Total Traffic Surveillance in the UK, Coming to the US

Back in 1998, I was trying to convince many of my friends and family that this nation was headed towards a police state. One of the instances that I cited in my continued evidence in this trend was the continual build-up of government closed-circuit television in the United Kingdom that will lead to the same here in the United States. However, it is difficult to connect the dots when all you can see is one, solitary mark, regardless of it's size.

I argued eloquently, yet my comrades refused to see that perhaps these cameras were part of a larger agenda.

"Yes", I argued, "they want to spy on you. They want to follow every movement: your cars, your transactions and yes, even you."
"Suuuuuure" was the response.
"That's not all, they want to put you in camps."

Boy, that was met with an even more conclusive and condemning proclamations.

Well, well. It appears that the tinfoil hat that was ordered for me was a tad bit premature, don't you think? Consider this:

Earlier this year, I reported how the EU was setting up spy satellites for crime. And now comes the news that ALL TRAFFIC will be monitored and recorded in the U.K. Yes, yes friends here are some of the quotes:

"A new national surveillance system will hold the records for at least two years."

"Using a network of cameras that can automatically read every passing number plate, the plan is to build a huge database of vehicle movements so that the police and security services can analyze any journey a driver has made over several years."

"The network will incorporate thousands of existing CCTV cameras which are being converted to read number plates automatically night and day to provide 24/7 coverage of all motorways and main roads, as well as towns, cities, ports and petrol-station forecourts."

Getting the idea? The following is from another article and I think makes a very important point.

"If the police and security services can show that a national surveillance operation based on recording car movements can protect the public against criminals and terrorists, there will be a strong political will to do the same with street cameras designed to monitor the flow of human traffic."

The Real Effect
Well, the global police state is getting close to fully operational. All we are waiting is for another cataclysmic event in the spirit of another 9/11 to supposedly justify the suspension of all rights. Of course the movement will be disguised as an act to protect humanity, but in truth, it will be to further enslave it.

Edited for appearance and labels on 3/23/2010.