The London Times on the eve of July 4 ( I had no idea we are on yellow/orange alert):
Stars, stripes and terror searches on Fourth of July
from roland watson in washington
Americans defy the threat to their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
AMERICA will be festooned in red, white and blue for tomorrow’s Fourth of July celebrations, but the colours preoccupying the White House are yellow and orange.
Yellow is the “escalated” alert status of the intelligence agencies that track the terrorist threat to America. But after an increase in intercepted al-Qaeda communications in recent days, President Bush’s national security advisers considered raising it to orange.
That, in effect, would have cancelled the July 4 festivities by mobilising the Armed Forces and restricting access to public events. It would also have handed a victory of sorts to the terrorists, something that the White House was not prepared to countenance.
Instead, it has resorted to security measures that are only marginally less draconian; as Americans gear up for a defiant celebration of their founding principles, they are surrounded by reminders of the threat to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
In New York and Washington, the targets of the September 11 attacks, the authorities have implemented security operations that will make virtual prisoners of many thousands of revellers.
“Stars, stripes and searches” has become the unofficial theme of the traditional Independence Day celebrations across the country as the authorities try to balance the need for security with the freedom that Americans regard as their birthright.
Ten miles of fencing is being wound round the Mall in Washington, forcing up to 500,000 people through a total of 24 checkpoints before they can find a spot on the grass somewhere between the Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial to listen to Aretha Franklin lead the traditional concert, followed by the usual fireworks.
The two lines of fencing, placed 20ft apart, are designed to prevent terrorists from passing weapons, chemicals or explosives into the crowd. They will be watched by 2,500 police officers.
The Coast Guard will keep boats about 200ft away from the banks of the Potomac River, and the Pentagon is resuming round-the-clock air patrols over Washington and New York. In New York City, about 4,000 police officers will be deployed on the streets, matched by increased water patrols on the East River, where every boat venturing out will be checked.
Commercial and private aircraft have been banned from flying over America’s most famous national monuments, including the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Seattle Space Needle and the Gateway Arch in St Louis.
At Mount Rushmore, 17,000ft of temporary fencing has been set up around the visitors’ area. As elsewhere, the backpacks and coolers, without which no Fourth of July expedition can be complete, will be searched.
Visitors will also have to give up their handguns, even though South Dakota law allows private citizens to carry concealed weapons.
In Boston the expected 500,000 spectators along the Charles River will be joined for the first time by the National Guard. The traditional 6am scramble for a prime viewing spot has been banned, and boats will be barred from docking within 150ft of the festivities.
Officialdom is struggling to find a convincing or consistent tone as it tries to explain the necessity of security to a public unused to such demands. The White House has told citizens to celebrate, but be vigilant.
Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, has tried a different tack. He said: “The overriding message that we have concerning security in New York on the Fourth is: relax and let our law enforcement professionals do the worrying for you.”
The security is matched by real concern among intelligence officials that al-Qaeda has been preparing an attack on this most symbolic of dates.
The level of “chatter” intercepted by US eavesdroppers, conversations that point to an impending event without being specific, has risen sharply in recent weeks.
One well-placed official said that the Bush Administration had taken a calculated risk by not raising the alert status from yellow to orange, given the level of non-specific threats. The source said: “An attack of some sort is highly possible, but not likely. However, given that we can only hear and translate about 10 per cent of what we would like to, and that 10 per cent has seen such an increase, it makes you wonder what is being said and planned elsewhere.”
One theory is that the warnings of attacks in the US could all be bluff, intended to put the country on edge. “They want to hurt us however they can, and that’s one way they win,” the official said. Another is that the increase in al-Qaeda communications points to an attack on US interests overseas.
Whatever happens, there will never have been a Fourth of July like it. |
