Terror Database Quadruples

The Washington Post notes today how terror watch lists are compiled using massive amounts of data, but of course, they seem to lament both how difficult the job is and how privacy may be violated.

TIDE has also created concerns about secrecy, errors and privacy. The list marks the first time foreigners and U.S. citizens are combined in an intelligence database. The bar for inclusion is low, and once someone is on the list, it is virtually impossible to get off it. At any stage, the process can lead to "horror stories" of mixed-up names and unconfirmed information, Travers acknowledged.

Sure, errors are possible, but wouldn't the Washington Post be leading the charges that we didn't connect the dots were another terror attack to occur?

Then they bring up the media's favorite Islamic convert, the cretin formerly known as Cat Stevens, who apparently is being confused with a U.S. senator's wife.

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) said last year that his wife had been delayed repeatedly while airlines queried whether Catherine Stevens was the watch-listed Cat Stevens. The listing referred to the Britain-based pop singer who converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. The reason Islam is not allowed to fly to the United States is secret.

In the end, this process is a necessity in this day and age, and if the media laments that there may be problems compiling and sorting the massive amounts of data, they should be leading the charge to have funding increased for the program, rather than denigrating it and dredging up some relatively minor problems.