Predator drones to patrol Detroit/Canada airspace

[O-Dawg]

expectations are that missile strikes in the vicinity of Lake St. Clair may help curb tide of illegal immigrants.

Pretty cool if you ask me.

"The MQ-1 Predator carries the Multi-spectral Targeting System which integrates electro-optical, infrared, laser designator and laser illuminator into a single sensor package. The aircraft can employ two laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles."


http://erikmednis.com/wp-content/upl...mq-9_armed.jpg (http://erikmednis.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/mq-9_armed.jpg)

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=122 (http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=122)

http://www.freep.com/article/20090401/COL27/90401135 (http://www.freep.com/article/20090401/COL27/90401135)

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/images/misc/progress.gif

[chitaku]

pretty lame if you ask me, hello police state!

[Lowell]

Absolute insanity. Negotiate a European Union-style treaty with Canada now and allow free flow commerce and people across our borders. Spend that money where real security is needed, on our ocean borders and our airports and other international ports of entry.

We have been a peace with each other for almost two centuries and allies in war both in the past and today in Afghanistan.

This S*** is just killing or border cities' economies and wasting millions for nothing.

What a hostile waste.

Mr. Obama, Mr. Harper. Tear that Wall Down!

[President Sekou]

I would rather predator drones patrol our border to the south as opposed to up here.

[luckycar]

Well all the Bush =Hitler tinhats out there better look out.Obama,you know the hope and change guy,is going after you...

[Zug]

I thought this was an April Fool's until I saw the freep link. To be honest, it's about time Detroit gets patrolled like it actually is at an international border.

[Jimaz]

For $10.5 million it would be nice if taxpayers received some feedback on what this expense is accomplishing. If it hasn't accomplished anything worth that expense for several years, it needs to be scaled back.

I wonder if Canada is as concerned about all the U.S. firearms being sold to Mexican drug cartels who are now operating (kidnapping, etc.) within the United States.

[Andrew in Windsor]

To be honest, it's about time Detroit gets patrolled like it actually is at an international border.

Ahhh.... The good old isolationist attitude.

[artds]

To be honest, it's about time Detroit gets patrolled like it actually is at an international border.

I don't think they'll be using these on the Detroit-Windsor border. Seems there's already enough ground personnel there to make it difficult for someone to cross unnoticed.

The article isn't very clear, but my guess would be that this would be used on the portions of the Michigan-Ontario border that are more difficult to watch, such as the portions that run through Lakes Huron, Superior and Erie.

[Lakesuperior]

ugh-- missiles, give me a break. this is a stupid waste of money. yes, borders should be regulated effectively, but this reeks of "boys spending money on toys." why don't we hire more humans to patrol, seeing as there a few million people in need of jobs?

[Lowell]

IMO this comes close to violating the US - Canada treaty for demilitarizaion of the great lakes.

[Mackinaw]

Great post above, Lowell.

This is an april fool's joke, right?

I worry about the safety and welfare of those family members and friends that live near the international waterway because of this; I do not worry about them on account of illegal immigration.

[Zug]

I don't get the problem with this or why it's seen as being aggressive. It's an unmanned plane armed with nothing more than a camera. How is looking out for illegal border crossings a bad thing? I don't think it's isolationist to actually monitor who enters or leaves the country.

[Sstashmoo]

With the advancements in technology, these sorts of applications must be curbed. We're losing our right to privacy. Continually under surveillance and scrutiny by a third party. What if you don't want to be watched? You have no choice, and what's next?

There is a better fix for the conditions that cause such hostility towards us.

[Bigb23]

What about those Piper Cubs circling around ? The leftovers from 9-11. What's the frequency Kenneth ?

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "What about those Piper Cubs circling around ? The leftovers from 9-11. What's the frequency Kenneth ?"

Huh?

[Bigb23]

Check Gannons website.

[Russix]

Sweet, now we will have the props already in place to start filming Kurt Russell's latest thriller "Escape from Detroit" featuring the climatic scene where are heroes are being pursued by a Predator drone through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel when its suddenly explodes rupturing the tunnel and ejecting our heroes on a rubber raft out the Windsor side into the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounties. At which point the plans for a car that runs on water are handed over and the scene ends with really chessy early eighties techno music.

[EastsideAl]

I couldn't agree more with Lowell's post above. The money spent patrolling the border of a country we've been at peace with for nearly 200 years is just insane. It's supposed to be the world's longest demilitarized border, but in our ongoing fit of post 9/11 xenophopia and fear-mongering, combined with the hunger for the expansion of privacy-invading law enforcement surveillance and rewarding of insider government contractors, it has become far less so over the past 8 years. The long customs waits at the bridge and tunnel, and the increasing belligerence of customs personnel there, have made our once fairly open and relaxed border increasingly tense, and gives many people who once crossed the border regularly second thoughts about making the trip

This all has a serious negative impact on our economy here in the Detroit-Windsor area, from both a commercial and tourist standpoint. And the worst thing about it is that it's all so pointless and unnecessary. Europe has pointed the way to how open borders can enhance the economies of adjacent countries, reduce the costs and inefficiencies of patrolling peaceful borders, allow law enforcement agencies to work better and more closely with one another, and bring countries and people closer together.

