# Is a green terror alert level even possible?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 20, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057 "2002-10-20T03:21:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheJackOfHearts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheJackOfHearts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheJackOfHearts)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057/1 "2002-10-20T03:21:37Z")

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Ever since the terror alert system has been in use, it has not once dipped below yellow. This has led me to ponder whether or not a green level is actually possible within the next few years. It would seem that, from what we do know about Al-Qaeda, they are constantly planning and discussing attacks against the US. And, of course, the mideast has been in turmoil for years and shows no sign of improving in the near future. So, what level of terrorist activity is considered low enough for a green alert? Are the standards revised over time, i.e. those responsible for the system sit down and say “Well, this should be a yellow level, due to the terrorist communications we’re picking up, but over the past year nothing has ever come out of similar reports, so we’ll go ahead and make the level green.”?

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057/2 "2002-10-20T11:15:00Z")

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Under this administration? I doubt if we’ll see a blue, much less a green.

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**Author:** ![JaxBeachBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@JaxBeachBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaxBeachBoy)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057/3 "2002-10-21T02:36:03Z")

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Another question would be if anyone even knows someone who takes these nonsensical ratings seriously.

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**Author:** ![Melandry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Melandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melandry)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057/4 "2002-10-21T02:43:30Z")

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**Jax** , my boyfriend certainly does, but he also takes Ann Coulter seriously, so I think we can disregard him…

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**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2002, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-terror-alert-level-even-possible/133057/5 "2002-10-22T06:40:47Z")

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Tom Ridge must feel like such a tool. If Bush tabbed him as veep, he wins Pennsylvania and the Florida thing is moot. Instead he gives him this worthless, made-up job with no real power. I wonder how many administrations it will take to eliminate or at least reorganize into something else.