[Jeff White]

Defense Daily
October 27, 2003
Pg. 3

Predator Bs To Start Patrolling U.S. Mexico Border Today

By Amy Butler

The Homeland Security Department is scheduled today to begin using the Predator B unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct law enforcement missions along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Pentagon sources.

The endeavor, called Operation SAFEGUARD, is scheduled to last for 21 days.

Predator B is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The UAV is designed to fly at medium altitudes for more than 30 hours, and it will carry an electro-optical and infrared camera. The vehicle’s pilot will be located at a ground station miles away, an advantage of using UAVs over manned aircraft for tedious, border-security missions.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Doyle refuted any specific missions are planned.

“We are taking a look at them,” he said, speaking generally of using UAVs. However, Doyle said “no decisions have been made” regarding the use of specific UAVs for homeland security purposes. He declined to directly discuss Predator, and the plans for missions slated to begin today.

Nevertheless, the actual aircraft that will fly the missions is an Air Force-owned prototype of the Predator B, which is a new design that is more robust and able to carry a larger payload than its younger cousin, the Predator, Pentagon sources said. Congress directed the Air Force in fiscal year 2002 to purchase the only two prototypes in existence to begin experimenting with the UAV. Since then, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper has said he plans to use the vehicle as a “hunter-killer” UAV, capable of detecting and destroying pop-up targets during the same mission.

The UAV has the ability to carrying at least six weapons of varying type. Air Force officials first explored adding weapons to the original Predator’s payload in 2000; since then they have employed such weapons as the Army Hellfire anti-tank missile and the Stinger air-to-air missile.

Eight Predator UAVs were used during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to an after action report by the air war commander. Some of the older, prototype models of the original Predator vehicle, which had reached the end of their service lives, were actually flown before the start of the war to draw fire from enemy forces and reveal air defense locations. The measure worked, according to Air Force sources.

Predator gained notoriety on national news casts last year after allegedly destroying a car carrying suspected al Qaeda terrorists and a key operative believed to be responsible for the attack on the USS Cole (DDG-67) destroyer in Yemen. That UAV was operated by the Central Intelligence Agency, officials speculated at the time.

The Predator B will be unarmed during its Homeland Security flights, Pentagon officials said.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz recently approved use of the vehicle for the homeland security missions. An official notification of this approval, signed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Paul McHale, was sent via letter to the Homeland Security Department Oct. 23, one Pentagon source added.

The Homeland Security Department’s immigrations and customs enforcement bureau will oversee Operation SAFEGUARD, according to Pentagon sources.

However, the Pentagon and contractor agreed to a cooperative research and development agreement to transfer oversight of the vehicle to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the duration of the missions. Laws preclude law enforcement officials from employing military assets for domestic law enforcement activities.

As a result, all Air Force markings will be removed from the aircraft while it conducts its missions in the southwestern skies of the United States. And, no active duty or military personnel will contribute to the missions, sources added.

[TallPine]

I am sure glad to know what "Predator BS" is :)

Had me going there for a minute.

[dinosaur]

How many Hellfires can it carry?:evil:

[HankB]

The Predator B will be unarmed during its Homeland Security flights, Pentagon officials said. So exactly what security WILL it provide? I mean, so it sees illegals crossing the border - so what? Commercial TV stations and ranchers on the border ROUTINELY film illegals crossing, with nary a Border Patrolman or INS agent in sight . . . even after they've been called.

Repeatedly.

And they get these films any time they want, without a multi-million dollar RPV.

These hi-tech surveillance drones will do nothing more than discover even more illegals entering the States, which the authorities will do their best to ignore.

[cordex]

Hank,
This isn't about the WoII ... it's just WoD.

[Brian Dale]

Maybe it's so that Cal-DMV can have their drivers' licenses ready and waiting when they get to town, so they won't have to stand in line. :barf:

[spacemanspiff]

no, its probably going to take pictures of those who attempt to STOP those lovely illegals from entering.

[Skunkabilly]

I haven't really been keeping up with current events, did we ever put up those drinking fountains in the desert? :rolleyes:

[citizen]

Well, SKUNK; it seems we ran into a bit of a snag there. See, when the illegals heard of it, they contacted their relatives already here. Who raised a stink about the water quality; didn't want their illegal newbies getting sick on the way in. So they raised a big stink and Congress is now debating the endowment for a study to determine how to supply adequate and clean water supplies. AND the means of providing a filtering system for each fountain out there in the desert. Course, someone suggested bottled water; which is another study the're working on. Creating a supply route based upon illegal crossing locations. They're also discussing the need for a clean-up and recycling effort for all those discarded bottles; don't want the desert to get trashed, ya' know. Seems as thought either the EPA or the individual states are dukin' it out over this; may have to build a new pipeline for supply. And the plumbers' union has a stake here; they want everyone associated with ANY of these projects to be their own people.
Don't want these jobs goin' to non-union labor and all......Best part is when they may go to bid for these projects once they decide; one Congrssional sub-committee member has been quoted as saying "We anticipate an immediate resolution to this National Emergency is imminent and look forward to implementing a solution as soon as we can determine hiring standards on a Federal level". That was in reference as to whether the Federal or State governments would be responsible for the program; and how the new tax funds would be allocated. And THAT what in response to a query as to whether the new tax to pay for this would be Fedarally assessed or left to the individual states affected to collect. And which states they would be......
There was more, but I couldn't keep up.
Just glad to know we're "making progress" on the issue....:what: :neener:

(BTW- Thanks for asking:evil: )

[dhoomonyou]

BS Agreed!
hows about ARMED troops on the border.

[ahenry]

So exactly what security WILL it provide? I mean, so it sees illegals crossing the border - so what? Commercial TV stations and ranchers on the border ROUTINELY film illegals crossing, with nary a Border Patrolman or INS agent in sight . . . even after they've been called. There is a whole lotta border out there. Are you suggesting that BP/INS just don’t give a rat’s hind end about it or was there another point I missed?

[Destructo6]

The United States has a lot of border for the Border Patrol to cover, north as well as south. If you had every BP agent on duty, each would have more than a mile of border to secure. Arizona, in particular, is seeing heavy activity.

[Waitone]

At best the predator will be able to define the magnitude of the problem. I doubt seriously if video will be made available to Eyewitness News for the 6:00pm report.

Its a start and nothing more.

[longeyes]

Can they get a few to patrol the halls of Congress?

[xenophon]

What are the predators going to do when the find an illegal? Fire hellfire missles at them???

[HankB]

There is a whole lotta border out there. Are you suggesting that BP/INS just don’t give a rat’s hind end about it or was there another point I missed? After talking to some BP agents (no contact with INS) I'd say that while individual agents would like to do something, the higher-ups running things don't care - or worse, they actually want to facilitate illegal immigration.

Note the Gov's determination to punish Ranch Rescue - or even individual landowners - who have had the temerity to try and stop illegals from using their private property as a highway into the USA. They "don't have the resources" to stop illegals, but they DO have the resources to harass American citizens who are trying to stop illegals from crossing their land.

IIRC some woman who was 'way up in the Government bureacracy, when asked about desert watering stations for illegals, said words to the effect of "It's our job to save lives." WRONG - it's their job to SECURE THE BORDER!!

And wasn't it INS that - apparently in violation of INS' own policies - released D.C. sniper suspect John Lee Malvo after BP nabbed him?

Anyway, there IS a whole lotta border out there, and it would be hard to seal it totally. But it seems to me that if newscrews can film illegals crossing just by driving out there, BP and INS could nab a LOT more then they are now, without really trying.

IF they wanted to.

[Augustwest]

So removing military markings from equipment and letting other executive departments use it is all it takes to make an end-run around Posse Comitatus?

:scrutiny:

Oh, it's to fight terrur, so it's gotta be ok.

:fire:

[Henry]

If we can spare thousands of our troops to patrol Iraq, Afganistan, Bosnia, Liberia, and elsewhere, certainly we can assign some to patrol our own borders. Illegal immigration can be stopped if we really want to.

[Waitone]

If you really want to hinder illegal immigration, don't think Predator. Think WalMart.

[Destructo6]

Ooh, that smarts.
if newscrews can film illegals
Viewing tape in the editing room doesn't help with real-time tracking.

[ahenry]

Anyway, there IS a whole lotta border out there, and it would be hard to seal it totally. But it seems to me that if newscrews can film illegals crossing just by driving out there, BP and INS could nab a LOT more then they are now, without really trying.

IF they wanted to. Hmm, off the top of my head I believe the average number of yearly apprehensions for the BP is over a million (not to mention the drug seizures or terrorists apprehensions). Not sure I can think of any other agency out there that has as many apprehensions every single year. That’s certainly not to say the BP is perfect or that they couldn’t improve things but it’s a far cry from how you seem to portray it. At least in my mind it is.

[HankB]

How well does our government deal with illegal aliens? Here's an example, taken from Michelle Malkin's column at World Net Daily: On Oct. 3, an illegal-alien truck driver from Canada was caught hauling a shipment of Humvees into northern Maine. They weren't just any Humvees. They were U.S. military Humvees scheduled for delivery from the Texas Army National Guard in Houston to the Maine National Guard facility in Limestone. . . he was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol agents . . . The agents arrested Levesque for working illegally in the U.S. Levesque said he has been operating as a truck driver in the U.S. for 15 years. He was freed on his own recognizance from the Fort Fairfield Border Patrol station in Maine pending an immigration hearing. (Catch and release is still the order of the day.) Note what I've boldfaced. They catch the illegal, AND THEN THEY LET HIM GO! What good are apprehensions if the illegal is released on his own recognizance? :cuss: :cuss: :cuss:

This tends to support my contention that while individual BP agents are trying to do their jobs, their efforts are being undermined by others higher up in the pecking order.