But wasting money on militarizing our border with drone spy planes almost certainly is not moving in that direction, and if I were Canadian I would take it as yet another unfriendly gesture on our part. As a Detroiter I see it as another clueless and harmful move by a federal government that does not understand the nature of our relationship with our friends and family (like a whole lot of people around here, I have Canadian family) in Windsor and southern Ontario, and is seemingly unwilling to acknowledge that relationship.

More open borders with Canada, hopefully leading to an eventual customs union, would have almost entirely positive effects for our entire region, on both sides of the border. And it would be more efficient and create less tension for all involved.Michigan's governor, senators, and congressional representatives should all be pushing for the Obama administration to move in this direction as swiftly as possible.

[Jimaz]

It seems to me it would make more sense for the U.S. and Canada to team up in making their other borders & shorelines more secure. I don't want any bad guys sneeking into Canada from the U.S. any more than I would want them sneeking into the U.S. from Canada. I think that's best achieved at the other borders.

I don't see citizens of either country being much of a threat to the other. Surely there must be counterexamples but I can't think of any off hand.

[cheddar bob]

With the advancements in technology, these sorts of applications must be curbed. We're losing our right to privacy. Continually under surveillance and scrutiny by a third party. What if you don't want to be watched? You have no choice, and what's next?

There is a better fix for the conditions that cause such hostility towards us.
Such a contradiction from someone that is so anti-illegal immigration. Sounds like you're only against illegal immigration if the people are coming from the south.

You're not losing any right to privacy with this. A plane can only see you if you are outside, you know, out in public. Do you feel that people should not look at you when you're outside, too?

[Lowell]

Hear hear Eastside Al and Jimaz.

I urge everyone on both sides of our increasinly walled-off border to urge their federal representatives to negotiate a European Union style treaty to open our border and unite our city.

If people can move freely between France and Germany, two coutries that murdered millions of each others youth in the last century, certainly we can have the same freedom of movement with our long time friends and allies in wars past and present.

End the madness.

[Bobl]

I agree that this is a ridiculous waste of money. This includes the 11 observation towers to be erected at the north end of Lake St Clair, and along the St Clair River.

But, this is insignificant when one considers the amount of money wasted by maintaining 500,000 troops all over the world.

[Sstashmoo]

Cheddar bob wrote: "A plane can only see you if you are outside"

Infrared and now Radar..

http://www.topix.com/forum/gadgets/T4TB5SP5SPGBQC8BA

""Do you feel that people should not look at you when you're outside, too?""

Looking? or Examining? The latter absolutely not. We are all free to go about our lives and not be observed and assessed at every juncture. Our every move scrutinized.

[compn]

i hope this thing keeps those canadian geese from crappin on my lawn!

what a waste of money

[MikeM]

I hope they don't leave contrails.

[GOAT]

Because Canada is such a threat. What a crock!

[Zug]

I still don't get why border patrol is such an issue. I, like many others do not like long waits to enter & leave Canada. I have family there too. But the type of border surveillance being discussed is about monitoring illegal or suspicious activities outside of the traditional/legal modes of entry. Even when the border was more open, the border had some surveillance & illegal entry was guarded against. And that includes more than watching for terrorists. That includes drugs, weapons, illegal immigration...and probably more. I wish the border was open too...but the US & Canada have different gun laws, immigration laws, drug laws, different money, and many other aspects...until theyre more similar, then an open border doesn't make much sense. And if it's not an open border, then it should be guarded. Otherwise we are saying it's okay to have illegal activities at the northern border, but it's not okay at the southern border. It's all about being consistent. The US has never really monitored the Canadian border that strongly...who knows what illegal activities are allowed to go unchecked. We only know if we look out for it. Even if it isn't that much, it's just smart to patrol your own national border.

Yeah we're friends with Canada...but aren't we friends with Mexico too? When was the last time the United States officially went to war with Mexico? Should Mexico look at us guarding our southern border an act of aggression against their govenrment? We can be friends with governments, but that doesnt mean that indivuals will never try to cross our borders illegally & with ill intentions.

[mauser]

I don't think they'll be using these on the Detroit-Windsor border. Seems there's already enough ground personnel there to make it difficult for someone to cross unnoticed.
"Seems" doesnt staff the border with actual humans. If they need more PEOPLE WORKING on the borders, by all means - hire away. All accounts seem to indicate that more PEOPLE are needed to staff appropriate teams to facilitate our OPEN border with Canada.

Predator Drones ?

Shit...Save those for the neighborhoods.

[PeachLaser]

A few weeks ago flew into Toronto. Was searched by a guy in security with a long beard wearing a turban. They found a dime that was stuck in the corner of my pocket. Somehow, it all seemed a bit surreal.

[gnome]

I think the issue are the differences in Canadian and US immigration policies. Canada is a very welcoming country, but their policies aren't ours.

PBS/Frontline ran a piece awhile ago about the issue.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/trail/etc/canada.html

Anti-defamation league has an opinion on the matter
http://www.adl.org/terror/tu/tu_0401_canada.asp

The National, the Canadian news group reports:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/06/16/outlawed-terrorist-groups-in-canada.aspx

There is a ton of stuff on the internets about how lax Canada has been with allowing folks into their country and the clear implication is that once in Canada, the US is but a $3 dollar fare away. We all know the porous nature of the border, especially from Walpole on south.

Granted the current system bites. One use to be able to jet over and back on your lunch hour. A little Tunnel BBQ, a table dance and back. No more. The 9/11 terrorists sort of ruined that for the rest of us.