Attorney General John Ashcroft recently defended the USA Patriot Act, claiming that it had prevented terrorist attacks in the US.

The act enables federal agencies to monitor peoples private activities, and to arrest them if they deem any activity suspicious. This includes access to any library books that you borrow for example, so someone with a sudden interest in Islamic terrorism, given the current climate an understandable curiosity, can be arrested for their reading habits or subscriptons to publications or internet groups deemed undesirable.

Yes the thought police, once the backbone of Soviet oppression is now alive, well and even thriving in 'free' USA. Following the well honed practises of Saddams police, trained by the notorious Stasi, at four in the morning when humans are at their lowest ebb, suspects are arrested at their homes and taken away for questioning, in theory indefinitely, before being charged. Not only that, but the same agencies can now enter your home at will and search it without a warrant a reason. When you get home tonight, have a look around. Are you sure that nobody's been in there and having a look around while you were out? The truth is you can no longer be sure thanks to the Patriot Act.

Since its inception, the Patriot Act provisions have led to 310 charges against individuals out of which there have been 179 convictions.

None of those convictions have been related to terrorism, but rather to illegal arms trading, kidnappings, child pornography, money laundering and other crimes unrelated to potential terrorist activity. 131 people have been taken away, charged and then acquitted, but Ashcroft refuses to comment on their status following acquittal.

While the conviction of those involved in criminal activity is to be welcomed, the question arises that with such a poor record against fighting terrorism, is the infringment of an indivdual's liberty worth the price? Should the Patriot act be extended to stop and search, profiling and prejudice? In a logical extension, why shouldn't all individuals be required to keep a corroborated record of their activities and report to the police on a regular basis to prove their innocence? In addition, content of all hard drives should be copied to agency databases so that individuals activities can be closely monitored. All phone conversations should be recorded so that unpatriotic statements can be intercepted. All letters must first be vetted by the neighbourhood government agent, and a list of your viewing and listening habits recorded.

Ridiculous right?

Or is it? Now that elections can be suspended at the governments convenience yet another US freedom, that of voting out an incompetent administration, is imperiled. The curtailing of US liberties was never going to be an all out assault, but one of stealth and deception. And it is working, for nobody much in the US seems to care.