U.S. Prepares a New Color Revolution

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to give up the color-coded terror alert system that was introduced in 2002. The five-color scheme will be replaced with new indicators of danger that, as the American government hopes, will allow people to better respond to the situation.

The color-coded terror alert system emerged in the U.S. eight years ago, just months after the country had suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. George Bush’s Homeland Security Directive 3 created a Homeland Security Advisory System to inform all levels of government, as well as the public, about the various levels of risk of new attacks by Osama bin Laden’s supporters. The color-coded threat indicator automatically obligates the executive branch to implement so-called “Protective Measures” appropriate to the circumstances. For the private sector, such measures are merely advised.

Perhaps above all, the American people will remember the yellow and orange threat levels; these were the colors of the threat levels for most of the system’s existence. The current threat level established by the U.S. Attorney General is yellow, or elevated. As a reminder, there are five colors in the terror alert system: green (low probability of attack), blue (be alert), yellow (elevated probability of attack), orange (high probability) and red (serious threat). The colors refer not only to the probability of attacks, but also their anticipated level of destruction. So the closer to red, the more destructive the attack. Now, for the airports, the threat level is orange.

Today, according to The New York Times, the DHS plans to replace the “system that communicates nothing.” How the new system will operate is an open question. The DHS only says that it should provide to the American people specific information and guidance in accordance with actual analysis of the situation. According to Bruce Schneier, an author on security issues, the color-coded threat levels “don’t tell people what they can do — they just make people afraid.”

The current system has become an object of jokes among Americans themselves. On a talk show, it was suggested to add one more color — plaid — in case they “were ever attacked by Scotland.”

Also, there were serious concerns regarding use of the threat indicators for political purposes. In his memoirs, Tom Ridge, the secretary of Homeland Security under George Bush, quite frankly has raised those questions.

There have even been complaints about a choice of color palette: The primary colors (red, yellow and blue) look more “childish.” Orange, purple and magenta would attract more attention.

With regard to specific recommendations, the current system does not seem so bad. On the DHS website, for example, it states that everyone should prepare an emergency kit with essential items (list provided) and an emergency action plan for themselves and their families, and monitor threat-information updates. “All Americans should continue to be vigilant, take notice of their surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to local authorities immediately,” the DHS website recommends.

So, it will be very interesting [to see] what other color revolution the Americans can come up with.