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Predator Drones to Fly Over Texas-Mexico Border by Fall
After years of political pressure from Texas politicians, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said Monday that he expects the federal government to deliver unmanned aircraft to watch over the border with Mexico by this fall.
If approved, the unmanned aircraft in Texas would add to the federal government's existing border effort, which includes a handful of other unmanned aircraft, 20,000 Border Patrol agents, about 650 miles of border fence and 41 mobile surveillance systems, according to Customs and Border Protection. (Ross D. Franklin/2007 AP) Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo, said he has had discussions with top officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's office of air and marine operations, and they agreed to the timetable, subject to Federal Aviation Administration approval to allow the surveillance planes — often referred to in the political vernacular as "Predator drones" — to fly over Texas.
Laura Brown, an FAA spokeswoman, said the administration is "working as quickly as we can on this."
Cuellar said the FAA told him that regulators' main concern has been with Texas' heavy airplane traffic — both private and commercial.
If approved, the unmanned aircraft in Texas would add to the federal government's existing border effort, which includes a handful of other unmanned aircraft, 20,000 Border Patrol agents, about 650 miles of border fence and 41 mobile surveillance systems, according to Customs and Border Protection.
The plane, which is made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and officially called a Predator B, is able to spot illegal border activity and send images in real time to border officials.
At that point, Border Patrol agents could be dispatched, according to Customs and Border Protection.
Cuellar — along with Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison and Gov. Rick Perry — has been trying to bring the unmanned aircraft to Texas for years.
Cornyn and Perry, both Republicans, have been among the most vocal critics of the regulators' pace.
"Washington needs to quit fiddling while the border region of America burns," said Perry, who has been calling for Predators since 2005.
Also last week, Cornyn said that the FAA's pace "borders on foot-dragging."
Cuellar has refrained from using harsh words directed at the FAA.
Instead, he invited FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and Alan Bersin, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, to his office on May 20 to make sure an agreement can be reached.
"My interest in this is to get this done as quickly as possible," he said.
Cuellar, who leads the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, has asked the FAA to give priority to Texas' request.
Cuellar and Customs and Border Protection officials said a home for a Texas-based Predator already has been identified at Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi.
Kimberly Kasitz, a spokeswoman for General Atomics, said one unmanned aircraft costs $10 million to $12 million.
Discussions in Washington have centered on bringing one Predator to Texas to be deployed along the border with Mexico to fight drug trafficking, human smuggling and violent Mexican drug cartels.
The Texas plane is still under construction, Cuellar said. If it is not ready by the time the FAA approves its flight, then one would be borrowed from another location, Cuellar said. He would not say where because of security concerns.
Places with unmanned aircraft systems in the U.S. include Arizona, which has three; North Dakota, which has two; and Florida, with one.
Unmanned aircraft have grown quickly in popularity in the defense and surveillance sectors, said Peter W. Singer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century."
Since 2003, the military has acquired about 7,000 unmanned aircraft that are flying surveillance and combat missions in overseas wars, Singer said, and it happened "in a bureaucratic blink of an eye."
And even today, each branch of the military remains eager to obtain more.
"Basically, the Air Force is buying them as fast as they can," Singer said.
Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection has said it intends to increase unmanned aircraft systems across the country this year, and it expects a complete network of the unmanned planes all along the border by 2015.
Officials boasted about the Predators' effectiveness in a fact sheet published in February 2009. They reported that Predator B planes have flown more than 1,500 hours and contributed to the seizure of more than 15,000 pounds of marijuana and the apprehension of more than 4,000 undocumented people.
But more can be accomplished with the unmanned aircraft, Cuellar said Monday.
Discussions already have taken place about turning the Predator's high-resolution cameras, which Cuellar said could read a label on a bottle of water from 19,000 feet, on to Mexico to track movements of drug cartels.
But there are still a lot of sovereignty issues, Cuellar added, so any advancement of the idea would be up to Mexican government officials.
Additional material from The Associated Press.
