While You Panic, We Draft a Kill List
A Saturday phone call about world threats leads to a conversation about the Disposition Matrix—and why worrying about what you can't control is a waste of energy.
On a Saturday afternoon, I'm reading while my wife runs errands. I rarely check my phone when I read, so I miss her call. When I call back:
"Have you heard?!"
"No, what is it?"
"The President has threatened to strike Yemen, Iran, and the Cartels! Oh my God, did you hear about this? I feel like we're going to start World War III with all that's going on."
I tell her to stop consuming news. It's bad for her health, and she'll be happier for it. There's always something going on, even when you think there's not.
"Aren't you worried about it?" she asks.
I don't worry about things that are out of my hands, which is why I stopped consuming the news. Then I explain: Under multiple administrations, government officials have met weekly—famously on "Terror Tuesdays"—to discuss the "Disposition Matrix," better known as a kill list. Intelligence and military agencies like the CIA, NSA, and Joint Special Operations Command collect data and flag individuals believed to be involved with terrorist groups or activities that present a clear and present danger to our country. By definition, this list determines who's next, no matter what country they're in.
We do what we must and focus on our families. I pray for the men and women who are somewhere in the world risking their lives so I can live in peace and be with my family. So no, I'm not going to worry about humans being humans.