Posted on 08/25/2004 6:53:59 PM PDT by Clive
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) - Norad Cmdr.-Gen. Ed Eberhart said Wednesday that terrorists may turn to a seaborne attack because U.S. fighter jets are now prepared to shoot down a hijacked airliner.
"I believe that it is just a matter of time until the terrorists try to use a seaborne attack, a maritime attack against us," Eberhart told reporters touring the new headquarters of Northern Command (Northcom), the military unit created after Sept. 11, 2001, to deal with terrorist attacks.
Eberhart is commander of both Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defence Command, or Norad. The air force general is retiring this fall.
He said a seaborne attack on the country could involve bringing high explosives into ports and detonating them, unloading some other form of weapons of mass destruction, or launching a missile from offshore.
"I believe terrorists are looking at that avenue of attack," Eberhart said.
"Our maritime domain awareness is not as secure . . . as our monitoring of our airspace," he said. Eberhart said he thinks expanded co-operation with Canada to include monitoring ships off its coast could improve security. So far Canada is a Norad partner only on air defence.
Eberhart said the fighter pilots directed by Northcom are prepared to shoot down a commercial airliner if necessary, though it would be only as a last resort. His staff now can see Federal Aviation Administration radar from all of the nation's 20 air traffic control centres, and have an FAA representative on duty at all times to co-ordinate.
Military leaders and relatives of those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have asked whether a quicker response by jet fighters might have saved lives by somehow intercepting the hijacked airliners that crashed.
Members of the Sept. 11 commission laid some of the blame for the military delay on chaos and poor communication between the FAA and Norad.
Panel members said another critical failing was Norad's post-Cold War focus on intercepting Soviet bombers rather than hijacked airliners.
Aviation and military officials have acknowledged problems during the Sept. 11 attacks, but say they've made improvements since then.
Eberhart said even though terrorists have failed to launch a fresh attack since 2001, the nation must stay alert.
"There is no doubt in my mind that terrorist organizations would like to strike a blow before the election," Eberhart said. "They are just waiting for us to let our guard down."
Canadian Forces frigates and destroyers routinely form part of escort screens for US CVs. The two navies are accustomed to working together.
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That is, if Canada weren't chock-full of anti-Americans.
Fortunately those of us who aren't anti-American (which is a lot) aren't too thin-skinned and can ignore jerks like you.
This is getting old, don't you think? BTW, that was rhetorical.
Speaking of thin-skinned...
Yes, the Canadian military is well-known for its Anti-Americanism < /sarc
I just figured out your screen name- you're a Torontonian, right?
That may be, but the civilian leaders calling the shots for them often are.
Actually I live in steel town - Hamilton ON which is about an hour down the road from Toronto. I'm a Nova Scotian by birth and upbringing. Pearson Int'l (YYZ) is the nearest large airport to me, however. YYZ is also reference to an old Rush instrumental.
I'm from TO originally, so YYZ was familiar.
You won't get any arguements there.
One stupid politician does not exactly qualify as "chock full". Any dumb big mouthed democrat bitches down there?
There have been plenty of articles on here about the anti-American attitudes that are being taught to Canadian students.
The two navies can swap stories and lore about the time when the US and Canada were close friends.
It will keep the flame alive while we get through this recent unpleasantness.
Does anyone know if there are any groups of NORAD men like the Swiftboat vets ?
I'll bet they have stories of close calls to share.
post one.
Your post "There have been plenty of articles on here about the anti-American attitudes that are being taught to Canadian students", is a load of hysterical nonsense.
Where does it say Canadian kids are taught to be anti-American. It is probable that they developed their opinions amongst themselves and from the media. Most kids, including your own, are anti-war since they are usually the ones who die in them and Canada has not been a recipient of terrorism yet. I doubt this poll would gather much moss if that had been the case. The hysteria on these threads over a stupid remark by a known bigot elected by a bunch of inner-city socialists and a half assed poll of a bunch of immigrant kids from Toronto has you folks peeing your pants and declaring war on us. Lighten up for pete's sake and take a deep breath.The a**hole terrorists must be jumping for joy when they read this sh*t. Not counting the 100,000 dead Canadian kids overseas rolling in their graves that died defending the freedoms goofballs like Parrish have to spout such B.S.
I'll look around for more articles for you. It isn't just this politician that has me concerned, and no, I'm not "peeing my pants" over this. I understand and laud Canada's past contributions to the cause for freedom, but the country needs to better help its Australian, British, and American brothers.
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