Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > At Ease > The Early Bird

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-15-2011, 02:10   #1
incarcerated
Area Commander
 
incarcerated's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,557
Homeland Security Scraps Border Fence

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...545578242.html

Homeland Security Scraps Border Fence

U.S. NEWS
JANUARY 15, 2011
By KEITH JOHNSON
The Department of Homeland Security Friday pulled the plug on a troubled billion-dollar program to build a high-tech fence along the Arizona border to help fight illegal immigration, a definitive end to a long-moribund project.

By scrapping the controversial SBInet program, DHS will now turn to a mix of proven, existing technology it says will help agents patrol a much bigger chunk of the Southwest border at a lower cost.

"SBInet cannot meet its original objective of providing a single, integrated border-security technology solution," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a written statement. She said the new solution, which will include mobile surveillance systems, unmanned aircraft and thermal-imaging devices, was "tailored to the unique needs of each border region" and would provide a "more effective balance between cost and capability."

DHS has spent the past year reviewing the program, initially conceived in 2005, which has been plagued by technology problems, cost overruns and delays. Only 53 miles of the Arizona border have been protected with SBInet technology at a cost of nearly $1 billion. In contrast, the new plan envisions covering the rest of the Arizona border—some 323 miles—for roughly $750 million.

Ms. Napolitano froze funding for the program—and its primary contractor, Boeing Corp.—in March while the assessment was being carried out.

DHS said it would continue to use some elements of the old SBInet system "that have proven successful, such as stationary radar and infrared and optical sensor towers."

Boeing said that "we appreciate that they recognize the value of the integrated fixed towers Boeing has built, tested and delivered so far," adding that "Boeing remains committed to providing valuable solutions and supporting DHS."

DHS will carry out further assessments on the rest of the southern border to determine which technologies will best help border-patrol agents detect illegal crossings.

SBInet's demise was applauded by some key members of Congress, and even critics of the administration's approach to the border didn't challenge the move.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement that the "long-troubled" program was "unrealistic," and called the department's new plan a "far wiser approach."

New York Republican Peter King, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement: "While I understand the Department of Homeland Security decision to end the SBInet program, I continue to have very serious concerns about the Obama administration's lack of urgency to secure the border."

The administration deported a record number of illegal immigrants—more than 390,000—in the year ended Sept. 30. About half had a criminal record, in line with the administration's decision to target illegal immigrants with criminal convictions.
__________________
“This kind of war, however necessary, is dirty business, first to last.” —T.R. Fehrenbach

“We can trust our doctors to be professional, to minister equally to their patients without regard to their political or religious beliefs. But we can no longer trust our professors to do the same." --David Horowitz
incarcerated is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 04:57   #2
Dusty
RIP Quiet Professional
 
Dusty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 10,072
It's understandable. Obama's got a lot of voters on the other side of that fence, and there's an election looming.
__________________
"There you go, again." Ronald Reagan
Dusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 10:19   #3
mojaveman
Area Commander
 
mojaveman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Clay House Stuttgart, Germany
Posts: 2,663
Too bad...

I've taken a close look at the fence on the California border and it's pretty impressive. It was even built up the sides of steep hills.

Last edited by mojaveman; 01-15-2011 at 14:05.
mojaveman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 13:11   #4
Ret10Echo
Quiet Professional
 
Ret10Echo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Occupied America....
Posts: 4,740
IMHO: poorly executed and sorely lacking in proper planning and Federal oversight.

The taxpayers should be very happy that this (SBINet) highly questionable program was shut off.




http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07309.pdf

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07504t.pdf

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08131t.pdf

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d091013t.pdf
__________________
"There are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations"

James Madison
Ret10Echo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 13:23   #5
orion5
Guerrilla Chief
 
orion5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Driving the Texas highways
Posts: 672
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ret10Echo View Post
IMHO: poorly executed and sorely lacking in proper planning and Federal oversight.

The taxpayers should be very happy that this (SBINet) highly questionable program was shut off.

Agree. Good news / bad news.....expensive/ill-thought out plan scrapped...but what is Plan B? Let Mexico manage the border for us?
orion5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 17:22   #6
Surf n Turf
Guerrilla Chief
 
Surf n Turf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: In the Woods
Posts: 882
Quote:
Originally Posted by orion5 View Post
Agree. Good news / bad news.....expensive/ill-thought out plan scrapped...but what is Plan B? Let Mexico manage the border for us?
Plan B – Letting Mexico manage the border for us has already been proposed -----
And I think it would work
SnT

Kinky Friedman – from his 2005 run for governor of the State of Texas.
He proposes creating what he calls the Five Mexican Generals plan. As he lays it out, the border with Mexico would be divided into five pieces with a Mexican general responsible for each. A $1 million trust fund would be created for each general.

“When I talk about the five Mexican generals, people think I’m joking but I’m dead serious,” said Friedman. “I will divide the border into five jurisdictions, assigning one Mexican general to each and providing a trust fund for that general. Every time a person crosses illegally, we subtract $5,000 from the trust fund.”
http://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/new..._page/002.html
__________________
Die Gedanken sind frei

Democrats would burn down this country as long as they get to rule over the ashes

The FBI’s credibility was murdered by a sniper on Ruby Ridge; its corpse was burned to ashes outside Waco; soiled in a Delaware PC repair shop;. and buried in the basement of Mar-a-Lago..
Surf n Turf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 18:01   #7
Peregrino
Quiet Professional
 
Peregrino's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Occupied Pineland
Posts: 4,701
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surf n Turf View Post
Plan B – Every time a person crosses illegally, we subtract $5,000 from the trust fund.”
http://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/new..._page/002.html
I think it would work too. Course the MG has to stay in position for a minimum of 24 months. Might even have bonuses figured in if he stays longer and remains successful - or let him pocket the first million and start fresh after two years. It would be considerably cheaper than the current status quo.
__________________
A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero (42B.C)
Peregrino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 18:04   #8
Ret10Echo
Quiet Professional
 
Ret10Echo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Occupied America....
Posts: 4,740
Quote:
Originally Posted by orion5 View Post
Agree. Good news / bad news.....expensive/ill-thought out plan scrapped...but what is Plan B? Let Mexico manage the border for us?
My thoughts went to what other country deals with an "immigration" problem that requires a high level of security? What was/is their solution and how is it executed? Electronic surveillance does not stop anyone, all it does is allow you to respond and create a hunt-chase-track scenario with potential for ambush or other unfortunate circumstances. The case in point are those CBP Officers killed in the line of duty.

