserve arts and music programs in schools, thats why Prop. 28 should be approved - San Bernardino County Sun - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Body Positive Sex Talk Empowering Women On TikTok - Women's Health - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- TCL Announces Exciting Collaboration with TCL Brand Ambassador Shyla Heal to Elevate #TCLForHer Platform and Inspire Women to Redefine Greatness -... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The good employer: Creating and living-out a culture of empathy, empowerment and understanding - Digital Journal - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- International Day of The Girl: Rotary District 9125 Empowers 850 School Girls In Kano THE AUTHORITY NEWS - THE AUTHORITY NEWS - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- MEET THE CANDIDATES: Charleswood-Westwood-Tuxedo - Winnipeg Sun - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Ruth Radelet (ex Chromatics) discusses the inspirations behind her debut solo EP - Brooklyn Vegan - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Here to stay! How this OG Tagaytay wellness spa survived the pandemic, is stronger than ever - Rappler - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners Set to Consider $3.2M in Awards to Local Organizations as Part of the Community Priority Fund -... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- FEMALE INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE SPEAKERS - News - htafc.com - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Graphic designer works his way to the top - The Herald - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Foundation coaches in Tanzania attend in-person training sessions - Real Madrid - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Jade Helliwell releases first EP since 2018 in upbeat celebration of women - Music Talkers - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Competing interests: protection of transgender rights and freedom of religious beliefs - the Australian perspective - Kennedys - Kennedys Law - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Adam Levine and The Try Guys: Cheating scandals hit different right now - Vox.com - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Championing the value of time and a future-proof healthcare plan for women - Malaysiakini - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Seattle Rep Announces October Programming Featuring WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME & More - Broadway World - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Who are the actors playing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X? - New York Daily News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- "One Of A Million" by Softcult - Northern Transmissions - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Aesthetic Gynaecology and Regenerative Medicine Training held in Delhi by IASRM (International Association of Stemcell and Regenerative Medicine) -... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- 6 Teens Who Make The World A Better Place - Forbes - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Earn Your Leisure Partners with Steve Harvey to Assemble an All-Star Financial Lineup for Innovative Festival at London's Historic Royal Albert Hall -... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- KNUST-Obuasi campus honours Dr. Love Konadu and 25 others - BusinessGhana - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Back-to-the-office moves leave tech uneasy - Axios - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- FEMALE INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE - News - htafc.com - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Neustar and LiveVox Join Forces to Improve Outbound Customer Contactability - Business Wire - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 5 Organisations We've Teamed Up With to Empower Africa's Young People - Global Citizen - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- What is Witchcore? The Aesthetic Gaining Popularity on Social Media, Explained - The Mary Sue - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- After 10 years of swiping right, what have we gained from Tinder? - Sydney Morning Herald - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Sisters of the revolution: the women of the Black Panther party - The Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- ANALYSIS | Only SAs elite benefits from black economic empowerment and Covid-19 proved it - News24 - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 'We need to be aware of the power of touch' - Nursing Times - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Students reminded of University resources to support mental health and wellness - Pennsylvania State University - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Boudoir photographer Amanda Robb helps 'terrified' women love their bodies - Stuff - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Super Girl Surf Pro returning to Oceanside with global surf stars like Bethany Hamilton and a music festival - The San Diego Union-Tribune - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 5 Business Experts to Learn from in 2022 - The Australian Business Journal - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Stealthy state crimes during times of disaster - Mail and Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Neha Mujawdiyas Personal Journey In Accessing Basic Education Inspired Her Startup - SheThePeople - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- The Experience of Pregnant Women in the Health Management Model of Int | IJWH - Dove Medical Press - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Men are more prone to suicide than women, reveals NCRB data - The New Indian Express - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 25 Empowerment Anthems: Songs for an Extra Boost of Confidence - Billboard - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 40 years later, business of healthcare changed in very personal ways PharmaLive - PharmaLive - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Setting boundaries in your daily life can protect you from 'harmful experiences': Here are 3 tips to get you started - CNBC - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- I Tested PUMA's New Frida Kahlo Collection Honoring the Iconic's Legacy - mit - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- The Activist Offering: Lessons from Kansas - Progressive.org - Progressive.org - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 'The Majnu Ka Tilla Diaries' Reveals Tibetan Empowerment in India - The Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Kentwood Players announces open auditions for 9 TO 5 the Musical - Culver City Observer - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 'They/Them' Review: A Slasher That Isn't as Scary or Subversive as Real Life - CNET - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]