Predator drones to patrol Detroit/Canada airspace

[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.

[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