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88 Comments so far
Show AllAs Amerikkka slips futher into the police-state morass, expect more invasive surveillance, not just along the borders but in the interior as well. For now, the drones are, evidently, not armed, but that will change as the more paranoid and backward of the ruling elite come to power.
As Barry recently told an audience comprised of the corporate media in a veiled threat, "You will never see it coming."
Given the Predators' record of accuracy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, they'd probably take out large numbers of USAan vigilantes, border guards, weekend campers and backpackers, hunters, trailer-dwellers, etc.
Oh well. What's a little collateral damage when the Amerikkkan government is doing such a fine job "protecting" us from those evildoers? :(
Or they may simply vaporize a few "wetbacks" to send a message to them and anyone else who foolishly continues to question their authority and power.
But, not to worry, this empire is toast. Unfortunately the next wanna-be's that would like their shot at world domination are watching very carefully. Who would lay odds that China is NOT working feverishly to get their own into the air?
Coming soon to a location near you.
Times Square is next.
looking forward, the planet's belly may well heat beyond livability in many areas...
the peoples there will, naturally, need to relocate to gentler climes...
that would bring them through here...it would me...
who am I to tell another where they can or cannot go? who are you to tell me?
my eyes are looking to what is now northern canada way off in the distance...
many things are changing...cooperation and understanding, maybe even humor and sex, certainly make the journey more enjoyable for everyone, if nothing else...
alot better than dodging dronefire...
for some people, I guess, the goal is to be a prick...
please, don't even get me started on the criminal economic hypocrisy behind the illegal argument...
So anyone that doesn't agree with you or objects to illegal immigration is a "prick"?
Please start on the "criminal economic hypocrisy behind the illegal argument" I'd be interested to see what facts you are using to support your claim?
anybody who uses drones to fire upon people is a prick...
educate yourself...
Now, now, don't get your knickers in a twist. Where is the difference between a camera mounted on a tower and a camera mounted on a drone? Except that the Drone is cheaper and more effective.
If you favor cheap labor and providing more bodies for abuse by business then I guess you would want to keep the flow of cannon fodder coming of course.
Seems that you want to create your "own" America, huh?
A drone is cheaper than a tower? You are certifiable!
These drones as far as I konw or you know are unarmed and will stay that way.
Educate yourself.
police state, fascist amerika grows more evil - what will it take to wake up the deluded masses ?
Warning: do not take a vacation in Big Bend National Park. The drone may conclude that you are an "illegal border crosser" while you are taking an innocent hike or take a dip in the Rio Grande. Within no time the ICE personnel will be on the spot to interrogate and possibly arrest you because you had left your driver license in your tent on the campground.
Why bother the boys and girls of ICE? Just have the drone jockey go all PS3 on them and drop a Hellfire in their laps.
Why not deploy these things over the US/Mexico border?
After all, Canada's national sovereignty and airspace were cast aside during the Winter Olympics in order to have these infernal devices patrol the skies above Vancouver and Whistler.
And it's not like this would be a radical change in internal policy:
http://publicintelligence.net/drone-aircraft-are-patrolling-u-s-cities/
http://www.rense.com/general32/patrol.htm
http://defensetech.org/2005/09/05/drones-over-nola/
Apparently, drones are already flying over Las Vegas and other large US cities.
I suspect the great patriot Joe Libermouse from CT, is writing legislation at this very moment to declare anyone illegally crossing the boarder in either direction, a terrorist. If they happen to be American they will then be stripped of their citizenship. Either way they will then be "taken out" by a predator drone, which will quickly and quietly go from unarmed to armed.
Remember a boarder that is made secure enough to keep people out, can also keep people in. I think this concept is lost by some of our right wing comrades.
Don't you think that illegal entry into our country should be denied? Our workers protected from cheap labor?
Exactly which workers would those be?
I am SO glad you made this comment. I and many of my co-workers lost jobs because of a completely "legal" off-shoring/outsourcing of good paying high-tech American jobs to cheap labor in India and Brazil. So when it comes to big companies and cheap labor, our boarders are WIDE OPEN, and don't let anybody fool you about that!
