Poll

Should US Congress cut all funding for TIA (Terrorism Information Awareness) program, even research funding: [106 votes total] Yes, cut all funding (37) 35% Keep some research funding (28) 26% No, don't cut funding (41) 39%

Comments

Karl Brazier, Use of data mining to reduce terrorism
Most of the world seems to view the US as the main perpetrators of terror and not without good reason. Sometimes they react and when they do so, their frustration combined with their lack of resources, particularly the ability to target, means that the response is indiscriminate, harming the people of the US, most of whom are not really to blame (except, I guess, in Burke's sense).

A better way to contribute to breaking the cycle would be to finance data mining research into the outcomes of US foreign and economic policies, eg. using persons starved to death as a dependent variable and taking each country to which a particular set of policies is applied as a case. But that sort of thing would never be allowed by the economic interests, which is where the sense of frustration starts.

BTW, before anyone thinks I'm just America-bashing, I should add that these comments are also applicable to my own country (UK).

ross bettinger, Cutting TIA Funding
If I remember correctly, it was Edmund Burke, an English conservative, who said, "The best way to let evil men triumph is for good men to do nothing." It is worth the risk of abuse of power to root out the evil that terrorists commit against life-loving people in the name of God or other "higher principle".

My views are strictly my own opinions and may not be considered to be representative of SAS Institute, nor do I make such a claim.

Editor, Cutting TIA Funding? The US Senate voted to cut all the funding to TIA program, including even research. Do you support that?