National Journal's Technology Daily December 17, 2004
SECURITY: Military Denies Plan To Shut Satellite System In; Attack
Military officials have denied an AP report that President Bush has approved plans for temporarily disabling the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) during a national crisis, Federal Computer Week reports. According to AP, administration officials said the move would be necessary to prevent terrorists from using the navigational technology. But Lt. Col. Chris Conway, a Defense Department spokesman, said, "We've got no plans to shut down the GPS system." John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, said he cannot think of an emergency that would warrant a GPS shutdown. "In the event of [the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks], the evildoers did not need GPS to find the World Trade Center," Pike said. "It was right out the window. The evildoers did not need help to find the Pentagon. It's very hard to miss. ... I'm unaware of any terrorist attack that required GPS."
Copyright © 2004 National Journal Group, Inc.
