# Terror Index up to Orange: I guess Bush was BSing the troops. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 21, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372 "2003-12-21T21:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/1 "2003-12-21T21:50:47Z")
[Say it ain’t so, Tom!](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/21/threat.level/index.html) After all, you remember [what your big boss said](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/20031127.html) to the troops in Iraq at Thanksgiving: > [@](#): > > You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq, so that we don’t have to face them in our own country. OK, so we just captured Saddam, and a pile of paper that says how the resistance was organized and financed. That’s really, really good. (I’m not being facetious there, btw.) So it would seem that we’re defeating whoever we’re fighting over there, so…so we shouldn’t have to face them here, right? Right? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/2 "2003-12-21T22:03:57Z")
Well, maybe he meant just those terrorists in Iraq. We don’t have to worry about them right now. Just the ones in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/3 "2003-12-21T23:38:04Z")
“Defeating” is a different word than “defeated”. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/4 "2003-12-22T01:09:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheesesteak \* > \*\*“Defeating” is a different word than “defeated”. \*\* Just as Bin Laden is a different word than Saddam. How does America spell “Credible Threat” today? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/5 "2003-12-22T01:19:07Z")
Nobody knows, and therein lies the problem. If you don’t raise the alert, and something happens, you _will_ be publicly skinned alive. Alternatively, if you raise it and nothing happens, you can credit yourself with prevention. Which is basicly why the terror level has never gone below elevated. Nobody, but nobody, is going to take the risk of _lowering_ the level down to hunky-dory and then something happens. Shop with vigilence, Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/6 "2003-12-22T02:13:12Z")
Its more a case of shoring their bets… christian holidays are prime time for travelling and also good for muslim terrorist attacks. So if you don’t raise the alarm and something happens… you didn’t even know about the risk… bad. If you do raise the alarm (just in case) and something does happen you can claim you warned people but that the terrorists slipped through anyway. (Naturally requires a convenient scapegoat for that part…) Still you were “vigilant”. Its more about not appearing to have been totally surprised. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/7 "2003-12-22T02:37:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Shop with vigilence, Americans. _vigilence_. Don’t leave home without it. ---
**Author:** ![Bean\_Counter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Bean\_Counter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bean_Counter)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/8 "2003-12-22T03:46:00Z")
And here I thought it was because he thought the threat level color did not go with the season. The yellow was clashing horribly with the Christmas decorations at Homeland Security Central. Unfortunately he missed the orange train by about two (USA) holidays ago. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/9 "2003-12-22T04:48:24Z")
Hmmm… I wonder if maybe they raised the threat level because…maybe they care about us? Of course “politicians” don’t care about anybody but themselves huh? Maybe The President just wants more Arab oil, or maybe there was another shooter on the grassy knoll, or maybe we never landed on the moon. Brother- :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/10 "2003-12-22T04:50:49Z")
As far as I can tell, the ONLY purpose of the Terror Alert is ass covering. If something bad happens they can say, sagely “well, it was orange: we told you.” I mean, what the heck is the point of giving the sole advice of “be aware?” Of what? Everything? Were we not aware previously? > [@](#): > > You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq, so that we don’t have to face them in our own country. Sure, that President NEVER constantly connects Saddam to 9/11 even though he himself says that they have no evidence. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/11 "2003-12-22T05:06:24Z")
Hmmm… I wonder if maybe they raised the threat level because…maybe they care about us? Of course “politicians” don’t care about anybody but themselves huh? Maybe The President just wants more Arab oil, or maybe there was another shooter on the grassy knoll, or maybe we never landed on the moon. Brother- :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/12 "2003-12-22T05:13:37Z")
Hmmm… I wonder if maybe they raised the threat level because…maybe they care about us? Of course “politicians” don’t care about anybody but themselves huh? Maybe The President just wants more Arab oil, or maybe there was another shooter on the grassy knoll, or maybe we never landed on the moon. Brother- :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/13 "2003-12-22T05:18:43Z")
