Pointless "security" from Risks

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 12:40:55 +0000 (GMT)
From: huge () huge org uk
Subject: h

I live in the UK and my parents live in the USA. Every year, at Christmas, I
send them a parcel containing food items that are hard or impossible to get
in the USA, or are prohibitively expensive there.  (Apologies if any of this
takes on the attributes of a rant. I find it difficult to talk about this
rationally.)

I find that as of 12th Dec 2004, any food items mailed to the US have to be
pre-registered with the FDA.  From the Web site
  http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsbtact.html:

  "Nearly 20% of all imports into the U.S. are food and food products. In
  2002 Congress passed the Bioterrorism Act as a part of its ongoing effort
  to combat terrorism - in this instance, by reducing the ability for
  international terrorists to carry out terrorist attacks in the U.S.  by
  contaminating imported foods."

Now for the rant bit. I can appreciate that the US Government wants to
protect the food supply against bio-terrorism, but what in the name of Ghod
do they think this is going to achieve? Were I a bio-terrorist, about to
ship a boxful of Ebola contaminated sausage to the USA, would I register it
on the FDA site? Or would I write "Books" on the Customs form and send it
anyway?

And that brings me to the registration process itself, in order that I might
legally send Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and Marmite (*) to my poor
deprived parents. At least I can do it online (see
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pn/pnoview.html). But do I have to register at
all? "Private residences of individuals" are excluded. Why? My box of Ebola
could just as easily come from my kitchen as from the local sausage
plant. And if I'm a terrorist (which I'm not), again I ask, why would I
register at all? And if I do register (which I haven't), why threaten me
with US law (which the site repeatedly does.) I know the US Government
struggles with the concept of extra-terratoriality

In short, what is the point of this? Other than make-work for Government
employees. Still, at least the website works with Mozilla. I guess I should
be thankful for small mercies.

"Something must be done. This is something. Therefore we will do it."

(* Yes, I know Americans regard Marmite as a bioweapon, but it isn't.
Honestly.)

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