The full story is at

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35326

[cracked butt]

Yup, it must be really discouraging for he BP when they detain illegals and have to turn them over to the INS who in turn tell the detainee to give them a call about their deportation hearing once they set up residence after release.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the INS also know of Mohammed Atta's history as a terrorist yet still allowed him a student visa to learn to fly airplanes?

Its time to wipe the slate clean, fire everyone in the INS, and start over. They are under the control of political factions who benifit from illeagal immigration. They are no longer serving the security of our country. Turn the responsibility of secure borders back over to the military where it belongs.

[cracked butt]

This tends to support my contention that while individual BP agents are trying to do their jobs, their efforts are being undermined by others higher up in the pecking order.

I saw a news program for what its worth, about a BP agent who worked the bridge between Michigan and Canada. On 9/11, his 'superiors' at the INS told him to leave his post and come in to secure the local INS office building. IIRC, ,he was either severely repremanded if not fired from the Bp for exposing practices of the INS 'catch and release program' where he had the risky and dangerous job of apprehending illegals and the bureaucrats would let his apprehendees free a few hours later.:fire: :cuss: :banghead:

[buzz_knox]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the INS also know of Mohammed Atta's history as a terrorist yet still allowed him a student visa to learn to fly airplanes?

No, that's an urban legend. There was a Jordanian terrorist with a similar name but who was not involved with the 9/11 plot.

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/atta.htm

[Waitone]

We don't put illegals on airplanes and fly them to the interior of Mexico because the Mexican govt will not give us landing rights. So the they make it over the border they are ours.

The border patrol is doing the best it can under the imposed political conditions. The situation on the border will change when attituded change in DC.

[cracked butt]

Huh. Good article. I guess it makes sense that there are probably hundreds if not thousands of men named Mohammed Atta that live in the middle east and the fact that 2 of them committed terrorist acts isn't at all farfetched.

[greyhound]

some woman who was 'way up in the Government bureacracy, when asked about desert watering stations for illegals, said words to the effect of "It's our job to save lives."

In my opinion, this kind of pandering to illegal aliens started as a way of expressing our collective guilt over years of civil rights abuses (which I think started with the Immigration Act of 1965). You know, if someone is poor, looks and talks different, or is otherwise "opressed" they deserve priviledges.

However, if poll after poll is correct, the general population has moved away from that guilt, and wants it stopped and those here sent back. The government seems to be in denial of the shift in opinion.

(This, of course, does not take into account the economic/future voter side of the equation, which may have a lot to do with why the gov is in denial).

[longeyes]

Illegal immigration is just one more facet of the cultural and
social fracturing and fragmentation we are experiencing nationally.
It will end, along with the other currents, when we are very clearly
two nations and recognize that never the twain shall meet.

If we wanted to stop illegal immigration we would ignore the border
per se. We'd stop public benefits and sharply curb the welfare
system, severely punish employers who hire illegals. We'd also
have a hard-talk summit in Mexico City, not another barbecue in Crawford.

[ahenry]

Releasing “UDA’s” on their own recognizance or on bail to await their deportation hearing is nothing new. Something similar is done for criminal violations committed by non illegal aliens. It has been done for years, and political will (or lack thereof) has little bearing. It’s always fun to point the finger at some politician and blame things on them but its not always accurate to do so. There are a myriad of reasons that UDA’s are released like that, some of them good some of them not so good, but I doubt even one of them is “an undermining” from “higher ups” (that certainly happens but releasing an illegal isn’t one of the times).

[Moparmike]

Putting the .mil on BP isnt the job of the .mil. We should increase the size and improve the techniques of the BP.

Us not flying them to Mexico because they wont give us landing rights is BS. I would like to see them stop a couple of cargo planes full of illegals with a squadron of F-16s as an escort, with A-10s running ground interdiction for anyone who wants to take a pot shot at our planes on the ground.:fire:

They arent our citizens. They dont belong here without the permission of our .gov.

Damn, I sound tyrranical.:uhoh:

[Waitone]

Us not flying them to Mexico because they wont give us landing rights is BS.May well be, but that is the excuse given by our political class for the catch and release program.

Landing rights is a easily handled obstruction IF THERE IS IS POLITICAL WILL IN DC. Load up a plane with illegals and head off the Mexico City. If landing is denied, then a call is made back to the FAA and one Air Mexico plane chosen at random is denied landing.

Next day try it again. If landing is denied, then 2 Air Mexico planes are at random denied landing rights in the US.

The dance will continue for as long as V. Fox wants to play.

The US holds the cards in this immigration fiasco. For any number of reasons we refuse to play those cards.

Meanwhile, the gap between the ruling elites and Joe and Martha Sixpack grows larger.