The Iraqi Solution

To respond to the daunting problem of terrorist kidnappings and assassinations in Iraq, the only real solution that comes to mind is something along these lines: decree that for, say, a year or three, all males of terrorist age (17 to 40 or so?), either in all of Iraq or in the trouble areas like the Sunni triangle, must wear at all times an unremovable location tracking device. Failing to have one would be a crime. This way, for a given terrorist, if he has the device and commits an act of terrorism, he could be connected to it and also located. If he does not have it, he would be conspicuous and would stand out from his device-wielding “innocent” fellow Iraqis.

Of course, this draconian measure would be a massive violation of individual rights. This is similar to, say, the drug war in the US: the only way to really succeed at it would be to set up a system that violates rights. That should tell us something.

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1:25 pm on November 17, 2004