When someone comes over here on a H1b Visa and takes an Americans job, or an American job is done remotely by an Indian for example, I am not sure how different that is from someone sneaking across the board and doing it. Laws are written by industry hacks in legislatures so the screwing of the American population is made legal. Millions of people have lost jobs in this country to "legal" sources in other countries. Do you think that these people feel any better than the ones that lost their jobs to somebody that snuck across the boarder "illegally".
And as far as illegal entry to our country goes, the only real way to solve it is for deep and fundemental changes to how our country does business. As long as our trade practices keep wages low in boarder countries people will continue to come here illegally. Look at the drug trade. As long as it is financially profitable, and there is a market, drugs will continue to stream into the country no matter what they do.
Don't you think that Tom is pointing out that if we don't do something to raise the standard of living in other countries, and stop offshoring jobs that used to support the middle class, there's not going to be a solution to illegal migration?
If you think the migration problem is bad now, imagine how bad it'll be should the worst predictions of global warming/climate change happen.
So you still think that illegal entry into our country should not be denied? That our workers shouldn't be protected from cheap labor?
Now if you are an open border or business advicate, just ignore the question. If you believe in open borders, we will never agree and if you favor abusing illegal immigrants and favor cheap labor for business, again, we will never agree.
I know you don't favor either, but let me ask you this. Lets say you have a man and his family that have been here illegally for 10 years, working, no criminal activity except for the initial border crossing, kids in school doing well but he loses his job to a new illegal immigrant that will work for less than he will. What do you say to him if you favor illegal immigration?
The way to protect yourself from cheap labor is to stop kissing your capitalist boss's ass and ORGANIZE with your immigrant comrades. The correct answer to exploitation is world SOLIDARITY, not intra-class war against your working-class brothers and sisters.
PLEASE find copy of, and view, the film "Matewan" (based on real events in West Virginia) to see how it's done.
Isn't that the case where the union had to get a critical mass of black American citizens hired (currently at a 27% UE rate) because the company kept busting the union by threatening the illegal workers? That one?
I would never call for deportation. Its about the silliest idea I've heard and the only ones that usually mention it are a fringe of restrictionists and the few that are racists/xenophobic or business cheap lasbor advocates and racist organizations.
I can't imagine a policy of "rounding" people up and deporting them. And what for? Simply enforce our immigration laws and you resolve the problem for the most part.
Any American citizen has identification on their person usually. A legal foreign resident must have it.
"So who plays into the corporations' hands, not to mention Migra's, the local cops', and the Pentagon's?"
I think that Ralph Nader was exactly right when he said it was those that support cheap labor policies of business.
I can certainly see your point about abuse with the H1B system and other programs we have. I would say that the only real difference is one abuses legally while the other abuses illegally. The effect is the same, though on different sectors and demographics of our economy.
Any American worker replaced by a foreign worker, no matter legally or illegally done, is an indictment of our government, business community and anyone that goes along with them to cheat Americans of their birthright.
To fix the problems you will need cross country trade and tax policy changes. The drug problem? The wealthy market is here, other countries its cheaper, how do you fix that? Got me.
"... cheat Americans of their birthright."
The only "birthright" I know of is automatic citizenship. Would you like to explain what you think is your birthright?
self governance.
I would say an Americans birthright is the freedom to enjoy his country without hinderence from anyone, including his government. The right try anything he might like without some fool saying he is the wrong color or class. The right to a decent education. Certainly the right to any job produced by his country before any citizen of a foreign country.
In essense, a fair chance.
Prometheus:
The current official unemployment rate in the US is 10 percent; the unofficial, yet more realistic unemployment rate is likely closer to 20 percent. Do you honestly believe US workers have been displaced solely because of "cheap" Mexican laborers overrunning the border? Such a view fails to analyze the systemic causes of unemployment and economic oppression featured in highly developed capitalism, which by design allow US multi-national corporations the 'freedom' to exploit labor of the poor on both sides of the US/Mexican border to gain immense riches. Desperation of the poor and corporate greed create a grim dynamic and thus, it cannot be stressed strongly enough, that insatiable demand for profits by US multi-nationals is the main instigator and enabler of illegal immigration.
