Posted on 02/04/2006 1:26:24 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper
EDMONTON -- The United States will be using Blackhawk helicopters and planes along the Montana border with Alberta and Saskatchewan to watch for terrorists, drug-runners and illegal immigrants.
The aircraft will be equipped with cutting-edge photographic surveillance and monitoring equipment to watch for any suspicious activity, a spokesman for Montana Republican Senator Conrad Burns said Friday. Matt Mackowiak said the beefed-up border security comes in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S.
"(Sept. 11) taught us a lot, and the northern border requires greater security and greater surveillance," Mackowiak said from Washington, D.C.
"I think the Congress, the administration and the American people are committed to making sure we are doing everything we can to protect America."
This is the third of five special surveillance units to open along the U.S. border with Canada. The air unit will be based in Great Falls, Mont.
Last year, Burns secured an $18-million US appropriation from the Department of Homeland Security for the Montana air unit, putting it ahead of schedule by one year. It's expected to start operations this summer.
The air border patrol is intended to provide a rapid response in the event of another terrorist attack, Mackowiak said.
Apart from terrorists, the aircraft will be used for drug enforcement and immigration control.
Mackowiak called it a win-win situation, saying increased border security benefits both countries.
But any time there is increased surveillance there are civil liberties and privacy concerns, he acknowledged.
"We are not trying to interrupt the honest flow of goods and services and commerce between Montana and Canada," Mackowiak said. "It's in everyone's interest to facilitate as much of that as possible."
Canadian officials had little comment about the U.S. plan.
"Canada recognizes that every country has the right to protect its borders," said Kara Prest, a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency.
The first surveillance unit was announced in 2004, and has been operating out of Bellingham in Washington state. Another unit opened in upstate New York, south of the border with Quebec.
Mackowiak said both of those units have intercepted large drug shipments and have made arrests.
The U.S. also plans to set up air border patrols in North Dakota and Michigan in the future.
The government operates similar patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border.
ping
Our entire border with Canada is way too open.
Before 9/11, it was not a big deal. It is a big deal now.
By no means am I suggesting that we need a concrete and barbed wire wall between us and Mexico (although I agree that we need one on our border with Mexico) but we do need to do eomething to improve security.
Several years ago, I was able to cross the US-Canada border in northern Minnesota with little or no effort.
But don't worry about the Mexican border, nothing going on there.
Beat me to it.
Well, I understand they are having moderate temperatures in the 40's in parts of Northern Idaho this week. No below zero stuff for the short term. So, I'd imagine there would be just a "little" bit of traffic to wonder about?
...but not the Mexican border? Where orders of magnitude more people, drugs, weapons...and terrorists are able to cross.
Can here too, but there are motion sensors that trigger alarms on both sides of the border. Before 9/11, there was only one border officer in charge of 200 miles of the US/Canada border here. Since 9/11, there are now 22 agents stationed here, and they're currently building a larger facility and heated vehicle shed, for office and vehicle space.
It has been "milder" than usual here. Haven't had too much snow up here in the NE part of Montana right on the border.
Blackhawks over Glacier
dear moderator for having removed my comment as you may well remove this one,
I shall wear that removal as a badge of honor.
Thank you!!!
I understand I will need to bring sunscreen, when we ski Lookout Mountain (on the pass) next Friday!
BTW, good to hear that there are at least a few extra agents up there along the Montana border since 9/11. We complain enought about it down here on the southern end...but who knows what is slipping through via Canada and their "dont look...don't tell" attitude.
Yo, U.S. Government! You need to put some aircraft up at the SOUTHERN BORDER! IMMEDIATELY! NOW!
Read the whole article.
Haven't seen a Blackhawk around here since about October 2001. They were flying over my house almost daily.
Guess you should read the whole article.
What about MEXICO???....geezzz, we've been told NO WAY can we do this...now we're doing it...when will we put these on our southern border?
At least once a week they're catching drug runners coming down out of British Columbia. The USBP caught 2 Islamic men hiking it on foot on 9/11 just north of my place. Guess they didn't realize there are motion sensors on the border. The Border Patrol was waiting for them when they got to town.
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