D.C. choppers go to 24/7 coverage

[Robb]

D.C. choppers go to 24/7 coverage

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17Ñ ÊThe civilian Blackhawk helicopters deployed in January to help defend the skies over the nationÕs capital are on round-the-clock coverage in the wake of an MSNBC.com story that described how the choppers were only providing partial coverage.

Such 24/7 coverage had typically been reserved for times of terrorism high alerts. Prior to the MSNBC.com story, the Blackhawks patrolled Washington airspace only 16 hours a day as part of the regionÕs so-called ÒlayeredÓ air defense that provides round-the-clock coverage by using military aircraft and mobile surface-to-air missile units.

The decision to fly 24/7 was made at a meeting a day after MSNBC.com revealed that the Blackhawks were providing only partial coverage because of a lack of funding and limited resources, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

Prior to MSNBC.comÕs story, Charles Stallworth, commander of the unit housing the Blackhawks said, ÒIf it were published , IÕd be seven-by-24 within 24 of that.Ó

(more)

[DK666]

1. Ohhhhh

This cant be good....

[ewagner]

2. Maybe nothing

May only be to keep from getting a PR black eye...........

[diamond14]

3. bush* preparation for DC October 25 Protests....

don't let them scare you...a nice costume (masks are allowed in DC)...and ride the Metro trains and buses...

STAND UP for OUR Troops October 25, 2003 in DC and SF
BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW !!!

www.internationalANSWER.org

[WoodrowFan]

4. doubtful

they were already flying overhead during the day, when the protests will be. They fly over my office all the time every day (one just went over). Just look up and wave. A lot of them probably agree with us about the war now!!!!

[diamond14]

14. will you help with the protests ??? (Oct. 25th).....local people

are really needed...and you must live real close....

www.InternationalANSWER.org

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. ___ Hmmm - I just had a terrible thought ___

. . Wouldn't Halloween be a perfect time for a terrarist to "do his thing" ?

ya know - costumes and all

I don't think the terrarist are going to do the "twin towers" thing again

Sorry to say, but I think the terrarists are smarter than GeeDubya



See what I mean ??

[veganwitch]

16. i doubt it.

remember the big halloween scare in 2001? nothing happened. and nothing happened in 2002.

still i dont suggest wearing a saddam or osama costume.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

6. Exactly what are the Blackhawks supposed to do?

A civillian airliner has nearly double the speed, and can fly much higher, and unless the Blackhawks are armed, the only way they could stop any flying vehicle, even a little Cessna, would be to ram it.

So what is the point of this expensive Clayton's* defence?

---

* Remember that no-alcohol drink that was advertised like this: "Claytons. The drink you have when you're not having a drink." or something similar.

[mobuto]

7. There are also F-16s

I don't know what the coverage is, but they've been flying overhead several times a day for the last two years.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

8. Like I said, what is the point of the helicopters?

If there a F-16's then the helicopters are kind of pointless aren't they?

[Atlant]

11. They're supposed to look REALLY, REALLY scary! (NT)

[MGKrebs]

9. "Civilian" Blackhawks?

That term threw me for a minute, but I guess they mean "civilian" as in "not military" (technically), although it is a government agency.

It just set off my alarms as another BFEE buddy contract.

So anyway, are these choppers armed?


edit: forget the link:
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/enforcement/ice/investigative_priorities/amid.xml

[nolabels]

10. Remember, we are living in a Garrison State :-O

Something about 4 or against, probably a a golf term or something

[Ernesto]

12. Wow....

DC must be a lousey place to live for a Vietnam veteran.

[diamond14]

15. my dear Uncle (a two-tour Korean war Veteran) fell down on

my balcony when one of those swooped by (I live inside the Beltway)....reflexes of an old soldier, I guess....I had to take him to the hospital (two broken ribs where he fell onto his hand, shoving his elbow into his rib)...

it is annoying, outrageous, uselessly expensive, dangerous (these helicopters crash all the time, and DC is heavily populated) and helps keep DC terrorized by OUR own military....add that to the missle-launching humvees that are prominently displayed....lots of people here have sunk into heavy prescription drugs...you can hear the 'pops' of the pill containers during the morning Metro Train ride...

[donco6]

13. It's annoying enough when the damn TV copters . . .

start taking off over my house. I can't imagine having Blackhawks in the air 24/7. I'd think it would drive people batty after a while.

[dArKeR]

17. How much is this costing us?

[saigon68]

18. Its costing your grandchildren everything

We will have feudal society by then, they will be surfs to their corporate masters.