[puppypusher]

We have only heard the statement of the complainant involved with this incident. You would think that if there were a group of coast guardsman doing whats been said there would have been some witnesses to confirm the information. Reading that article I saw only the complainants argument.

These Coast Guard guys will not just barge onto your boat without a valid reason. Maybe they observed suspicious activity or had information regarding that vessal befor they boarded it.

What the complainants doing is the same thing your average Islamic thug would do to deflect blame from himself by saying he was searched in an unreasonable manner and that his feelings were hurt. I say too damn bad. I only hope the coasties keep this up.

[GodBlessUSA]

People are judging the Coast Guard without knowing the circumstances of the boardings. And some don't even have knowledge of what the Coast Guards training and responsibilities are. Some people on this thread are ready to trash the Coast Guard over two boat owners, who made comments to a newspaper and we don't know of the true circumstances.Sheesh.

[Thud]

The Coast Guard has a right to no-notice inspections. Normally they use it with more discretion and sense than here. It's the late at night part that has me honked off - safety and health regulations were clearly just a justification. That should happen only when they have tips from informants and grounds for believing that searching at that hour would be more productive, and I recognize from this story that such was not the case here.

The story indicates a different but still familiar pattern - somone was using his official power to express personal issues.

I supect what may be happening is that the Homeland Security Department's newness has resulted in less effective oversight of problem people.