Global Hawk drone starts missions over the US

[donsu]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-11-19-global-hawk_x.htm?csp=34

Global Hawk drone trains its eyes on USA


They've become a fixture in the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan, a new breed of unmanned aircraft operated with remote controls by ground-based "pilots" sitting in virtual cockpits many miles away.
But the Air Force's Global Hawk has never flown a mission over the USA. Until Monday.

The first domestic Global Hawk mission is scheduled from Beale Air Force Base in Northern California.

"This landmark flight has historic implications since it's the first time a Global Hawk has not only flown from Beale, but anywhere in the USA on an official Air Combat Command mission," Capt. Michael Andrews, base spokesman, said in a statement.

Beale-based pilots are flying the drones daily on combat missions in the Middle East, Andrews said. The aircraft, built by Northrop Grumman, are operated by four-person crews from virtual cockpits the size of shipping containers.

-snip-
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each drone costs $80 million - Northrop Grumman loves it


and the object of the missions is? . . . .

another of our freedoms gone

[texanwitch]

1. I know I feel safer now.

:sarcasm:

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. "Official Air Combat Mission"??? WTF are they planning to shoot at?

:scared:

[texanwitch]

3. Need to keep an eye on all those nasty anti-war people, never know

what they are up to.

[kestrel91316]

6. Yep. They're spying on known liberal activists, I bet.

And they will be at EVERY anti-war, anti-Bush protest now.

[Budmeiser]

4. No more nude sunbathing for me

(eom)

[spillthebeans]

5. Welcome to NORTHCOM

http://www.cdi.org/issues/USForces/commands.html

[savemefromdumbya]

7. really? not the first time

what were the 'unofficial missions'

[Blackhatjack]

8. Tradition based Republicans Ought To Outraged By This Govt Intrusion

Is there any doubt we are moving ever so more closely to constant surveillance in this country? And with surveillance comes control of movement, like we are seeing with certain individuals who have committed no crimes being denied the right to leave the country, or use public transportation like an airliner.

It is not the big sweeping change in the law that threatens freedom in a democracy. It is the death by a thousand small bites that eventually causes it.

BTW aside from the new passports that have a tracking chip in them, there are proposals being floated that all cars and cellphones have GPS technology embedded that allows the US government to track their location 24/7. So aside from listening in on your cellphone conversation, they will be able to track your every move. The only thing more invasive will be implanted tracking devices.

Will make it easier to track dissident citizens. Feel better?

[spillthebeans]

9. Track, capture and into the FEMA Camp

Peter Dale Scott was talking about the camps in this video.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4784922735418561675&hl=en

I liked the part when he mentioned Rumsfeld and Cheney working on the plan (without even being in office)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x125232

[Blackhatjack]

10. The Danger Of Having Resources That Can Be Misused ...

When we make it 'possible' for misuse of resources, the danger to the Democracy is heightened.

Imagine for a moment, this Administration launches an attack on Iran, and simultaneously issues an order implementing 'martial law' indefinitely in this country for the stated reason that they expect foreign attacks on US soil as a response. Combine this with the recent change in the law that allows the President to command US troops in States without civilian approval.

The surveillance tools presently in existence could be used for illegal purposes with no effective oversight for protection of civil liberties.