That said, one must recognize that despite political rhetoric to the contrary, the US political class is NOT interested in actually curbing illegal immigration (or the illegal drug trade) with the use of Predator B drones and/or various and sundry high-tech surveillance systems. Exploitable labor sources are too important to US multi-nationals. However, the US political class is VERY interested in exploiting the racially-charged issue of illegal immigration for two primary reasons: 1) political ends: to instigate divisiveness and further atomize the public, while appearing tough and proactive to potential voters who focus incessantly on this issue; and 2) as an excuse to provide yet another market to funnel millions more of tax-payer dollars to defense contractors such as General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon under the guise of border protection.
The problems in this country are not due to illegal immigration. The problems with this country are due to BIG BUSINESS combined with fictitious democracy. Outrage should be directed accordingly.
Giovanna, your post nailed it. This is EXACTLY what is happening. Very well explained.
In my situation I was outsourced to a very large US based multinational company. At a meeting one time, we were told that the company would go anywhere in the world, where they could get the job done the "best". Of course everyone in the room knew what they really meant was, where they could get the job done the cheapest.
I can't remember the last time I saw a home-improvement company or a landscaping company where the workers weren't all brown-skinned. Are they all illegal? I don't know. But you won't see a black face or a white face among them -- and that suits the white owners just fine. If these jobs were taken away from citizens it's because these companies and others -- like meat-processing plants, chicken processing plants and farms -- didn't want it that way. Not to mention the fact that we, through NAFTA, hurt the farms in Mexico. Corporations have created slave labor in Mexico, not to mention destroying the quality of life and creating chronic illnesses in several locations -- the Smithfield farms are notorious, and there's a great video online -- about an hour long -- about these atrocities.
The way I see it we're all screwed -- so-called illegal workers and citizens alike. Corporate America works on both sides of the border to ensure this.
No, keeping out all the Mexicans is not going to change the job situation.
Well, our condo has a group of landscapers who are all white. Useless goddamned idiots just ran a freaking lawnmower over my strawberry patch today. I know they're paid minimum wage, but how freaking stupid does a person have to be to think that mowing a patch of strawberries is a good idea!
Grumble grumble grumble.
When I get my hands on the idiot... Well, I'm going to yell at them later. Or demand that I can go to their house and return the favour.
My brother-in-law owns a landscape maintenance company and employs non-hispanics. When I ran restaurants, I had to follow the I-9 regulations, so everyone I hired was documented.
My point is why should humans have less freedom than birds?
Humans should not have less freedom than anything, but freedom to ignore laws is not freedom, its anarchy.
And thanks for pointing out that illegals do not provide 100% of the labor in any industry and that there are American business's that do follow the law.
Why should they be punished along with legal immigrants for obeying the law?
"Are they all illegal? I don't know. But you won't see a black face or a white face among them -- and that suits the white owners just fine. If these jobs were taken away from citizens it's because these companies and others -- like meat-processing plants, chicken processing plants and farms -- didn't want it that way."
Of course they aren't.Though many home improvement companies here don't have as many Latinos. The old "they only do jobs that Americans won't do" is the greatest lie of all. But you are correct, its the companies (not all owned by whites) that want it this way. Their profits are much higher. Much.
Its not about keeping Mexicans out. Its about keeping as many illegal aliens out as possible. Illegal aliens come in all colors and ethnicities.
And then we need to address the abuses in the legal work programs.
Time to go after the Corporate and business abusers. Enforce the law against them.
"Its about keeping as many illegal aliens out as possible."
"Time to go after the Corporate and business abusers."
So is it about "keeping as many illegal aliens out as possible" or is it "time to go after the Corporate and business abusers?" As Sabo Cat, Giovanna and others are trying to tell you, you can't go after the Corporate and business abusers by fighting AGAINST other workers. You fight WITH other workers, AGAINST the abusers. You can't eat your cake and have it too. You seem a little confused on that point, Prometheus.
