U.S. military turns to biometrics to ward off insurgency
27 August, 2008
category: Biometrics, Corporate, Government
As fears of a new Sunni insurgency erupting in Iraq are rising, the U.S. military is turning towards a database of biometric information including fingerprints and iris scans to assist them in restricting excess movement throughout Iraq, according to a Wired article. The military has been compiling biometric data on Iraqi citizens for a while, however, the database also includes a large amount of data on those considered criminals during Saddam Hussein’s reign in the country.
The insurgency they are preparing for is due to a past agreement with Sunni citizens that would guarantee them good government jobs if they backed the U.S. military. As these jobs have not come to fruition for the Sunni’s, referring to themselves as the Sons of Iraq, military strategists fear that a backlash could be brewing.
However, the military has already stored the biometric information on the members of the Sons of Iraq. That information in conjunction with a number of American controlled checkpoints around Sunni controlled areas that require a biometric badge to pass enable for more control over possible insurgents.
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