NPR: Coast Guard Members...Work Without Pay...

[handmade34]

good, short interview this AM:

https://www.npr.org/2019/01/09/683501454/coast-guard-members-may-have-to-work-without-pay-during-shutdown

The Coast Guard is the only military branch that falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Steve Inskeep talks to former Commandant Thad Allen about what that means during the shutdown.

................INSKEEP: Now, you also said drug interdiction. This is really interesting because President Trump, last night in his speech advocating a border wall, talked about the flow of drugs from Latin America. We have learned in our fact-checking segment that not a lot of those drugs go over land illegally. They go through legal ports of entry. There's also some that go by sea, right?

ALLEN: The United States Coast Guard has probably seized more drugs than any agency in the history of this country. When you get a boatload of cocaine off Central America, you're taking tons out of the traffic, rather than ounces and pounds.

INSKEEP: And they would go into an ordinary port if they're undetected, and they would unload that cocaine and it would get into the United States. That's the way it...

ALLEN: Well, a lot of the drug flow comes from South America into Mexico and crosses the border. The Coast Guard's strategy is to attack that threat as far away from our shores as we can. So off Colombia, off the coast of Central America and the Caribbean, we have cutters forward deployed trying to stop those drugs before they ever get to Mexico.

INSKEEP: So let me understand this. If you're concerned about the flow of illegal drugs from Latin America into the United States, what you want to worry about is the Coast Guard?

ALLEN: It's quizzical, isn't it?................

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. Wonder how much drugs come in on russian oligarch yatchs?

[littlemissmartypants]

2. Or on their private jets? nt

[littlemissmartypants]

3. Of course they are working without pay. It's called duty.

They are the crews that will save you from raging waters or the roof of your house after the waters rise. Most underrated military/security branch in America. Most altruistic and brave. The #TrumpShutdown is a disgrace and a very, emotionally and economically, expensive distraction. Great share, handmade34. Thanks.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

4. +1