Bush Prepares for Possible GPS Shutdown

[emad]

Guardian

Thursday December 16, 2004 2:46 PM

By TED BRIDIS

AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has ordered plans for temporarily disabling the U.S. network of global positioning satellites during a national crisis to prevent terrorists from using the navigational technology, the White House said Wednesday.

Any shutdown of the network inside the United States would come under only the most remarkable circumstances, said a Bush administration official who spoke to a small group of reporters at the White House on condition of anonymity.

The GPS system is vital to commercial aviation and marine shipping.

The president also instructed the Defense Department to develop plans to disable, in certain areas, an enemy's access to the U.S. navigational satellites and to similar systems operated by others. The European Union is developing a $4.8 billion program, called Galileo.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4676906,00.html

[w4rma]

1. That seems to be precisely the opposite of what they should do.

Rescue crews will be relying on GPS tech during emergencies and losing GPS could create even MORE emergencies for folks who were relying on GPS which will stretch rescue crews even thinner.

[demnan]

3. Not to mention the FAA

if it involves locating hijacked airplanes!

[bufffbison]

2. with a flip of a switch

to jam our cell phones, instead it kills everyone who opposes bush.

[htuttle]

4. A million taxicabs unable to get fares,

Thousands of long-haul trucks disappear from their disapatcher's screens, no longer able to be dispatched food deliveries, public works departments all over the world (such as in Chicago) are suddenly cut off from their fleets.

And then there's the growing use of GPS by fire and police departments -- an information blackout is just the ticket during a terrorist attack!

This is a dangerously stupid idea. I think we would still get a lot more use out of GPS during an emergency than any 'terrorist' would.

[Moderator]

duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1075903

[expatriot]

5. "only the most remarkable circumstances" = after an attack -eom-