Population Control

The next time somebody tells me members of the American military are "fighting for our freedoms" or "defending our liberty," I'll stick a fork in his eye.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/asia/14identity.html

Note that the reporter first mentions the involuntary biometric recording of escaped prisoners. Well, who could object? See how it helped in apprehending the escapees? Then the article switches to referencing the same inflicted on just ordinary citizens--especially "men of fighting age." No, we're not talking about people who have been found guilty of a crime or even accused of one. The Times identifies the "instant, computerized iris scans as a tool of population control."

Oh, but not to worry. One of our brave soldiers reassures us thusly:

“To be sure, there must be sound and responsible policies and oversight regarding enrollment and the storage, use and sharing of private individual data,” said Brig. Gen. Mark S. Martins, commander of the military’s new Rule of Law Field Force in Afghanistan.
In case you're nervous that his official bullshit is going to work against this program, fear not; Martins' quote ends on a positive note:
"...biometric systems 'can combat fraud and corruption, place law enforcement on a sounder evidentiary footing, and greatly improve security.'”
Whew! Had me going there for a minute. Oh, by the way, it's mentioned in the article that "Defense Department spending on biometrics programs is enormous, set at $3.5 billion for the 2007 through 2015 fiscal years, according to the Government Accountability Office."
Social Security and Medicare might be going down the tubes, but population control takes precedence.
Hey, you ain't seen nothing yet. It's coming to your neighborhood soon.