Pentagon Has Sole Shootdown Say Over D.C.

[Eugene]

Pentagon Has Sole Shootdown Say Over D.C.


Wednesday August 31, 2005 2:31 AM

By LARA JAKES JORDAN

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Homeland Security Department will not gain
authority to order shootdowns of threatening aircraft over the
nation's capital, officials said Tuesday, eliminating possible
confusion between its role and the Pentagon's during emergencies.

Questions over whether Homeland Security could take down planes
surfaced after a single-engine Cessna mistakenly wandered into
restricted airspace on May 11, coming within three miles of the White
House. Currently, the Defense Department is the only agency authorized
to shoot down aircraft around Washington.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff have not yet signed off on an agreement clarifying
the Pentagon's authority to order shootdowns, Assistant Defense
Secretary Paul McHale said Tuesday.

But "I can tell you in principle that both Cabinet officials believe
that when it comes to a decision to shoot down an aircraft, only one
person should have that authority to avoid an unintended conflict of
judgment," McHale said. "And that person should be the secretary of
defense, accountable to the president."

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5244533,00.html

[rodeodance]

1. this is the focus of the Pent and Homeland Sec today?????

[wli]

3. they also focus on military assaults on peaceful demonstrators and...

Sodomizing Iraqi civilians.

[tanyev]

2. Kind of irrelevant when the only person who has that authority

runs outside to play Florence Nightingale instead of staying by a phone to receive any orders.