U.S. to watch Cdn border with high-tech devices
21/09/2006 2:34:46 PM
The U.S. Homeland Security Department announced Thursday that it will be installing high-tech devices along the border with Canada as part of a multibillion-dollar plan to reduce illegal entry into the United States.
Under the new plan, Canada's border with the U.S. will, within three years, be patrolled by cameras, sensors, unmarked planes and watchtowers.
"Ten percent of our apprehensions occur along our northern border with Canada," said Aguilar. "The problem is border security...Being able to predict, deter, detect, identify, resolve and respond to any incursions along our border, north or south, is a criticality that we're going forth with."
"One of the problems that we face on our northern border is the vastness and the greatness."
In the first step of the multibillion-dollar plan, the U.S. will implement the technology along a 45-kilometre stretch of border near Tucson, Ariz. This will be followed with similar security measures along the Canadian border.
A $67-million US contract was awarded to Boeing Co. for the implementation of the initial stages of the project.
Speaking to The Globe and Mail, Boeing spokesman Robert Villaneuva said the plan calls for a total of 1,800 surveillance towers divided between the southern and northern borders. When asked how the 1,800 towers would be divided, he responded, "It could be about 50-50."
Villaneuva also said it would take three years to "fully deploy all the assets on both borders."
CTV's Washington Bureau Chief Tom Clark said the move is more about the U.S. trying to appear unbiased.
"The problem is all in the south ... but if you say we're only going to take care of the southern border then you're targeting Mexicans and that's racist," said Clark. "And therefore what's good for the south is good for the north."
"What we are looking to build is a 21st century virtual fence," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told reporters.
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Give me a frickin' break. This is going beyond common sense and into the realm of utter paranoia. I mean, really! What next? Strip searching migrating herds of bison, just in case there's an illegal alien or (gasp!) one of those Canadian terrorists hiding in the hump?
21/09/2006 2:34:46 PM
The U.S. Homeland Security Department announced Thursday that it will be installing high-tech devices along the border with Canada as part of a multibillion-dollar plan to reduce illegal entry into the United States.
Under the new plan, Canada's border with the U.S. will, within three years, be patrolled by cameras, sensors, unmarked planes and watchtowers.
"Ten percent of our apprehensions occur along our northern border with Canada," said Aguilar. "The problem is border security...Being able to predict, deter, detect, identify, resolve and respond to any incursions along our border, north or south, is a criticality that we're going forth with."
"One of the problems that we face on our northern border is the vastness and the greatness."
In the first step of the multibillion-dollar plan, the U.S. will implement the technology along a 45-kilometre stretch of border near Tucson, Ariz. This will be followed with similar security measures along the Canadian border.
A $67-million US contract was awarded to Boeing Co. for the implementation of the initial stages of the project.
Speaking to The Globe and Mail, Boeing spokesman Robert Villaneuva said the plan calls for a total of 1,800 surveillance towers divided between the southern and northern borders. When asked how the 1,800 towers would be divided, he responded, "It could be about 50-50."
Villaneuva also said it would take three years to "fully deploy all the assets on both borders."
CTV's Washington Bureau Chief Tom Clark said the move is more about the U.S. trying to appear unbiased.
"The problem is all in the south ... but if you say we're only going to take care of the southern border then you're targeting Mexicans and that's racist," said Clark. "And therefore what's good for the south is good for the north."
"What we are looking to build is a 21st century virtual fence," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told reporters.
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Give me a frickin' break. This is going beyond common sense and into the realm of utter paranoia. I mean, really! What next? Strip searching migrating herds of bison, just in case there's an illegal alien or (gasp!) one of those Canadian terrorists hiding in the hump?