Black Hawks on the border

We haven’t seen any change in the terror alert status since August 1, but things, they are a changing between Canada and the USA. The world’s previously longest undefended border is a tad more defended today, with word from the USA, that the much ballyhooed Black Hawk helicopter will be patrolling the Northern frontier from now on.

The first of the Black Hawk’s will be based in Washington state, where the US Marine Air Group of Bellingham will keep watch for illegal aliens, marijuana importers and money launderers to name a few. In addition to the Black Hawk the Bellingham crew will use a variety of aircraft and high speed boats in the pursuit of their duties. Perhaps even Crockett and Tubbs can come out of retirement and stem the flow of criminal misconduct from the apparently lawless Canadian frontier.

Plans are in the works to place similarly equipped bases in Montana, North Dakota, Michigan and New York State. The enforcement regimen has been in place on the Mexican border for over thirty years, but is a new addition to the Canada/US border.

Considering how large the illegal alien population is in California, Arizona and Texas one wonders if the amount of money and time spent on the enforcement program is providing full value for the investment. Regardless, in these post
9-11 times security of the border is the Holy Grail. With the arrival of the new firepower, its time for the folks in Langley and South Surrey to prepare for the whoop, whoop, whoop of the Black Hawk on its appointed rounds. US official advised that the Black Hawks would not routinely enter Canadian airspace, though one suspects that "accidental" incursions will be part of the drill.

No doubt Customs and Immigration in Canada must be casting an envious eye at the list of materials provided to its American counterparts in pursuit of enforcement. Of course we too could put some Helicopters in the air; the much vaunted (and now maligned) Sea King stands ready for duty. And perhaps it may be the more feared of the two helicopter options.

Sure the Black Hawk is fancy, shiny, fearsome and relatively new (well newer than the Sea Kings anyways). But hey, with the record of Sea King emergency descents, what smuggler would want to take the chance of having a Sea King plunge to the border. One look at our grey gooses thundering downward would change the mind of even the most notorious of evil doers. Better yet, use the Sea King option for transportation of the arrested to a jail. Just the suggestion of being tossed into a Sea King for hopefully a half hour flight should pretty well dry up the cocaine, human cargo and money laundering trade for years to come