National terror alert raised from yellow to orange. So what?

Interesting, the best answer I've heard yet on thsi came just last night:

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Former President Clinton is Interviewed

Aired February 6, 2003 - 21:00 ET

"KING: What do you make of the alerts we're under? The Yellows and the Greens and the -- what do you do in the cases?

CLINTON: I don't think there's much for us to do, but what happens -- to be fair to the government, they're in a pickle. If they don't issue the alert and something happens, then they cover up.

If they do issue the a and people don't have anything to do they feel like they're being jerked around. It's a difficult thing for the government.

If the alert is a possible terrorist attack, then at least, you know, people can look around. You'd be amazed how many things are foiled almost, not by accident, but just by alertness.

There were, for all of the terrible things we suffered when I was president -- Oklahoma City, the first World Trade Center bombing -- there were lots and lots of things, an attack on the Lincoln Tunnel, attack on the Holland Tunnel and attack at the Los Angeles airport...."

Gee, maybe if we'd spent as much time and energy hunting down Al Qaeda as we have preparing for the ever more imminent invasion of Iraq, your kids and mine would sleep safer tonight.

Tomorrow they are going to declare an apple alert.

Then we can compare the two....

Interestingly, the press conference announcing the change in status ended less than a few hours ago and the Lt. Gov. here in MA already put together a news conference explaining what the State is doing in response and the number of State and Boston City police at Logan Airport has been increased (all of this while the area is in the middle of a pretty heavy snow storm btw).

While individuals may not know what the alerts mean the state sure seems to...

How many alerts have we had since nine-eleven? Crying "wolf" too many times is going to reduce their effectiveness, then we're really going to have problems if it should ever happen. A difficult task to be sure. c.i.

Seems like we haven't had one of these higher alerts in a while. Must have occurred to someone in charge that there had better be one, just to show they're on the job...

D'art, The only problem with different levels of alerts is factually they don't make any difference to the public they're trying to warn. We only remember the many alerts we get without anything happening. It becomes less effective as those numbers of alerts increase. When the 'real' thing happens, what does it matter? It would have happened with or without those alerts. We're not going to change our style of living for every time a alert is given. c.i.

You make the asumption that the alerts are for the general public. They aren't and never have been. Read the descriptions of the alert levels on the Dept. of Homeland Security WWW aite. Each mentions specific activites that FEDERAL AGENCIES should/will do - not individuals in the general public. Each state also has an agency designated to head the alert program in their state and defines actions taken by STATE AGENCIES - again, NOT indivduals of the general public. Many cities also have city level agencies that take specific actions in respoonse to the alert levels.

No one expects YOU to change anything beacuse the alerts aren't for YOU. But when you show up at the airport or at a major event and see increased security teams you'll know why they are there if you pay attention to the alerts.

As for your prior question. This is the 2nd raising of the alert level to "Orange" since the system was initiated. The last was on Sept 10th of last year.

fishin, That's all well and good, but the general public's exposure to these alerts without the explanation seems it's directed at us. Maybe, it's also because I pay no attention to these alerts in the media, and don't realize they are directed at government agencies. c.i.

Color of terror alert has a significance for services that are supposed to cope with terror. Each degree of terror alert implies realization of specific plan adjusted to the level of danger. Of course, public has right to know, etc., but it would be better if information about alert degree was classified: panic of civilians does not help to the special services to do their job.

Ummm.. Yeah, that just MIGHT have something to do with it...

Fishin
I understand that the only people expected or are able to respond to the alerts are those agencies and government entities responsible for protecting public safety. Why than should they be issued to the general public? What is the need other than keeping the anxiety level high. It makes me wonder if the administration believes there is some political value in issuing these alerts to the people. Unfortunately I have become very suspicious of this administrations motives..

Au, government did not spread these news in order to cause panic. It simply had no choice. If the alert status was concealed and then revealed by media (as a result of some information leakage, for example), the administration would be accused by its liberal opponents in violation of people's right to know.

Wolf, wolf..... and more, wolf. ;( c.i.

Au - The only reason they are made public is because of the huge outcry of "why weren't we warned?" after 9/11. I think it rather humerous that several people that screamed that very question post-9/11 on Abuzz immediately mocked the alert system when it was revamped.

The political value is all wrapped up very clearly in Clinton's words in the quote I posted earlier. People question the need for the alerts but I sure wouldn't want to be anywhere near the Whitehouse if they decide NOT to issue one and something did happen.

Fishin
Since the event on 9/11 the public has be put on a terror alert. What value there is to changing the level at least in the public view I can not fathom. As far I can see it actually has a negative effect in that the public sees it as crying wolf and becomes inure to the threat of an attack. I should add there is nothing they can do in any event.
.

Perhaps it is espected that you really do what is told here:

Are You Ready? National Security Emergencies

1 in 6 adults in the US are employees of government at the Federal, state or local level. Can you think of a faster way to get the word out to every one of them?

An excellent link was provided by Mr. Hinteler. I think that everyone living in the countries endangered by the terror attack (well, which country is not?) should print out its content, and use it as a manual of proper behavior in critic situations.