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Science & Technology
XM-1100's, the technology exists.
2010-04-18
How about a few along the Mexican border?
Posted by:Besoeker

#11  OTOH WMF > THE PROCUREMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, DATAS IS THE MAIN PRIORITY OR GOAL OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR PLANS TO ATTACK MAJOR CITIES AND DEVELOPED AREAS.

The Bombs must first follow the Data-Info Collection.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-04-18 21:40  

#10  Frank, I understand that actual countries have actual enforcable borders.

The United States doesn't appear to have them. Or noone who can fund them will do so.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2010-04-18 20:14  

#9  Congress created it.

Actually, Congress co-opted it with the Militia Act of 1903 or [no irony here] the Dick Act.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2010-04-18 19:58  

#8  I've had a couple glasses of wine... but, HUH?
Posted by: Frank G   2010-04-18 19:53  

#7  Noone who wants the US to be a country has the money to make it a country, and noone with any money wants the US to be a country.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2010-04-18 19:49  

#6  the border states could get VOLUNTEERS for the job if they would just back them up

Yes, and if I had two fully functioning legs, I could attend the School of Ballet Arizona.

The harsh reality is that politicians and law enforcement don't like the concept of volunteers doing what should be a state/federal task. It indicates a problem that the politicians and LE are either not equipped, funded or inclined to deal with, and it inflames certain groups that might react at election-time (especially if they do back up the volunteers). One just has to look back at the Minutemen for that one.

My remark was about OS's suggestion the National Guard using Ground Surveillance Radars. Again, as good an idea as it is, the border states don't have the money; it's unlikely the federal government would step in and fund any deployment.
Posted by: Pappy   2010-04-18 19:34  

#5  Congress created it.

That's like saying the Congress created GM. The states created the malitias. The Congress took them over and called it the National Guard.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2010-04-18 18:09  

#4  It's called a National Guard for a reason.

Congress created it. Congress funds it. The governors can use them in internal emergencies, but the governors can be overridden if the President wants to use the unit (as Mike Dukakis found a generation ago).

If a governor put the Guard on the border (assuming it was lawful to do so in the first place), Bambi could simply activate that unit for national (or overseas) duty.
Posted by: Steve White   2010-04-18 17:52  

#3  Pappy, the border states could get VOLUNTEERS for the job if they would just back them up (volunteer patrolers, not shooters, unless absolutely necessary.)
Posted by: Glenmore   2010-04-18 17:13  

#2  At this point, the border states don't have the money to deploy their Guard, or maintain such systems if they were still available. Arizona certainly doesn't. Nor does California.
Posted by: Pappy   2010-04-18 16:57  

#1  What about National Guard using Ground Surveillance Radars we used to use back in the day? A lot fo them were Vietnam era PPS-5, but they did the job, and were easily operated form a vehicle.

They had plenty of range, and were good at spotting man sized target, and the open ground along most of the southern border is pretty good for using RF like that. It seems with all the data processing and imaging technology advances we should be able to put together a solid man-portable, long range, wide area GSR.
Posted by: OldSpook   2010-04-18 14:27  

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