Social Philosopher John Dewey defined politics as "the shadow cast over society by big business."
General Atomics can demand $12 billion per Predator B out of the Pentagon, which clearly elucidates one of the many nefarious reasons for continually stirring up and exploiting the dubious 'war on drugs' and the public's domestic fear of 'illegal' immigrants: expanding profits for Big Business--democracy's mortal enemy--with the beleaguered tax-payers footing the bill, as usual, at the expense of social welfare, morality, and all reason. Until we can find a way to prevent our political whores from turning tricks for capitalism, nothing will ever change....
"General Atomics can demand $12 billion per Predator B out of the Pentagon, "
They can demand anything they want, but they are being paid about $5 million per Predator B.
Not 12 billion each.
Which if you think about it is about the cost of 10 border guards for something that can work day and night and watch FAR more of the border than a human in a truck can watch.
John Shade:
My apologies. Thank you for catching my typographical error. I meant to type 'million' instead of 'billion'. The $12 million figure I referenced came directly from the article: "Kimberly Kasitz, a spokeswoman for General Atomics, said one unmanned aircraft costs $10 million to $12 million."
Que video from the Terminator Sci-Fi movies, with their mechanized drone-ships. Got the picture? Good. Better stock up on SA-7s, M-60s, M-2s, and AP ammo for them.
You mean these things?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8fV-0vOL4U
Yes. Note the date--2029. The premise that such a state of affairs could only arise after a nuclear war is false; as we know, nothing will arise after a nuclear war. The "people" currently operating drones in Af/Pak aren't quite machines, but they are no longer human either--they are akin to the "weak-minded" clones manufactured for the "Republic" in Star Wars. B-52 aircrews aren't much different. The type of Stormtrooper produced by the USA has its humanity driven from it, which is why so many kill themselves when that humanity returns and they realize what they did. The potential for machines to direct other machines is very real, and many generals would relish the droid armies depicted in Star Wars--remember it was a corporate group--the Trade Federation--that fielded those armies--the Blackwater of that Republic.
Please fly that death machine near me because it has no life to take I will be able attempt to destroy it as sport and not feel guilty.
Today, Amerika is known by their cowardliness, hubris, and ability to succeed at nothing.
That is why today I will stop being an American--and consider myself as someone who is of the world, stuck in this shit hole of evil. Please do not tell me again that this shit will come to an end--it won't, but my friend you and I will--they will see to it eventually because we will not betray our good characters, something they know nothing about. Curses on the Whores of War.
There has to be a way to "hack" the guidance systems, or command and control systems if you prefer, of these infernal devices. At least half of "hacking" is "social engineering" -- convincing someone on "the inside" to part with crucial information that will all a successful "hack". At some point there may be some former military members who, for reasons of their own, may be able to provide this crucial info. Wouldn't it be interesting to see what happens when a drone, ordered to fire on a target, fires at the command and control location instead? Then it happens a second time. Then a third.
Capt Jim, your not alone !!!!
This is good. We will all be protected from those rotten immigrants that are willing to do anything for a little money to survive with. And what is really good is that soon enough every neighborhood will have its own drown to watch over everyone while you sleep that sleep of peace and goodwill towards your fellow consumers. All the while knowing nothing of the suffering and hardships others are going through and you will be safe unless of course someone turns you in because of some grievance they have against you and before you know it a missile will blow down your house and you along with it. Pandoras box is truly open now.
Will Obama's Death Drones come equiped with Hellfire and Damnation rockets?
How about some between Arizons and the other sane states?
I can hardly wait until we start eliminating those nasty "collaterals" that cause all that trouble by getting in the way of our bombs of justice.
It is just a matter of time before these drones will be used by the fascists that really run America, to quell legitimate dissent, that threatens their power. To quote Mr. Abomination: " You will never see them coming " and to add to this; until it is too late!
It's a shooting gallery out there. It's all out war on the people. Understand this and stop wasting time writing letters to the same liars who control you.