Bublan's big stick

The war on terrorism has been used to increase the size of government, strengthen the powers of the secret police, violate the Czech bill of rights through passage of a European arrest warrant, restrict the use of cash by law-abiding citizens, and occupy a country or two. Interior Minister František Bublan, a former secret-police chief, now wants to create a central database at the Czech National Bank of all bank accounts and is using terrorism as the excuse. Bublan speaks softly but carries a big stick. Governments around the world, including Bublan's, are coming increasingly close to financial crisis because of their fiscal irresponsibility. The repressive measures being put in place today under the threat of terrorism will be useful if the citizens ever decide to revolt - either democratically or otherwise - against the doomed policies of their governments. collapse