by Ty E. Narada     

The FAA controls air traffic from 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers headquartered at the national Air Traffic Control System Command Center, located in Herndon, VA.  Aircraft above 10,000 feet are required to transmit a unique transponder signal and without that signal, aircraft are harder to locate.  Three of the four hijacked aircraft during 9/11 turned off the transponder for that reason.  Although radar can still locate an aircraft, more modern control methods had replaced the use of radar.

 

NORAD was built in 1958 by the US and Canada to interdict aggression from the former Soviet Union and is divided into 3 zones with 7 alert sites.  The four aircraft hijacked that day were located in the Northeast Area Defense Sector [NEADS] and only two of the seven alert sites were in that sector:  Otis ANG in Cape Cod, MA and Langley AFB in Hampton, VA.  NEADS reports to Panama City, FL who, in turn, reports to NORAD in Colorado Springs, CO.  The concept of “domestic” aircraft being used as a WMD had not been planned for. 

 

The National Command Authority identifies the president, the secretary of defense and any agency called upon to carry out their orders.  In the event of a hijacking, ATC is supposed to contact the Pentagon’s NMCC and request a military escort.  The NMCC through the Secretary of Defense will notify NORAD.

 

Pre-9/11 contingency plans presumed that:

 

- A hijacked aircraft would be readily identifiable and would not disappear.

- There would be time to notify the appropriate FAA and NORAD chains of command.

- The hijacking would take the traditional form and not be a suicide hijacking.

 

The 9/11 report effectively describes how unsuited we were in every respect to prevent what happen.

 

When the Boston ATC suspected that American 11 was hijacked when it failed to climb to 35,000 and turned off its transponder, his manager told him to follow SOP for “no radio” aircraft. 

 

Third Annual Report of the Gilmore Commission: pages 35-40

 

Less than 3% of shipping containers are inspected which enables Human smuggling and the spread of disease. 

 

The CRS report recommends:

 

- That DHS integrate all agencies affiliated with border protection.

- The consolidation of all applicable intelligence.

- That a cargo manifest accompany all shipments.

- Establish a “Trusted Shipper” program.

- Expand Coast Guard authority.

- That DHS coordinate a fully resourced R & D facility for detection equipment.

- Negotiate more comprehensive agreements with NAFTA regarding terrorism

 

 

Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol

 

California delayed DHS’s plan to finish a three-tiered, 14-mile fence, along the border near San Diego due to legal and policy conflicts with its federally-approved, state-run Coastal Management Program.

 

Our southern border with Mexico features no natural barrier to thwart entry by unauthorized migrants and smugglers.  The USBP finished a 14-mile long fence in 1993 to deter illegal entries and drug smuggling in the San Diego sector.  In spite of the fence, Mexicans still bypass and destroy obstacles in their path. 

 

Border Security: Inspections, Practices, Policies and Issues

 

All inspection duties are integrated under DHS.  Immigration law requires the inspection of all aliens who seek entry into the United States, and every person is inspected to determine citizenship status and admissibility.  All goods being imported into the United States are subject to a customs inspection, but an actual physical inspection of all goods is not required.  Approximately 22.6% of rail containers, 5.2% of sea containers and 15.1% of trucks entering the United States are physically inspected.

 

Border and Transportation Security: Selected Programs and Policies

 

Current programs and policies can be grouped under the following generic categories:

 

- Push the border outwards to intercept unwanted people or goods (PAX pre-screening).

- Harden the border through the use of technology (such as biometric identifiers).

- Make the border more accessible for legitimate trade and travel ("trusted traveler").

- Strengthen the border inspection process by adding terrorist and watch lists to existing intelligence.

- Coordinate interdiction programs with Canada and Mexico.

 

Border and Transportation Security: Key Agencies

 

Four main interdiction agencies are organized under DHS:

 

- The United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

- The Bureau of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

- The United States Coast Guard.

- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

 

Coyotes can bring in just as many terrorists as illegals and receive better payments, plus incentives for having a shopping list ready to pick up on arrival.

 

In the meantime, it’s so much more productive to posture with speeches and arrest border patrol agents for doing their jobs than to back our agents with the law they swore to uphold.

 

If we’re going to tolerate the transgression of US borders by drug shipments protected by a foreign Army, then the US might as well take control of the entire North American perimeter and let the Mexicans toy with our ineffective [porous] border.

It is truly amazing that terrorists haven’t taken down more planes with RPG’s since the Russians and Chinese have made shoulder-fired heat seekers available to the higest bidder on the black-market.

 

It’s another disaster waiting to happen.  No planning: Just stop anywhere outside of any secured area, aim and fire.