Hmmm… I wonder if maybe they raised the threat level because…maybe they care about us? Of course “politicians” don’t care about anybody but themselves huh? Maybe The President just wants more Arab oil, or maybe there was another shooter on the grassy knoll, or maybe we never landed on the moon. Brother- :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/14 "2003-12-22T05:29:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jimpatro \* > Hmmm… I wonder if maybe they raised the threat level because…maybe they care about us? Piffle! If they cared about us regular Americans, they’d have stuck with going after bin Laden instead of traipsing off to Baghdad. The imaginary threat has been vanquished, but they haven’t done squat about the growing _real_ threat posed by al Qaeda. Even if no disaster materializes this time, Americans will be left to cope with reduced services, intrusive security, long lines, and in many cases unwanted and expensive holiday overtime. -Merry Christmas to all! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/15 "2003-12-22T05:31:16Z")
In just wonder exactly how we’re supposed to adjust our personal terrorism awareness levels. What do I do differently for an orange alert than for a yellow. Should I take an umbrella tomorrow? A gasmask? And what do I do if it goes up to red? How exactly are we, the public, supposed to _use_ these alerts and how do we calibrate our preperedness levels? ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/16 "2003-12-22T05:33:47Z")
I won’t take the alerts seriously until they start releasing some specifics as to why they felt it necessary to raise the alert. The generalities Ridge uses are meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/17 "2003-12-22T05:47:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > In just wonder exactly how we’re supposed to adjust our personal terrorism awareness levels. What do I do differently for an orange alert than for a yellow. Should I take an umbrella tomorrow? A gasmask? > > And what do I do if it goes up to red? > > How exactly are we, the public, supposed to _use_ these alerts and how do we calibrate our preperedness levels? I agree. I don’t know anyone who understands this whole alert process, so unless there are specific things that government agencies do when the alert level goes up, they don’t mean a thing. Does anyone know if the police, fire dept, etc. have any protocals that kick in due to the alert rise? > [@](#): > > Elucidator wrote: > Nobody, but nobody, is going to take the risk of lowering the level down to hunky-dory and then something happens. I also don’t think we’ll ever see it raised to the highest level-- is that red alert? Imagine the panic that could ensue if the government esentially said: “There will be a terror attack this week. Somewhere, but we don’t know where.” ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/18 "2003-12-22T09:20:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > **I agree. I don’t know anyone who understands this whole alert process, so unless there are specific things that government agencies do when the alert level goes up, they don’t mean a thing. Does anyone know if the police, fire dept, etc. have any protocals that kick in due to the alert rise?** There are specific things government agencies do when the alert level rises. There’s more coordination with state agencies, certain monuments and places “at risk” get shut down, govenment offices reduce public access and increase security, etc. My dad works, for example, at a DOE managed nuclear power plant, and security at the plant is tightened up as the alert level rises. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/19 "2003-12-22T11:44:43Z")
Captain Amazing, do you mean that people in law enforcement actually do something when the threat level goes up? That’s impossible, everyone knows it’s just a bullshit ass-covering measure cooked up by Bush to help his poll numbers. It couldn’t have anything to do with protecting citizens, he hates us! Get with the program. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372/20 "2003-12-22T12:00:57Z")
Ok, first of all, the government is pretty busy doing stuff all the time. Just because you don’t hear about it in the news every day does not mean that the CIA, NSA, FBI and all our other law enforecement and intelligence services aren’t busy fighting terrorists. Second, if you live in Poduck Wisconsin, you are likely to see little change in the elevated alert levels. Police Chief Bob might start his morning donut patrol a little early. That’s about it. In major cities like here in NYC, there are very obvious actions being taken like more police and National Guardsmen at the airports and train stations and so on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terror-index-up-to-orange-i-guess-bush-was-bsing-the-troops/220372.md?page=2)