Security requires common sense

By: North County Times - Editorial | Friday, January 7, 2005 4:55 PM PST ∞

Our View: We hardly know what to make of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into reports that lasers were directed into airliner cockpits as pilots were trying to land. Lasers are valuable educational tools, harmless toys, and instruments of commerce, but in rare circumstances they can ---- in theory ---- blind or dazzle a pilot long enough to bring down an aircraft.

Clarification - Jan. 8, 2005 The Associated Press reports a memo was sent to law enforcement agencies recently from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Homeland Security Department that said there was evidence terrorists have explored using lasers as weapons, although there was no intelligence that indicated they may use lasers in the United States or attempt to blind pilots. Our Friday editorial on the issue lacked precision on this point.

Officials say they have absolutely no evidence that terrorists are contemplating use of lasers as weapons. Still, aviation officials are alarmed by seven instances since Christmas of beams shining into cockpits near U.S. airports. The early thinking is that pranksters or kids with new toys are to blame. Pilots are concerned, and federal agents are right to look into the matter.

At the same time, we hope that officials don't overreact to what seems like a distant threat. With the hype and chaos surrounding homeland security these last three years, it's easy to imagine a misguided and genuinely harmful campaign to outlaw lasers in private hands.

Lasers concentrate the energy of light. The red lasers used to scan groceries contain very little energy, although you shouldn't look directly at them. More powerful lasers can shine for thousands of feet or even miles, making them invaluable for the military, civilian scientists and commercial surveyors for an array of applications.

A prominent example in North County is the Palomar Observatory. Its famous Hale telescope leads the world in the use of "adaptive optics," which corrects for fuzzy images caused by our planet's moving atmosphere and boosts Hale's precision. In November, scientists installed a yellow laser that can beam 60 miles. It creates an "artificial star" for observers, thus allowing them to calibrate the adaptive optics.

Palomar has permission to use the device from federal aviation and defense officials, who alert scientists to aircraft and satellites that might be affected. Human spotters and heat-sensing cameras watch for planes when the laser is in use.

Just as legal ---- but far less restricted for now ---- are green lasers used by amateur astronomers and teachers to point out objects in the sky. Federal officials say they are studying whether green lasers are a threat.

The potential that officials will grasp at imperfect solutions to security threats is evident to anyone who has used a commercial airport since Sept. 11, 2001. While our nation spends hundreds of millions for federal workers to frisk senior citizens, our enemies enjoy a juicy array of unprotected ports, chemical plants, rail facilities and other targets to ponder.

In his new book, "The Pentagon's New Map," noted warfare analyst Thomas P.M. Barnett concludes that the U.S. military and security apparatus are in a "duck and cover" phase of learning how to respond to emerging global challenges. The phrase refers to the silly civil defense advice of the 1950s that schoolchildren hide beneath their desks during a Soviet nuclear strike. Our modern equivalents were the post-9-11 directives to stock up on plastic sheeting and duct tape to ward off chemical attacks.

We share Barnett's view that our leaders will eventually learn how to better assess risk and keep us safe in the world. In the meantime, we suggest a big dollop of common sense.

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