Ridge says unmanned drones could be patrolling borders by end of the year

SFGate ^ | 5/22/03 | JESSE J. HOLLAND

[IronKros]

Unmanned aerial drones similar to ones used in the war on Iraq could be patrolling the U.S. border by the end of the year to help stem illegal immigration and increase security, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday.

"We are very serious in looking at UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) for both border applications, land and sea," Ridge told the House Select Committee on Homeland Security.

[bert]

....Whoohooo.....?

Seeing illegals accomplishes nothing. There are lots of known crossings where TV crews go and take pictures of fence climbers with no results other than a news item..

The predators will essentially do nothing but develop an increase in the known number of illegals entering the country. It would be better to prosecute those aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The do gooder Americans will not be stopped by Prtedators.

[redhead]

"Unmanned aerial drones similar to ones used in the war on Iraq could be patrolling the U.S. border by the end of the year to help stem illegal immigration and increase security, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday."

I'm sorry. I really don't understand the usefulness of these drones, unless they are armed. Does the government think that the mere fact that the lawbreakers are being watched from above is going to stem the flow of illegals over the borders?

(Putting on dunce cap and sitting in corner...)

[redhead]

"I still don't understand the importance of this. Now we can watch the illegals come over on video tape? Big deal! How are we going to stop them without the manpower there? This looks to me like a feel good policy that won't do much."

Exactly.

Perhaps a good question at this point would be this: What are these drones supposed to be doing? Surveillance? Census? Targeting? Assisting the illegals across the border? I must really need that dunce cap, because I can't figure out what these things are supposed to be doing. Clarification, anyone?

[IronKros]

I don't mean to go on a rant here but I have read lots of reasons why we should not use drones to patrol the borders. What I have not read is 1 single suggestion or idea on how to combat the problem other than thousands of troops stationed from Texas to California. Unless I am mistaken, currently we have border agents driving their trucks around known crossing points and hoping to catch someone in the act. Needles in the haystack. The drones would patrol the borders and send GPS data to the border agents along with the approximate count of illegals for apprehension. I understand that without full presidential support the plague of illegals will always torment us, but I see the drones as a step in the right direction.

Of course this is just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[F16Fighter]

"My question has always been, why don't we get on the President, the Governors of border states, the congressmen and senators from these states?"

Not only has President Bush -- (YES, DUBYA TO ALL BUSH-BOTS OUT THERE) right on down through our GOP Congress-critters ignored the obvious, and the media won't touch it with a ten-foot pole either because it would only help the GOP.

I surmise the ONLY reasons few Republicans will stick their necks out is:

a) They will be demonized by the Rats and media as "intolerant, discriminatory, and hateful" and "prove' a 'Big Tent' really doesn't exist

b) Fear of Latino/Hispanic/ voter backlash

c) If the President actually publicizes and aggressively enforces the border LIKE HE'S SUPPOSED TO, see reason a)

It's just a political game both parties are playing for power -- in the meantime, we, the citizens get lip service as the illegal invasion continues forth UNIMPEDED.

[MissAmericanPie]

I think it's more than that, much more. I think it is an overt attempt by both parties to sacrifice our borders and sovereignty on the altar of big business free trade, globalism.

Forget about "fair trade", that would mean we and our constitution are not utterly destroyed. When these Marxists, flooding our country begin voting for their bellies and our demise, they will vote the Constitution and it's protections right out from under us.

I look at it as pure treason and sedition from ALL our elected officials, for me, the line in the sand is what happens to the courages citizen patrols standing in the gap.

[F16Fighter]

"When these Marxists, flooding our country begin voting for their bellies and our demise, they will vote the Constitution and it's protections right out from under us...."

Should the trend continue, you scenario will be fullfilled and sovereign America will have been sold out by BOTH the GOP and Rats to the coming One World Government.

We will have to keep an out on what effect constitutionally-protected American border militias citizen-patrols will have upon either illegal immigration OR our own government.