Of course the geography and distances along the desert Southwest create a unique situation and that requires much more deliberate plan. Physical barriers appear to be more effective when applied with a combination of sensing systems and enforcement personnel. The downside is that there are chokepoints that increase the number of turf battles for available routes North.

...but somehow I don't believe our friends to the South will be able to provide all that much assistance based upon past performance...
__________________
"There are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations"

James Madison
Ret10Echo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 18:54   #9
silentreader
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest
Posts: 87
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ret10Echo View Post
My thoughts went to what other country deals with an "immigration" problem that requires a high level of security? What was/is their solution and how is it executed?
Currently, the closest parallel to our situation probably occurs in Israel. However, their border is smaller than ours by several orders of magnitude, so fence-building is a much more practical affair. Other places I can think of with immigration problems either have water barriers (France), natural borders (India/Pakistan*) or have pretty much given up trying to stop people at the border (Syria and Jordan with Iraq, Germany with Poland**).

Historically, the need to build a wall generally indicates an inorganic border that is bound to fall sooner or later. I can think of examples of ineffective walls stretching from Roman times to 1980s Berlin, but can't think of one that held up indefinitely. Generally, if people have a strong enough motive to migrate, they will find a way to do so. Granted, nobody's ever had the technological wizardry of the US, so our case may be different, but it is guaranteed to be an expensive and ongoing battle. In the end, economic improvement in Mexico and the recession in the US may be our best form of border security.

*India/Pakistan is more of a security problem than a migration problem, I think.
** Actually, Germany might be the best country to look into. It's a large, modern country with a strong economy and long land borders with poorer neighbors. I know there's a large seasonal rush of immigrants as well as a steady stream of people from further abroad, but I'm really not sure how they deal with it.
silentreader is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 20:15   #10
kgoerz
Quiet Professional
 
kgoerz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: NC for now
Posts: 2,418
The Fence is a joke. The illegals defeated it with ease. My brother lives right by it in Arizona. It was a wast of money and only built to make it look like we were doing something. They painted a ladder the same color as the fence and easily climbed it for two weeks until the Border patrol finally noticed the ladder.
__________________
Sounds like a s#*t sandwhich, but I'll fight anyone, I'm in.
kgoerz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 20:48   #11
PSM
Area Commander
 
PSM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cochise Co., AZ
Posts: 6,199
Quote:
Originally Posted by kgoerz View Post
The Fence is a joke. The illegals defeated it with ease. My brother lives right by it in Arizona. It was a wast of money and only built to make it look like we were doing something. They painted a ladder the same color as the fence and easily climbed it for two weeks until the Border patrol finally noticed the ladder.
Why the ladder? The pic below was taken last week south of Ft. Huachuca.

Pat
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Fence.jpg (243.0 KB, 52 views)
__________________
"Hector Lives!"

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass

"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -- Dennis Prager

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." --H.L. Mencken
PSM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2011, 22:21   #12
MtnGoat
Quiet Professional
 
MtnGoat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Asscrackistan
Posts: 4,289
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
It's understandable. Obama's got a lot of voters on the other side of that fence, and there's an election looming.
Amen... So true of a statement
__________________
"Berg Heil"

History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over."

COLONEL BULL SIMONS

Intelligence failures are failures of command [just] as operations failures are command failures.”
MtnGoat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2011, 09:39   #13
Jgood
Quiet Professional
 
Jgood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Currently FT. Bragg
Posts: 622
When My NG unit was down there we were briefed that the cartels had teams that drove up and down the fence with cutting torches and cut access holes in the fence on a regular basis.. its for looks and only that....maybe if we added juice to it

but seriously we need a canal with sharks with lazers beams


Quote:
Originally Posted by kgoerz View Post
The Fence is a joke. The illegals defeated it with ease. My brother lives right by it in Arizona. It was a wast of money and only built to make it look like we were doing something. They painted a ladder the same color as the fence and easily climbed it for two weeks until the Border patrol finally noticed the ladder.
__________________
There is only one tactical principal which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time.
Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.
Jgood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2011, 09:45   #14
Dusty
RIP Quiet Professional
 
Dusty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 10,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by kgoerz View Post
The Fence is a joke. The illegals defeated it with ease. My brother lives right by it in Arizona. It was a wast of money and only built to make it look like we were doing something. They painted a ladder the same color as the fence and easily climbed it for two weeks until the Border patrol finally noticed the ladder.
Where did the fault lay-with the fence or the Border Patrol?

I'd think any fence would deter more than no fence.

There's a blatantly obvious political motivation behind it along the lines of the Cuba "tits up" move.
__________________
"There you go, again." Ronald Reagan
Dusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2011, 10:19   #15
Paslode
Area Commander
 
Paslode's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Occupied Wokeville
Posts: 4,644
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
There's a blatantly obvious political motivation behind it along the lines of the Cuba "tits up" move.
Walk in the Vote 2012.
__________________
Quote:
When a man dies, if nothing is written, he is soon forgotten.
Paslode is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 20:57.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies