The United States is scrapping its collar-coded threat advisories drafted in the wake of 9/11, as a lawmaker criticised Wednesday a system that "taught Americans to be scared." Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who ordered a review of the system in July 2009, is expected to announce a revamp Thursday during an annual address on the state of US security.
The system launched in 2002 offered a rainbow of threat levels, from the lowest level green to blue (guarded), yellow (elevated), orange (high) and red (severe). The higher the threat condition, the greater the risk of a terror attack, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
But the system initiated by then-president George W. Bush was often mocked by critics as a relic of post-September 11, 2001 frenzy that caused alarm without explaining the reasons for the alerts. "The old colour-coded system taught Americans to be scared, not prepared," said Representative Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security.
"Each and every time the threat level was raised, very rarely did the public know the reason, how to proceed or for how long to be on alert," he added in a statement, applauding Napolitano for her "decision to create a common sense approach to alerting the public when credible threats arise."
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